Ferrari 488 Pista Spider: unexpected debut at Pebble Beach

The complete driving experience of the Ferrari 488 Pista, but with the sky as its roof. Yes, it is the new 488 Pista Spider, unveiled by surprise at Pebble Beach.

As if the level reached this year at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance wasn’t enough, Ferrari has surprised everyone with a launch nobody expected. The new Ferrari 488 Pista Spider. It makes perfect sense that the Italian brand chose this event to present its 50th convertible model. After all, the North American market has a great tradition of high-performance convertibles.

The best engine in its class

Like the 488 Pista coupé, the Pista Spider also uses the most powerful V8 ever built by Ferrari. An engine that has won three out of three “International Engine of the Year” awards in its category. The 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8 produces 720 CV and 770 Nm of maximum torque. With a weight of 1,377 kg, it is only 91 kg heavier than the coupé. Even so, the Pista Spider still boasts an incredible power-to-weight ratio: 1.9 kg/CV.

Performance figures don’t convey the power of a car that truly hypnotises you when you drive it. Top speed is 340 km/h, with a 0 to 100 km/h acceleration time of 2.85 seconds. To reach 200 km/h from a standstill it needs only 8 seconds. And fuel consumption? It is still undergoing homologation, but this is not something prospective owners need to worry about. Some of them, incidentally, have already placed their reservations without even knowing the final official price.

Like the Ferrari 488 Pista Coupé from which it is derived, the Spider can be considered a competition car homologated for road use. As a result, to get the most out of it, customers will appreciate the new Ferrari Dynamic Enhancer (FDE). A system that manages all the engine and chassis parameters when driving at the limit.

As an exclusive detail, in addition to the removable roof, the Spider features new 20-inch wheels with a specific design, inspired by the mid-engined berlinettas of Ferrari. Optionally, they can be replaced by carbon fibre wheels, which save 20% in weight compared to the standard ones.

Image gallery of the Ferrari 488 Pista Spider