What's the news?
Ferrari has unveiled an open-top version of its most extreme 488, this newcomer called the 488 Pista Spider.
Based on the 488 Pista coupe, the Spider is the 50th drop-top model built by the company in its history.
The 488 Pista Spider is powered by the award-winning 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8 that underpins all 488s, rated here at a colossal 720hp at 8,000rpm. That is backed up by 770Nm at 3,000rpm, all of this power sent to the rear wheels via a seven-speed dual-cutch automatic transmission.
Power-to-weight of the 1,380kg 488 Pista Spider stands at 522hp-per-tonne, meaning performance is as suitably brisk as it is in the hard-topped 488 Pista: 0-100km/h in 2.85 seconds, 0-200km/h in eight seconds flat and a top speed of 340km/h.
The 488 Pista Spider will be sold under the Special Series banner and uses lightweight tricks to keep the kilos off, such as extensive use of carbon fibre throughout, the lack of carpets in the cabin (patterned aluminium footplates take their place) and a strap to replace the driver's-side door handle.
The Ferrari Dynamics Enhancer (FDE), as seen on the Pista coupe, is transferred to the Spider and the open-top 488 sits on 20-inch, diamond-finish alloy wheels with a ten-spoke star-effect pattern. As an option, one-piece carbon-fibre wheels that are 20 per cent lighter than the standard forged alloys are available, while there's much use of Alcantara in the Pista Spider's cabin and the car wears longitudinal striped livery to eye-catching effect.
Anything else?
The 488 Pista Spider was revealed by Ferrari at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance over in California, chosen because North America has been a strong market for high-speed convertibles since the 1950s.