Ferrari 488 Pista is a specialized track-day weapon
It's lighter and more powerful, which is par for the course for a special-edition Ferrari.
The last three V8-powered Ferraris all had special editions -- the 360 Challenge Stradale, 430 Scuderia and 458 Speciale -- so it only makes sense that Ferrari would do the same thing with the 488 GTB. Enter the 488 Pista.
The Ferrari 488 Pista is the latest special-edition Ferrari to grace this planet, and it'll make its official debut at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show in March. Like the hardcore Ferraris of generations past, the 488 Pista has been optimized for track use by borrowing some parts from Ferrari's motorsports efforts.
You could house a family of four in the front end's negative space.
Its twin-turbocharged V8 puts out about 710 horsepower, a bump of roughly 50 hp over the standard 488 GTB. The engine is also lighter, thanks to the 488 Challenge racecar -- carry-over parts include Inconel exhaust manifolds, a lightweight crankshaft and flywheel, titanium connecting rods and carbon fiber intakes.
The body has also been tweaked to maximize downforce for better handling on the track. There's an F1-derived duct to better channel air over the front end, and both the front and rear diffusers are angled similarly to the 488 GTE endurance racer. The rear spoiler is higher and longer than on the GTB, as well. All in, these changes generate 20 percent more downforce than the standard 488.
The track-related trickery doesn't end there. The Pista also includes the mysteriously named Ferrari Dynamic Enhancer. It uses software to adjust the brake pressure at the calipers, which Ferrari claims will increase handling prowess and let you kick the rear end out a bit better. Another Ferrari first is an optional set of carbon fiber wheels, which should again improve handling by further reducing unsprung mass.
Ferrari did not specify pricing for the 488 Pista, but for comparison's sake, a "standard" 488 GTB will run you $252,800, and the old 458 Speciale cost about $300,000. We'll get up close and personal with this weaponized chunk of carbon fiber when we head to Geneva in a couple weeks.
