The 710bhp Ferrari 488 Pista Is Officially Here At Last

It’s finally here! It has carbonfibre wheels, the same official power output as a McLaren 720S and has more downforce than ever. Brace for lap time shootouts
The 710bhp Ferrari 488 Pista Is Officially Here At Last

Welcome to the embodiment of old-school Ferrari at its modern finest. The 488 Pista has finally been released officially, and its spec sheet makes for one hell of a read.

Let’s start with the output. Some 710bhp comes from the most powerful V8 Ferrari has ever made – 50bhp more than the standard 3.9-litre unit thanks to the likes of Inconel exhaust manifolds, a lightweight crankshaft and flywheel, titanium con-rods and carbonfibre intake plenums, variously derived from the 488 GTE and Challenge racers.

The 710bhp Ferrari 488 Pista Is Officially Here At Last

Torque is ‘higher at all [engine] speeds’ says Ferrari, peaking at 568lb ft with faster throttle response than ever. It’s louder and more ferocious on the ear, too, in all gears and at all speeds. We like. That makes it good for a 0-62mph sprint in a bonkers-fast but slightly anal 2.85 seconds, with a 211mph top speed.

But power is nothing without, err, aerodynamics. The ‘F1-inspired’ S-duct and front diffusers are part of a package that increases the downforce by 20 per cent. The rear ‘blown’ spoiler is higher and wider, above a new GTE-sourced ‘double-kink’ rear diffuser.

The 710bhp Ferrari 488 Pista Is Officially Here At Last

Despite all that, the Pista is designed to be fully exploitable even by people who aren’t quite Ferrari test driver standard. Version six of the company’s Side-Slip Angle Control, or SSC 6.0, manages the electronically-controlled differential, F1-Trac, the magnetorheological suspension and, for a Ferrari first, the brake pressure at individual wheels. It’s all designed to help you avoid ending up in the gravel.

Ferrari says it’s now easier (for a confident driver) to get to the car’s limits and exploit its handling behaviour at ten tenths – and beyond. The tyres are bespoke Michelin track-focused items, and they have an impressive 90kg less weight to handle.

The 710bhp Ferrari 488 Pista Is Officially Here At Last

The Pista clocks a dry weight of just 1280kg. Part of that is new carbonfibre wheels that cut 40 per cent out of the alloy hoops you’ll find on the 488 GTB. When it finally arrives in the real world, we can look forward to very many shootouts between this, the 911 GT2 RS and the McLaren 720S. Bring it on!

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Comments

Nishant Dash

I love the styling more than anything else on this car! It’s definitely going to be slower than a GT2 but the front aero is gorgeous!

02/21/2018 - 12:30 |
12 | 2
Nishant Dash

Wait…. Did I read that correctly?
“Anal 2.85 seconds”
Mattt!!!

02/21/2018 - 12:58 |
46 | 4
marciélago

Is the acceleration slightly an*l? Hahah

02/21/2018 - 13:52 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

710HP is the new 500HP

02/21/2018 - 14:08 |
6 | 0
Anonymous

Wow it looks so amazing

02/21/2018 - 16:30 |
0 | 0
TheMindGarage

It’s cool, but I feel like Ferrari is lagging behind a bit. The 720S has the same power figure, similar weight and is far more useable and comfortable day-to-day. And that’s just the regular 720S, not the highly-likely LT version.

02/21/2018 - 16:51 |
2 | 0
The 710bhp Ferrari 488 Pista Is Officially Here At Last
₩!Ź@ŔĐ Transit supervan

In reply to by TheMindGarage

This ‘pista’ might be the end of this generation of v8 ferrari since ferrari has generally made a radically new v8 ferrari after every 2 cars . For eg small change from the 348 to the f355 then a huge change to the 360 then another small change from the 360 to the f430 and then another huge change to the 458 and now a small change from the 458 to the 488 . Hopefully the next one can take the fight to mclaren .

02/21/2018 - 17:16 |
0 | 0
Will Tasillo

I’m glad it has a the old steering wheel
I prefer it

02/21/2018 - 17:01 |
0 | 0
Igor Konuhov

Love the name. Nobody who speaks any slavic language would drive one though. Translation is… not flattering :D

02/21/2018 - 18:04 |
0 | 0
Windscape 🇺🇸

So this isnt the GTO? Its a 488 pasta?

02/21/2018 - 20:05 |
0 | 0

Just saw the other article, where somone already said 488 pasta. Oh well.

02/21/2018 - 20:07 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

WHAT MAKES FERRARI BEST ITS THIER DESIGN MAN

02/21/2018 - 20:46 |
0 | 0