Ferrari Pista coming soon to Geneva Motor Show

KUALA LUMPUR: The ultimate version of the Ferrari 488 GTB has arrived. Like the 360 Challenge Stradale, the 430 Scuderia and the 458 Speciale, this is the race focused, lighter, harder and more powerful version of the 488. As for the name, Pista is Italian for the track. Stradale meant road and Scuderia meant stable, so there is apparently a theme here.

The other theme is their focus on track performance. The 3.9-litre turbocharged V8 now comes with integrated rev sensors in the turbos. Power has gone up by 50 hp meaning that it now produces 720 hp and 770 Nm of torque. The car is also lighter by 90 kg thanks to its Inconel exhaust manifolds, lighter crankshaft and flywheel, titanium con rods and carbon-fiber intake plenums along with a carbon fiber dash.

The combined effect of these changes is a 0-100 kmph time of 2.9 seconds. This is McLaren 720s territory. Top speed has also gone up to 340 kmph. The car’s already superior aerodynamics get a major overhaul based on the findings from the 488 GTE. The race-derived aero moves the air intake near the rear spoiler from the flanks for better air flow. It also comes with a new front F1-inspired S-Duct and diffusers, redesigned underbody vortex generators, rear diffusers and a carbon fiber spoiler that’s higher and longer. All these changes combine to give the Pista 20% more downforce than the standard 488.

The 488 was known for its unobtrusive driver aids. The new electronics package tries to make the peak performance even easier to reach. The Slide – Slip Angle control or SSC package is in its 6th version. SSC 6.0 package includes E-Diff3(electronic differential), F1-Trac(traction control) and magnetorheological suspension(adaptive dampers).  For the first time ever, FDE or Ferrari Dynamic Enhancer that manages brake caliper pressure is also included. The Pista comes with another Ferrari first in the form of Carbon fiber wheels. The 20-inch wheels are shod with Michelin developed specially for the Pista.

The car is supposed to be launched in March in the Geneva Motor Show. There is no word on price yet. We can safely expect it to be eye-watering.