The internet might have been surprised with the Pista name chosen by Ferrari for the hardcore 488, as everyone expected it to be labelled the GTO, but there’s no doubt that Maranello’s latest supercar should very exciting indeed.
Coming to replace the 458 Speciale, which in turn succeeded the F430 Scuderia and 360 Challenge, the new 488 Pista wants a piece of the Lamborghini Huracan Performante and Porsche 911 GT2 RS.
And, on paper, there’s no reason it won’t do so, at is needs just 2.85 seconds needed for the 0-100km/h (0-62mph) run and has a top speed in excess of 340km/h (211mph). All of these come courtesy of the 3.9-liter twin-turbo V8, which delivers 720PS (710hp) and 770Nm (568lb-ft) of torque – and then, of course, there’s the clever aerodynamics and other work carried beneath the skin that make this much more capable than the standard 488 GTB.
Chopping the roof off the new 488 Pista would be the next logical step for Ferrari. Likely adopting the Aperta name, the open-top version of the supercar was imagined by POG in a mustard yellow shade. The renderings look pretty much spot-on, and nobody will be surprised if the actual product looked like this.
Making it topless for a great coastal drive in the summer breeze will likely add a few kilograms to the 488 Pista, which currently weighs 1,280kg (2,822lbs) dry. In turn, this will slightly affect its performance, but nevertheless, the 100km/h (62mph) mark should still be tackled with in less than 3 seconds.
Imaginary open-tops aside, Ferrari will bring the coupe at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show for its public debut on March 6.