Meet the tuned Ferrari 488 GTB with 'more than 986bhp'

First, the Essen Motor Show gave us a BMW 1-Series with as much torque as a medium-sized train. And now, it’s given us this: a Ferrari 488 GTB with more horsepower than a McLaren P1.

It's the work of exotically named German tuning house xXx Performance ( be very careful should you choose to Google it), and it boasts some mighty serious numbers. Wearing something called a 'Stage 3 kit', the 488’s twin-turbocharged 3.9-litre V8 now produces ‘over 986bhp’ and 923lb ft of torque, increases of more than 320bhp and nearly 400lb ft over the normal, not-very-slow-at-all car.

If a whole BMW M235i’s worth of performance over a standard, already outrageously rapid 488 GTB seems a bit excessive, xXx’s 'Stage 1' kit ups power from the standard 488’s 660bhp to a mere 740bhp. The 'Stage 2' kit adds another 100bhp or so.  

Besides the power hike - afforded by the surprisingly lo-fi method of a remapped ECU, as well as a customised intake and sports exhaust system – xXx has added a carbon fibre front lip, side-skirts and a diffuser. It's been lowered by 35mm and sits on new 21s, too. 

How has all this affected the performance? xXx hasn’t said, but given a normal 488 will crack 62mph in three seconds flat and hit 205mph flat, expect impossible speed. Good tune, or bad tune?

Images: xXx Performance