2020 Ferrari 488 Pista Spider

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The Pista Spider is a car that successfully marries performance and usability. It is the successor to the highly sought after 458 Speciale. The Speciale is extremely high-strung, which means it delivers a heavy shot of adrenaline but is not pleasurable when strolling around town. The biggest difference between the Speciale and the Pista is how happy the Pista feels at normal road speeds. Do not be fooled, the Pista will outperform the Speciale on any circuit when tested by the clock, it just delivers its performance like a confident gentleman rather than a teenager with a bad temper.

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It is easy to assume that Ferrari’s limited edition track performance cars are just slightly tweaked from the standard models, but that is not the case. While developing the Pista’s engine, Ferrari worked backward from the 488 Challenge racecar rather than trying to upgrade the standard 488 motor. The main difference from the standard 488 to the Pista’s motor is its use of lightweight internals. As a result, the engine faces less inertia allowing it to create an extra 50 horsepower over the standard 488. This along with the fact that Ferrari saved 200 lbs allows the car to rev more freely and feel lighter on its feet.

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The styling for the Pista was done in-house, and Ferrari hit a home run. There is no question that the Pista is one of the best-looking Ferraris in the past decade. A highlight of the cars styling is the ‘S duct’ on the front end of the car. It's an aero feature to help pass air over the top of the car, but it doubles as a good-looking piece of styling.

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This Pista Spider is an extremely high optioned spec. Its entire option list can be found on the plaque located in the trunk. A photo of the plaque can be found in the photo gallery below, but its highlights include; its exterior finished in a triple layer Nuovo Rosso Formula 1 2007 paint, several carbon fiber finishes, and black tipped tailpipes.

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The Pista Spider is one of the greatest all-round cars we have ever driven. The spider makes every minute in the car feel more eventful, its performance is mind bending yet easily manageable, its engine tone sounds incredible for a turbo charged engine, and it is comfortable at all speeds. Above all, the car delivers a sense of occasion. It conveys a strong aura of Ferrari heritage while offering plenty of modern benefits.