What's the news?
Ferrari has unveiled its new hard-edged 488 sports car, but instead of taking the GTO name, as many predicted it would, it's going to be called the 488 Pista. Before the jokes start, Pista is Italian for track, so this is the direct successor to the 458 Speciale and the old 360 Challenge Stradale.
Ferrari says that the Pista has evolved directly from its experience in creating and running its GTE race cars, which have taken five manufacturers' titles in the World Endurance Championship. Apparently, the finished product is "a car with an uncompromising mission: to offer track-like performance on and off the road, even when in the hands of non-professional drivers."
So, what's changed from the 488 to the 488 Pista?
Well, there's less of it for a start, thanks to a weight reduction of some 90kg. Then, there's more power. A lot more, with grunt taken to a massive 720hp from the 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8 engine, which Ferrari says is the highest horsepower-per-litre figure in its class. It's a whopping 50hp more than the standard model, too. Some of that extra power comes from good, old-fashioned tuning and tweaking, such as using Inconel exhaust manifolds and lightweight crankshaft and flywheel, but also thanks to additional features, such as titanium con rods and carbon-fibre intake plenums.
There's more torque too, 770Nm of it, and Ferrari says that the "engine sound is unique and unmistakably Ferrari, as such a special car warrants." 0-100km/h comes up in just 2.85 seconds, while the maximum speed is over 340km/h.
As with previous track-biased Ferraris, there's F1-style know-how in the aero package, which includes an s-duct for the front diffuser, along with a high ramp angle, which all adds up to increased downforce. At the back, the 488 GTE's diffuser is carried over more or less unchanged, and there's a bigger 'blown' rear wing, all of which means an overall 20 per cent improvement in downforce.
On the chassis front, there's an updated version of the Side Slip Control system (posh name for Drift Mode), along with an electronic differential, trick traction control, and magnetic-ride dampers for the suspension. There's also a new tweak called Ferrari Dynamic Enhancer, which constantly adjusts the pressure of the brake callipers, helping to make your inputs smoother, and fine-turning the 488 Pista's performance as you drive. It can brake individual wheels to smooth out the transition from straight to corner and back. All of that is backed up by special tyres made for the car by Michelin.
On the styling front, it's all very subtle, with a slightly shorter nose than that of the standard 488, a 'dolphin-tail' look for the rear spoiler, racing stripes, and new 20-inch carbon-fibre wheels.