Ferrari 488 Pista Spider Drops its top at Pebble Beach

Ferrari has unveiled the 488 Pista Spider at the Pebble Beach Concourse d’Elegance in California. As the name suggests, it is the convertible / Aperta version of the 488 Pista, which was showcased at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show. It is also the 50th drop-top model built by Ferrari ever since the first one came out in 1950.

The 488 Pista Spider looks similar to the coupe, barring the redesigned rear deck lid, which now houses the folding hard top. It features an updated front bumper with wider intakes and active flaps that let air pass through the bonnet vent increasing downforce. The vents on the sides have been tweaked and so are the side skirts. The rear features a more pronounced spoiler and a large diffuser. The exterior is mostly a blend of carbon fiber and lightweight materials. The interior of the car similar to the standard 488 GTB.

The 488 Pista Spider shares its underpinnings with the race-derived 488 Pista coupe. It is powered by a 3.9-liter, twin-turbo V8 engine that produces 710 hp @ 8000 rpm and peak torque of 568 lb-ft @ 3000 rpm and is mated to a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. It features Ferrari’s 6th-gen Side-Slip Angle Control system which comprises of E-Diff3, F1-Trac, magnetorheological suspension and Ferrari Dynamic Enhancer.

The car rides on new 20-inch alloy wheels in a diamond-finish as standard. One-piece carbon fiber wheels are available as an option. As far as performance is concerned, the 488 Pista Spider clocks 0-62 mph in 2.85 seconds. 0-124 mph comes up in 8 seconds and it will accelerate to a top speed of 211 mph.

The new Ferrari 488 Pista Spider is the spiritual successor to the 430 Scuderia 16M and the 458 Speciale Aperta.