The regional launch of the Ferrari F8 Tributo

The new Ferrari F8 Tributo marked its regional launch at a grand celebratory event held at the St Regis Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The event, bringing together customers and guests from Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand, also marks the 10^th anniversary celebration for the dealerships in the three respective markets.

The Ferrari F8 Tributo, first unveiled at this year's Geneva Motor Show, is the Italian brand's new mid-rear-engined sports car that represents the highest expression of the company's classic two-seater Berlinetta.

The name pays homage to both the model's uncompromising layout and to the engine that powers it - a twin-turbocharged 3.9-litre V8 engine producing 710bhp and 770Nm of torque. This is the most powerful V8 in Ferrari's history for a non-special series car, capable of sending the car from 0-100km/h in just 2.9 seconds.

It is also the latest iteration of the V8 engine that has won garnered numerous accolades, including 'Best Engine' in the International Engine of the Year awards for three years running, as well as 'Best engine of the last 20 years in 2018’.

The new F8 Tributo, replacing the 488 GTB, features numerous improvements across the board to offer even greater control on the limit along with better on-board comfort.

The car's exceptional handling has been further improved thanks to advanced vehicle dynamics solutions. These include a new version of the Ferrari Dynamic Enhancer (FDE+), which can be activated in the manettino's 'Race' setting for the first time.

Also, weight reduction measures such as a lighter engine and a carbon fibre rear spoiler has made the car 40kg lighter compared to the 488 GTB. This enhances both responsiveness and driving pleasure without compromising on interior comfort. The steering wheel rim is also smaller in diameter to enhance the level of tactility.

As with the 488 Pista, the F8 Tributo's aero package is directly evolved from the track, incorporating sate-of-the-art aerodynamics solutions to allow you to fully exploit the engine's power.

It adopts several features from the 488 Pista designed to help manage engine heat, such as the rearward-angled front radiators and the dynamic engine air intakes positioned either side of the spoiler instead of on the rear flanks.

In terms of design, the new Ferrari continues to emphasise the brand's key characteristics of high performance and extreme aerodynamic efficiency.

The front of the car is characterised by the S-Duct, designed to suit the extensive modifications made to this area of the car. The result is that the S-Duct alone contributes an impressive 15% to the overall increase in downforce compared to the 488 GTB.

The new Lexan rear screen, on top of offering weight savings, also showcases the engine compartment and also brings a modern twist to the most distinctive design element from Ferrari's most famous V8, the F40.

The louvres help extract hot air from the engine compartment without impacting the efficiency of the blown spoiler, which has been further evolved to increase downforce generated at the rear.

The cabin retains the classic, driver-oriented cockpit look typical of Ferrari's mid-rear-engined berlinettas, but every element of the dash, door panels and tunnel, have been completely redesigned.

The new generation Human Machine Interface, new steering wheel and controls as well as a new 7.0-inch passenger touchscreen display, significantly enhance the on-board environment for driver and passenger.

The Ferrari F8 Tributo will be launched in Singapore in September during the F1 week, and customer deliveries are expected to begin in Q1 2020. The Ferrari F8 Tributo has an indicative pricing of $998,000 before COE and options.