Ferrari’s latest track special – the Ferrari 488 Pista

Ferrari 488 Pista is the 711 horsepower successor to the 458 Speciale, 430 Scuderia, and 360 Challenge, among others. But this time, the name is a bit different, with Ferrari choosing the Italian word for “track” to denote that this is the track-focused version of the car.  I’m not sure the name is a great choice Ferrari.  The problem with choosing an Italian word for the name of the car is that the translation won’t work in every language. Some places, Pista will just be nonsense, but in other countries, Pista will be a word that has an actual meaning, and probably not track. Here’s what the name means, according to quick run through Google Translate, in languages that also have the word “pista.”

• Albanian: Dirty
• Armenian, Azerbaijani, Gujarati, Hindi, Kazakh, Telugu, Urdu: Pistachio
• Bengali: Crushed
• Bosnian, Croatian, Macedonian, Serbian, Slovenian: Runway
• Catalan: Clue
• Cebuano: Feast
• Estonian, Lithuanian, Persian, Ukranian: Piss
• Greek: Dance Floor
• Maltese: Trail

As you can see, a number of countries will be driving a 488 Pistachio or a 488 Runway. And, well, some countries will be driving a 488 Piss, which probably isn’t great. However, we’d love to take a 488 Pista to Greece, just so we can tell people we’re having a great time driving the 488 Dance Floor.

Anyway, enough on the name, it is what it is.  The Pista uses the current 488’s 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8, yet with a significant weight saving and a power increase from 661bhp to 711bhp. All this contributes to a 0-62 mph time of 2.85 seconds and a top speed of more than 211 mph.  This is a seriously quick beast of a machine.

The Ferrari 488 Pista marks a significant step forward from the previous special series in terms of both sporty dynamics and for the level of technological carry-over from racing. The name is, in fact, a direct homage to Ferrari’s unparalleled heritage in motor sports.

The car’s development evolved directly from the company’s involvement in the FIA World Endurance Championship – in which it has won five Manufacturers’ titles in the GTE class in the six years since the series’ inception – and its 25 years’ experience in running the Ferrari Challenge one-make series.

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. 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.

LIGHTER AND MORE POWERFUL

The new model weighs an impressive 90 kg less (1280 kg dry) than the 488 GTB. This fact, combined with the largest ever increase in engine power for a special series car (+50 cv), sets a new benchmark for Ferrari’s V8 sports cars.

Its engine is the most powerful V8 in Ferrari history and is an extreme evolution of the turbo unit that won the overall International Engine of the Year award titles in both 2016 and 2017.

It punches out 720 cv with the highest specific output of in its class (185 cv/l) and is now lighter too, thanks to solutions adopted from the 488 Challenge.  The engine sound is unique and unmistakably Ferrari, as such a special car warrants. Both the sound quality and the intensity are higher than the 488 GTB in all gears and at all engine speeds in proportion with the progressive increase in power.

BOOSTED DOWNFORCE

The Ferrari 488 Pista makes full use of Ferrari’s motor-sports experience for maximum aerodynamic performance even on the road. 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 optimised for the 488 GTE to create strong suction for increased downforce. Additionally, the rear blown spoiler is higher and longer and the shape has been optimised. The final result of all these interventions is an impressive 20% increase in downforce compared to the 488 GTB.

EXHILARATING DRIVING PLEASURE

The vehicle dynamics were designed to enhance driving pleasure and make the car’s full potential available to all drivers, professional or otherwise. The objective was to make the car’s performance on the limit easier to reach and control.

This was achieved by synergies between the development of the mechanical set-up and the electronic dynamic controls integrated into version 6 of the Side-Slip Angle Control system. SSC 6.0 incorporates all the following systems: E-Diff3, F1-Trac, the magnetorheological suspension (SCM) and, for the first time ever, the Ferrari Dynamic Enhancer. The FDE features a world-first: it uses Ferrari software to adjust the brake pressure at the callipers.

A POWERFUL, EFFICIENT DESIGN

The design of the Ferrari 488 Pista is focussed on functional aerodynamic concepts while the cockpit is pared back in keeping with its very sporty vocation. Ferrari Design used innovative elements, such as the aerodynamic S-Duct at the front, as an opportunity to visually shorten the car’s nose, creating an original floating wing effect.

The racing livery colour scheme is an integral part of the design of the car and the way it dives into the S-Duct underscores the berlinetta’s compact yet imposing forms. Contrasting edging on the aerodynamic elements on the bumpers and flanks add structure to the design.

The concept of the front is echoed in the dolphin-tail rear spoiler which appears suspended to provide an impression lightness and efficiency, while the rear volumes add a sense of power to the tail.

How mush will it cost?  We’ll have to wait and see..