Ferrari is preparing to rock the racetrack with its most powerful V8 supercar ever. The 488 Pista, which translates as "Track," is the latest in Ferrari's special series, and makes 710 horsepower while weighing 198 lb less than the 488 GTB and gaining some extra special handling prowess.
Following in the hallowed footsteps of the 360 Challenge Stradale, 430 Scuderia and 458 Speciale, the Pista is an uncompromising performance focused update to the 488 with track tenths the key goal.
Performance
Weight is down to 1280 kg (2822 lb) and power is up by almost 50 horsepower thanks to a range of solutions brought across from the 488 Challenge race car. Exhaust manifolds for the 3.9-liter V8 are now made from Inconel. Con rods are titanium, the intake plenums are carbon fiber, and the crankshaft and flywheel have both gone on a diet.
Response from the twin turbos is quicker, and torque is higher right through the rev range for quicker, more responsive acceleration at any engine speed. To reassure you of this fact, the engine is louder everywhere too.
Zero-100 km/h (0-62 mph) is dispatched in a sprightly 2.85 seconds, or you can hit double that speed in 7.6 seconds from a standstill. Top speed is in excess of an already thoroughly excessive 340 km/h (211 mph) – you'd be lucky to find a racetrack you could top it out on.
Aerodynamics
Aerodynamics have received a lot of attention, the sharp new bodywork being an eye-catching departure from the more flowing lines of the GTB. The Pista makes 20 percent more downforce, but without resorting to a huge rear wing. Instead, the car is sucked harder to the ground thanks to much more aggressive front diffusers, an enlarged rear spoiler and a huge S-duct in the hood that Ferrari says forms a "flying wing" at the front. It'll certainly cause the uneducated to scratch their heads wondering where all the engine is at.
Handling and Electronics
Likewise there's been plenty of time and money spent on handling dynamics, particularly at the limits of traction. The 488 Pista gets version 6 of Ferrari's Side-Slip Angle Control system, which includes the E-Diff3 electronic differential, F1-Trac traction control, and active magnetorheological suspension. The Pista also gets the Ferrari Dynamic Enhancer thrown into this package, which gives the car's computers full control of brake pressure at each individual caliper during cornering to help you keep the perfect drift angle through corners, power out harder, and generally feel like even more of a superhero.
The interior cabin has been "pared back" to feel as racy and ascetic as Ferrari was willing to go. You can option it back up toward the luxury end if you like.
The unwashed masses will lay their grubby peepers on the 488 Pista for the first time at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show. As yet, there's no information on when you and I can get our own, or how many decades' worth of salary it'll cost. Stay tuned!
Source: Ferrari
