Ferrari 488 GTB / Spider: unleashing the twin-turbo V8, the complete exhaust system guide
The 488 opened the turbo era of V8 berlinettas: an efficiency that crushed everything in its path, and a debate about its sound against the 458 that has raged since launch. The good news: properly freed up, its V8 has a far more expressive character than its reputation suggests. Here you will find everything that matters before configuring the exhaust for your Ferrari 488 V8 biturbo: catalytic converter, material, valves, tips and vehicle inspection.
Written by ROG Motorsport · Updated
Your ROG exhaust for the Ferrari 488 V8 biturbo
From €5,490 in stainless steel, €6,490 in titanium
Configure my exhaust- Vehicles
- Ferrari 488 3.9 V8 biturbo (2015-2019)
- Engine
- 670 hp · 760 Nm
- Exhaust
- Valved cat-back, built for your VIN
- Material
- 304 stainless steel or titanium
- Front section
- Optional: catted downpipe with 200 or 100 cells, or decat
- Valves
- ROG remote, or factory control if your vehicle has it
- Lead time
- 20 working days from order confirmation to delivery
- Warranty
- 3 years, parts and workmanship
The Ferrari twin-turbo V8: several times Engine of the Year, and still with reserves
The twin-turbo V8 in your 488 GTB / Spider was repeatedly voted engine of the year: near naturally aspirated response, a furious climb through the revs, and boost management no one else masters at this level. Maranello also took care over its sound, but type approval imposes its filters: compared with the naturally aspirated V8s of the past, part of the scream has been lost, and owners know it.
The ROG exhaust goes after that missing part: freed harmonics, presence restored through the revs, and refined bangs on the overrun. And the valves keep things civil so you can drive incognito whenever you decide.
How the exhaust on your Ferrari 488 V8 biturbo is put together
An exhaust system is best understood in two parts. Here is what each one does, and what ROG replaces.
The cat-back is the complete exhaust system
It is everything you can see under your Ferrari 488 V8 biturbo, from the outlet of the front section to the tips: pipes, silencers, valves. This is the part where most of our research and development goes: it is what shapes the sound, and it is enough on its own to transform the car.
The front section, where the catalytic converter sits
On your Ferrari 488 V8 biturbo, it is the downpipe, the pipe leading from the turbo. It contains the factory catalytic converter: the second restriction in the exhaust, after the silencer. Replacing it is optional: it frees up the flow, and it is the ECU remap that turns that into horsepower.
The figures for your Ferrari 488 V8 biturbo
An exhaust system is judged first by ear and on the scales. The extra horsepower comes from an ECU remap.
Power
Torque
Published manufacturer and Stage 2 figures.
The ROG exhaust works with or without an ECU remap. To get the full potential out of your Ferrari 488 V8 biturbo, we recommend taking it to an approved tuning centre afterwards.
To be completely transparent: the exhaust alone brings better breathing and sound. The Ferrari twin-turbo V8 is designed with considerable headroom: at Stage 2 with an ECU remap at a specialist centre, the figures above stay within its reliability range. For a car of this calibre, we invite you to call us so we can define the project together.
Configuring your exhaust, step by step
3 choices, in the same order as the product page configurator.
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Step 1 of 3: Material: stainless steel or titanium
For your Ferrari 488 V8 biturbo, the exhaust costs €5,490 in stainless steel and €6,490 in titanium.
304 stainless steel
€5,490
- Weight
- Baseline
- Sound
- Full and rounded
The safe bet: strong, corrosion-proof, with a full, rounded sound. The best value for money.
Titanium
€6,490
- Weight
- Around 40% lighter
- Sound
- Metallic, crystal-clear
It makes the exhaust around 40% lighter for the same design. Its note is more metallic and clearer higher up the rev range, and its finish ranges from brushed to blued.
No worries on durability: 304 stainless steel shrugs off winter road salt and titanium does not rust. Stainless steel or titanium: what really changes.
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Step 2 of 3: Front section: downpipe and catalytic converter
Optional: the downpipe on your Ferrari 488 V8 biturbo, with its catalytic converter. Each option is placed on our sound scale of 0 to 10, valves open, with the factory exhaust at 3.
Cat-back only
Included
7/10Factory emissions control
The factory front section stays in place. It is already a complete transformation, and the choice of many of our customers.
200-cell sports catalytic converter
+€1,310
8/10Road use and inspection
More flow, emissions control retained: the right option for road use.
100-cell sports catalytic converter
+€1,310
9/10Inspection: depends on local rules
More open than the 200-cell: the sound hardens at high revs and emissions control is reduced.
Decat
+€990
10/10Track use
Flow with no filter at all: the rawest sound and the sharpest response.
Sound intensity, on a scale of 0 to 10
- 10/10Decat downpipe + ROG cat-back
- 9/10100-cell sports catalytic converter + ROG cat-back
- 8/10200-cell sports catalytic converter + ROG cat-back
- 7/10ROG cat-back only, factory catalytic converter retained
- 3/10Factory exhaust, for comparison
Valves open. With the valves closed, every configuration becomes discreet again.
What about the engine warning light? With a sports catalytic converter it can come on, because the rear oxygen sensor reads less cleaning. Nothing mechanical is wrong: an ECU remap or a session with a diagnostic tool sorts it out. Without a catalytic converter, you will need an ECU remap. If it happens to you, call us and we will point you in the right direction. Passing vehicle inspection with a sports exhaust.
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Step 3 of 3: Valves: ROG remote or factory control
Two ways to control the valves on your Ferrari 488 V8 biturbo.
ROG remote
A discreet control unit in the boot and a two-button remote: you open and close whenever you like, independently of the drive modes. For fitting, we support you by phone or by email.
Factory control
- Only for vehicles fitted with factory valves
- Controlled by the drive modes
For vehicles fitted with factory valves: the exhaust connects to their control and the drive modes stay in charge, with no extra control unit.
At 130 km/h, many sports exhausts drone. Here, with the valves closed, the exhaust flows through the silencer and stays composed when cruising; open, it makes itself heard when you choose. More about exhaust drone.
The ROG sound signature on the Ferrari V8
Our exhaust frees what type approval holds back: the V8's fury through the revs, the high harmonics, and refined bangs on the overrun with the valves open. With the valves closed, your Ferrari turns discreet again so you can cross town incognito. The prancing horse gets its full voice back, on demand.
From order to fitting
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Configuration
You configure the exhaust and enter the VIN from box E of your registration document or from the base of the windscreen.
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Check
Your VIN is checked before any manufacturing begins.
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Manufacturing
The exhaust is produced to order, for your vehicle.
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Delivery
Free in Europe, insured parcel, tracking number from dispatch.
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Fitting
Around two hours in the workshop, with no welding or cutting.
20 working days from order confirmation to delivery
- Warranty
- 3 years, parts and workmanship, from the date of delivery
- Payment
- In instalments with Klarna
- Installation
- At the garage of your choice
Is your Ferrari 488 V8 biturbo still under the manufacturer's warranty? In Europe, the manufacturer cannot refuse cover simply because a part from another brand has been fitted: it is up to the manufacturer to prove that the fault came from that part. Our article on the manufacturer's warranty.
Our recommendations for your Ferrari 488 V8 biturbo
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Daily driving
€5,490
- Stainless
- Cat-back only
- ROG remote
Your Ferrari 488 V8 biturbo stays easy to live with, the factory emissions control is retained, and you open the valves whenever you decide.
View this configuration -
Fast road
€7,800
- Titanium
- 200-cell downpipe
- ECU remap
The best of both worlds: character and breathing, with emissions control retained.
View this configuration -
Track
€7,480
- Titanium
- Decat downpipe
- Stage 2
The most extreme configuration, for track use only.
View this configuration
Every Ferrari 488 V8 biturbo has its own story and its own use: if none of these profiles sounds like you, let's talk.
Ferrari 488 V8 biturbo: your questions
How much power does an exhaust system add to the Ferrari 488 V8 biturbo?
As standard, the Ferrari 488 V8 biturbo produces 670 hp and 760 Nm. The exhaust alone acts first on sound, breathing and weight; the extra horsepower comes from an ECU remap. With a Stage 2 build, the published figures reach 767 hp and 924 Nm.
Stainless steel or titanium: which material for the Ferrari 488 V8 biturbo?
For the Ferrari 488 V8 biturbo, the ROG exhaust costs €5,490 in stainless steel and €6,490 in titanium. Stainless steel is the safe bet, with a full sound; titanium makes the exhaust around 40% lighter and gives a more metallic note higher up the rev range.
Do you need to replace the catalytic converter on the Ferrari 488 V8 biturbo?
It is not compulsory. The cat-back alone is enough to change the character of the Ferrari 488 V8 biturbo. Replacing the downpipe is how you go further, together with an ECU remap: 200 cells for the road, 100 cells or decat for more radical use.
Will a ROG exhaust pass vehicle inspection on the Ferrari 488 V8 biturbo?
The cat-back only and the 200-cell converter both retain emissions control: present the Ferrari 488 V8 biturbo with the valves closed. With the 100-cell, acceptance at the emissions test depends on the car and local rules; the decat is intended for track use.
How is the ROG exhaust fitted to the Ferrari 488 V8 biturbo?
With clamps and gaskets, no welding or cutting: around two hours in the workshop for a well-equipped mechanic. The exhaust is built to the VIN of your Ferrari 488 V8 biturbo.
What does a ROG exhaust cost for the Ferrari 488 V8 biturbo, and how long does it take?
From €5,490 to €7,800 depending on the configuration. Allow 20 working days from order confirmation to delivery. Delivery is free and the exhaust comes with a 3-year warranty.
Unsure about your configuration? Give us a call.
Stainless steel or titanium, cat-back only or the complete system: the right choice depends on how you drive and on your Ferrari 488 V8 biturbo. We take the time to talk it through before you order, with a reply within 24 hours. We are not here to sell to you over the phone: we help you choose, even if that means a cheaper option because it suits the way you drive.
ROG is a French brand, and the way we work comes down to one idea: an exhaust system should be sold with advice, not just a product page. More than 500 exhaust systems fitted and a rating of 4.9 out of 5.
Further reading
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