Ferrari unveils most powerful V8 21 | 02 | 2018
FERRARI HAS UNLEASHED its show-stopping 710bhp 488 Pista ahead of its official unveiling at next month’s Geneva Motor Show. The new model, which uses the most powerful V8 motor in the Italian carmaker’s history, is a more focused version of the Italian brand’s mid-engined V8 supercar. (Related: UK debut for Ferrari FXX-K Evo)
The new Ferrari 488 Pista — the name is the Italian for ‘track’ — utilises specialised parts which were developed for the 488 Challenge race series. These include a modified crankshaft and flywheel, carbon-fibre intake plenums, and exhaust manifolds made out of super-alloy Inconel.
The result is a car 90kg lighter than the ‘regular’ 488. Tipping the scales at 1280kg, the 488 Pista’s dry weight is around the same as a Ford Focus.
As to performance. At 710bhp, its race-bred turbochargers deliver an extra 48bhp more than the 488 GTB. It also creates more than the regular car’s 760Nm of torque.
Though Ferrari is remaining tightlipped regarding performance figures, it’s not unlikely the 488 Pista will hit 62mph from standstill in less than three seconds, and top out at more than 205mph.
The car’s aerodynamics have, not surprisingly, been influenced by the Ferrari 488 GTE endurance race car. Most noticeably, the underbody vortex generators and the rear blown spoiler — which is higher and longer than on the 488 GTB — and the front and rear diffusers. Ferrari says the aero changes generate a 20% gain in downforce compared with the regular 488.
Sitting on 20-inch carbon-fibre wheel rims shod with specially produced Michelin rubber, the 488 Pista’s dynamics and electronic aids, including the introduction of something called the Ferrari Dynamic Enhancer, have also been adjusted. The latter uses software to adjust the brake pressure at the calipers resulting in — according to Ferrari — extra pace and predictability when accelerating through and out of corners.
The 488 Pista also gets a revised rear spoiler, and edging on the front and rear bumpers. And in keeping with older generation ‘faster Ferraris’ (including the 430 Scuderia and 458 Speciale), the new model gets a set of race stripes running down the centre of the bodywork.
Ferrari has yet to confirm when the car will actually go on sale, or its price, but it’s likely the 488 Pista will cost more than the £204,000 of the current drop-top 488 Spider.
Related: Ferrari reveals 592bhp Portofino
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Jim McGill