Hardcore Ferrari 488 Pista Screams For Attention In Geneva

The covers are off the new Ferrari 488 Pista, the most track-capable version of the Italian mid-engine supercar which is displayed at the Geneva Motor Show for the first time.

Compared to the regular Ferrari 488 GTB, the new 488 Pista is 90 kg lighter at 1280kg dry, features a 20 percent improved aerodynamic efficiency and makes 49hp more from its twin-turbo V8 that now produces 711hp (720PS).

These are some stunning specs to be honest, especially when you consider just how good the car it’s based upon is. Ferrari claims a 0-62mph (100km/h) in 2.85 seconds, 0-124mph (200km/h) in 7.6 seconds and a top speed of over 211mph (340km/h).

Ferrari has opted to call the new special series sports car “Pista”, which is Italian for ‘track’, joining a celebrated lineup of hardcore models that includes the Challenge Stradale, the 430 Scuderia and the 458 Speciale.

The whole bodywork has been reshaped, with the designers using innovations such as the S-Duct at the front and the unique edges of the front bumper and side sills that guide the air flow in -apparently- all the right places.

The 3.9-liter V8 engine is essentially the same unit found in the Challenge race car and features specific valves and springs, a new cam profile, strengthened pistons and cylinder heads shorter inlet ducts, radiators with an inverted rake, a larger intercooler and more. It’s also 18kg lighter than the standard engine.

For the first time ever in a Ferrari, the new 488 Pista can be fitted with a set of optional single-piece carbon-fiber wheels that are around 40 percent lighter than the GTB’s standard rims. A new generation of Ferrari’s Side Slip Control System is also present (SSC 6.0) because who doesn’t like to slide around a Ferrari with some help from the gods of Maranello.

The new Ferrari 488 Pista will be offered along the regular 488 GTB until it goes off production, something that will definitely bum out the car flippers out there.