Ferrari just unveiled a 711-horsepower supercar that's crammed with racing DNA
- The new Ferrari 488 Pista is an evolution of the 488 GTB that's ready for track action.
- The latest Ferrari boasts 710 horsepower.
- The car will be officially revealed at the Geneva Motor Show in March.
The Ferrari 488 GTB was already special. But it wasn't speciale - that honor goes to the newest version of Marnanello's super sports car.
The 488 Pista, which will be officially revealed at the Geneva Motor Show in March, is the successor to the 458 Speciale, a car that was an evolution of the 488's predecessor, the 458. The Pista continues a prancing horse tradition of offering customers beefier versions of the base mid-engine machine.
In the Pista's case, another 50 horsepower has been added to the twin-turbo V8 that was developed specifically for the 488 GTB. Total output is now an astounding 711 hp, a massive bump up from the 488's 661 hp.
The Pista has also lost some weight and incorporated technology from Ferrari's extensive on-track experience with the 488, which includes racing in both the US and Europe.
"The Ferrari 488 Pista's extensive weight saving solutions, along with engine, vehicle dynamics and aerodynamic developments, all derive from Ferrari's racing cars: the 488 GTE and the 488 Challenge," Ferrari said in a statement.
"The result is a car with an uncompromising mission: to offer impeccable track-like performance on and off the road, even when in the hands of non-professional drivers."
The Pista will be recognizable to anyone who's seen a 488; that car was rolled out in 2015 and by 2016, it had notched a second-place finish at the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race. The turbo V8 was new at the time - and controversial, as the naturally aspirated V8 in the 458 was revered. But nobody was arguing with the 488's increase in power.
The Pista will make a compelling case as a weekend track car, crammed as it is with tech taken from the competition.
"Among the racing solutions adopted is the front F1-inspired S-Duct and the design of the front diffusers which feature a ramp angle that was optimized for the 488 GTE to create strong suction for increased downforce," Ferrari said in a statement.
"Additionally, the rear blown spoiler is higher and longer and the shape has been optimized. The final result of all these interventions is an impressive 20% increase in downforce compared to the 488 GTB."
Translation: Even with 711 ponies raging away, the Pista will remain stuck to the tarmac. The 0-62 mph time, according to Ferrari, is 2.85 seconds, and the top speed is 211 mph. Those numbers match up with the 488 GTB, so in application, we expect the Pista to be quicker.
Ferrari didn't detail pricing, but the 488 goes for about $250,000, and with these evolution editions, a premium materializes over time, so investing in a Pista is likely a good bet.