THE MAD RAVINGS OF A PISTA OWNER

Borrow’d Mine · Jan 16, 2020

FordGTDriver said: ↑

View attachment 2877146

Like many of you here, I’ve been fortunate to own a few different Ferraris. The Pista is now my fifth: I started with a lovely F430 (back when they were new), after that, I specced two 458s, a Speciale, and a 488 which was barely six months old when I pre-traded it for the Pista. I mention this as a framework for the following observations regarding my new Pista.

THRUST-O-MATIC

First, let’s talk about acceleration. The Pista is simply ferocious, and the thrust, even in 7th gear, is borderline frightening. I was on a lonely desert road in the Pista and came upon a wheezing old pickup truck, sauntering along ahead of me. I signaled, moved out to pass, and squeezed the throttle. A big, fat, hairy couple of seconds later the speedo was in the triple digits and I was left wondering how I got there. Mind you, I didn’t downshift; this was all in top gear. Verdict: the Pista will quite decidedly slap the soup out of every prior Ferrari I have owned, and it’s not even close. In fact, it may be one of the quickest cars I have ever owned, period.

View attachment 2877149

YES, BUT HOW DOES IT COMPARE TO THE 488?

Specifically in comparison with the 488, it’s not surprising that the Pista accelerates with so much more authority; take an already blindingly quick car like the 488, then increase the power and decrease the weight (including rotational mass inside the engine), and you’ve got a recipe for all sorts of swell fun, mister. The car really does feel super light on its feet. The tiniest nudge of the throttle has an immediate and delightful effect, and the combined improvements makes it feel like the torque of the engine has been at least doubled. For the first time ever in a turbo car, I can now honestly say that I cannot detect turbo lag. Not sure how Ferrari did it, but I love it.

I’ve tried to come up with ways to describe the way the Pista feels in comparison to my other F cars, and the best thing I can come up with is this: when I was slogging through college, I worked in a cabinet shop. I marveled at the difference in function between a freshly sharpened tool vs. one that had become dull with use. The sharper tool was more accurate and required so much less effort to use and control. The same can be said of the Pista; It’s so perfectly responsive to driver input that even in city driving, it feels like wearing Tod’s loafers while everyone else is in goulashes. It’s quite remarkable what weight reduction and power amplification can do for a car. Simply stated, if you like your 488, you’ll be bonkers for the Pista. I know I am.

View attachment 2877156

IS THE PISTA A RAW, NASTY, TRACK ONLY CAR?

After reading various accounts of the Pista, I expected it to be raw and unrefined. Nope and Nope. My only remark is that the road noise is more prevalent, and the constant sound of rocks pinging off the ultra-expensive carbon body parts is irritating. The latter is certainly exacerbated by the gummy Michelin tires.

Other than those two gripes, I really can’t say that the Pista is as uncouth as some have commented. It’s perfectly content on the highway. Put it on a twisty backroad and mama mia, it’s better than you-know-what.
I have a favorite canyon drive that is about 70 miles long, and features one of the best sports car roads in the U.S. (For the curious, look at Highway 89 that connects Prescott, Arizona to the tiny town of Willhoit, then continues on to Peeple’s Valley, Yarnell, and then terminates at Congress Junction.) I have been driving this road for the past 25 years, and feel like it gives me a good baseline of comparison between cars. The road snakes along, perched on rock faces, heavily cambered and generally quite vacant. It’s got one remarkable section where the road plunges nearly 2000 feet to the desert floor on a one-way road, thus allowing one to cut the apexes like Monsieur Leclerc with no fear of oncoming traffic. In this environment, the Pista feels like it just might be worth the insane amount of money one must pay to have one. I’ve driven the road 5 times now in the Pista, and each time, as I pull the paddles and listen to the barking rev match on downshifts, I feel like it’s all so totally worth it. While the Pista may lack the transparent steering feel of my Porsche 993 or NSX, it’s still intoxicatingly communicative and so responsive and predictable that it makes me laugh out loud. I won’t be able to take the car to the track until the spring, but I can already predict that it will be stupendous in that environment.

BUT HOW DOES IT SOUND?

The engine noise as heard from inside the car is perfect in my opinion. I understand that there are those among our body that complain often and vociferously about a lack of noise produced by the 488. I thought the 488 sounded fine, and I think the Pista sounds even better; exactly like a half million-dollar, 700 horsepower car should; purposeful but not obnoxious. A couple of things I didn’t expect: First, I can hear the turbos spool more distinctly in the Pista, and the intake noise is significantly more pronounced than in the 488. Very cool.

View attachment 2877158

WHAT ABOUT THE LOOKS?

The Pista is an out-of-the-park home run. If it’s got a bad angle, I certainly can’t find it. I have to admit that this is completely subjective, but I think it’s the most dramatic and dynamic exterior styling of any car I’ve owned. In comparison to the 488, the S-duct, the pronounced duck tail, and the wider, more sculpted rockers transform the car. My only complaint is that the car sits too high in factory form. I plan to fix this; I specced the lift so that I could have Novitec springs installed to lower the car and not scrape all the time.

I was lucky to get to see the F8 and the Pista side-by-side at Pebble Beach. My immediate conclusion was that if the F8 is a Stormtrooper, then the Pista is Darth Vader. Don’t get me wrong, the F8 is a very striking car, but it looks fine-boned and almost delicate in comparison to the gnarly Pista.

YES, BUT WILL IT GO 200 MPH?

Well, I’m gonna find out. There’s a little place called the Space Shuttle Landing Facility at Cape Canaveral where my friend Johnny Bohmer provides the perfect place to do high speed aerodynamic testing. (In other words, see how fast your car will go in a straight line). I’m schedule to be there in the Pista on Jan. 18. It’s 2.7 miles at wide open throttle, and I’m curious to see what my top speed will be. My record is 230 mph, (370 kph) and while I’m under no illusion that the Pista can touch that speed, I’m hoping for 200 plus. Watch this space for further details…
Click to expand...

Wow! Thank you for that!

Henry Bex · Jan 16, 2020

Amazing car, you are a lucky man. And 230 mph - do you mind if I ask what car you were in?

kingp0820 · Jan 16, 2020

Enjoyed the read... thank you! Doubt I’ll ever own a Pista but thank goodness I’m lucky enough to have a friend close by that just got his. At least I’ll surely get a ride in it. ;-)

chaspotts · Jan 16, 2020

This is my favorite non-Enzo era Ferrari, even over the F8. I also love the gold wheels, that's exactly how I would spec it.

FordGTDriver · Jan 16, 2020

Henry Bex said: ↑

Amazing car, you are a lucky man. And 230 mph - do you mind if I ask what car you were in?
Click to expand...

Henry, I was in a Ford GT.

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whatheheck · Jan 16, 2020

Beautiful car!

Thanks for sharing your experience with it.

Dan

john a barnes · Jan 16, 2020

Is it true, that cup holders are another 3 grand?

ChrisDiRe · Jan 16, 2020

fantastic review!!!! thank you for sharing!

Shamsta · Jan 16, 2020

Fantastic review!

CSlow997 · Jan 16, 2020

FordGTDriver said: ↑

View attachment 2877146

Like many of you here, I’ve been fortunate to own a few different Ferraris. The Pista is now my fifth: I started with a lovely F430 (back when they were new), after that, I specced two 458s, a Speciale, and a 488 which was barely six months old when I pre-traded it for the Pista. I mention this as a framework for the following observations regarding my new Pista.

THRUST-O-MATIC

First, let’s talk about acceleration. The Pista is simply ferocious, and the thrust, even in 7th gear, is borderline frightening. I was on a lonely desert road in the Pista and came upon a wheezing old pickup truck, sauntering along ahead of me. I signaled, moved out to pass, and squeezed the throttle. A big, fat, hairy couple of seconds later the speedo was in the triple digits and I was left wondering how I got there. Mind you, I didn’t downshift; this was all in top gear. Verdict: the Pista will quite decidedly slap the soup out of every prior Ferrari I have owned, and it’s not even close. In fact, it may be one of the quickest cars I have ever owned, period.

View attachment 2877149

YES, BUT HOW DOES IT COMPARE TO THE 488?

Specifically in comparison with the 488, it’s not surprising that the Pista accelerates with so much more authority; take an already blindingly quick car like the 488, then increase the power and decrease the weight (including rotational mass inside the engine), and you’ve got a recipe for all sorts of swell fun, mister. The car really does feel super light on its feet. The tiniest nudge of the throttle has an immediate and delightful effect, and the combined improvements makes it feel like the torque of the engine has been at least doubled. For the first time ever in a turbo car, I can now honestly say that I cannot detect turbo lag. Not sure how Ferrari did it, but I love it.

I’ve tried to come up with ways to describe the way the Pista feels in comparison to my other F cars, and the best thing I can come up with is this: when I was slogging through college, I worked in a cabinet shop. I marveled at the difference in function between a freshly sharpened tool vs. one that had become dull with use. The sharper tool was more accurate and required so much less effort to use and control. The same can be said of the Pista; It’s so perfectly responsive to driver input that even in city driving, it feels like wearing Tod’s loafers while everyone else is in goulashes. It’s quite remarkable what weight reduction and power amplification can do for a car. Simply stated, if you like your 488, you’ll be bonkers for the Pista. I know I am.

View attachment 2877156

IS THE PISTA A RAW, NASTY, TRACK ONLY CAR?

After reading various accounts of the Pista, I expected it to be raw and unrefined. Nope and Nope. My only remark is that the road noise is more prevalent, and the constant sound of rocks pinging off the ultra-expensive carbon body parts is irritating. The latter is certainly exacerbated by the gummy Michelin tires.

Other than those two gripes, I really can’t say that the Pista is as uncouth as some have commented. It’s perfectly content on the highway. Put it on a twisty backroad and mama mia, it’s better than you-know-what.
I have a favorite canyon drive that is about 70 miles long, and features one of the best sports car roads in the U.S. (For the curious, look at Highway 89 that connects Prescott, Arizona to the tiny town of Willhoit, then continues on to Peeple’s Valley, Yarnell, and then terminates at Congress Junction.) I have been driving this road for the past 25 years, and feel like it gives me a good baseline of comparison between cars. The road snakes along, perched on rock faces, heavily cambered and generally quite vacant. It’s got one remarkable section where the road plunges nearly 2000 feet to the desert floor on a one-way road, thus allowing one to cut the apexes like Monsieur Leclerc with no fear of oncoming traffic. In this environment, the Pista feels like it just might be worth the insane amount of money one must pay to have one. I’ve driven the road 5 times now in the Pista, and each time, as I pull the paddles and listen to the barking rev match on downshifts, I feel like it’s all so totally worth it. While the Pista may lack the transparent steering feel of my Porsche 993 or NSX, it’s still intoxicatingly communicative and so responsive and predictable that it makes me laugh out loud. I won’t be able to take the car to the track until the spring, but I can already predict that it will be stupendous in that environment.

BUT HOW DOES IT SOUND?

The engine noise as heard from inside the car is perfect in my opinion. I understand that there are those among our body that complain often and vociferously about a lack of noise produced by the 488. I thought the 488 sounded fine, and I think the Pista sounds even better; exactly like a half million-dollar, 700 horsepower car should; purposeful but not obnoxious. A couple of things I didn’t expect: First, I can hear the turbos spool more distinctly in the Pista, and the intake noise is significantly more pronounced than in the 488. Very cool.

View attachment 2877158

WHAT ABOUT THE LOOKS?

The Pista is an out-of-the-park home run. If it’s got a bad angle, I certainly can’t find it. I have to admit that this is completely subjective, but I think it’s the most dramatic and dynamic exterior styling of any car I’ve owned. In comparison to the 488, the S-duct, the pronounced duck tail, and the wider, more sculpted rockers transform the car. My only complaint is that the car sits too high in factory form. I plan to fix this; I specced the lift so that I could have Novitec springs installed to lower the car and not scrape all the time.

I was lucky to get to see the F8 and the Pista side-by-side at Pebble Beach. My immediate conclusion was that if the F8 is a Stormtrooper, then the Pista is Darth Vader. Don’t get me wrong, the F8 is a very striking car, but it looks fine-boned and almost delicate in comparison to the gnarly Pista.

YES, BUT WILL IT GO 200 MPH?

Well, I’m gonna find out. There’s a little place called the Space Shuttle Landing Facility at Cape Canaveral where my friend Johnny Bohmer provides the perfect place to do high speed aerodynamic testing. (In other words, see how fast your car will go in a straight line). I’m schedule to be there in the Pista on Jan. 18. It’s 2.7 miles at wide open throttle, and I’m curious to see what my top speed will be. My record is 230 mph, (370 kph) and while I’m under no illusion that the Pista can touch that speed, I’m hoping for 200 plus. Watch this space for further details…
Click to expand...

Beautiful car and thanks for sharing... but I’ve been dying to ask someone with knowledge of both that and a 458 Speciale. Allowing for the seemingly mandatory increase in “numbers” that comes with each generation it’s love to hear what you think about how they compare in sheer “feel”. Put it this way... things like resale aside if you could only ever have and keep one Fezza to drive until your last days which one would you pick? What would be your proverbial final drive? I’ve not yet considered a 488-gen model at all but I do know I tend to lean towards character well before performance in my stable.

victorg · Jan 16, 2020

My Pista Spyder coming in in a few weeks but I loved the look of the F8 Spyder and I'm wondering what to do next - take the profit on the Pista S and switch down to an F8 Spyder. I have a 488 (my first ever F), an 812 and a GT2RS that I'll be trading in for the new Pista S. Any thoughts on strat and happiness down the road?

pdxjim488 · Jan 16, 2020

Enjoyed reading about your new car! Am awaiting additional news! For those that have an interest in a closed highway event near Sun Valley Idaho:
https://sunvalleytourdeforce.com/

Believe top speed last summer was around 250 MPH.

Il Co-Pilota · Jan 16, 2020

FordGTDriver said: ↑

Because I am somewhat compulsive, before each event, I always remove all four wheels and inspect each tire under an intense light for damage. The only thing that really concerns me performing high speed runs is a blowout, particularly on a front tire. The inspection allows me to put that out of my mind and focus on enjoying the rush. The last thing I want to be thinking about out there is whether I have a nail in my front tire...
Click to expand...

Safety is important on fast cars, and tyres should be kept in good condition. Just remember to have fun and don't let unnecessary concerns mess with your mind. These tyres are thoroughly tested and properly rated for those speeds. If it can put your mind at ease, just remember that here on the Autobahn, there are sportscar owners that run upwards of those speeds almost on a daily basis. We see people in 488's and heavy Lussos cruise along on a sunday morning or on a quiet week night eating up boring miles at a steady 200+ mph rarely dropping below 180. Check your tyres regularly and do an inspection like you do, because that's what needs to be done before a racing type event. But you can be quite sure that unless you have a properly damaged tyre, you don't need to worry too much about a high speed blowout. The MPSC2 was after all the tyre of choice for the Koenigsegg speed record run

I think the speeds you are shooting for might be possible on that stretch. Put me down for a 208 guess

Il Co-Pilota · Jan 16, 2020

victorg said: ↑

My Pista Spyder coming in in a few weeks but I loved the look of the F8 Spyder and I'm wondering what to do next - take the profit on the Pista S and switch down to an F8 Spyder. I have a 488 (my first ever F), an 812 and a GT2RS that I'll be trading in for the new Pista S. Any thoughts on strat and happiness down the road?
Click to expand...

Hey there. Remember that you are driving a Ferrari Spider. Spyders are made by that other "Italian" farm equipment manufacture I dare not mention lol

Shadowfax · Jan 16, 2020

victorg said: ↑

My Pista Spyder coming in in a few weeks but I loved the look of the F8 Spyder and I'm wondering what to do next - take the profit on the Pista S and switch down to an F8 Spyder. I have a 488 (my first ever F), an 812 and a GT2RS that I'll be trading in for the new Pista S. Any thoughts on strat and happiness down the road?
Click to expand...

Lol.... so not believable. I think it would be safe to unleash the hounds on this one.

Il Co-Pilota · Jan 16, 2020

Shadowfax said: ↑

Lol.... so not believable. I think it would be safe to unleash the hounds on this one.
Click to expand...

Just read his post again. Got caught up in the whole Syder thing.

But yes, skmething is amiss. Trading in both a GT2RS and an 812 for a Pista Spider - and then keeping the 488? I adore the Pista Spider and can't wait to really experience it. But trading it for those, and then considering stepping down to an F8 is just nuts.

Victkr, if you have a Spider on the way, and the means to own what you say you own, here's the skinny of it. Sell the 488, and keep the rest. If you have an 812, a 488 and a GT2RS, I can't for the life of me, see why you would tradd in those two. IF you need to trade in two cars, trade in the 488 and GT2RS. A Pista Spider and an 812 is as best-of-both-worlds as you can get.

Shadowfax · Jan 16, 2020

Il Co-Pilota said: ↑

Just read his post again. Got caught up in the whole Syder thing.

But yes, skmething is amiss. Trading in both a GT2RS and an 812 for a Pista Spider - and then keeping the 488? I adore the Pista Spider and can't wait to really experience it. But trading it for those, and then considering stepping down to an F8 is just nuts.

Victkr, if you have a Spider on the way, and the means to own what you say you own, here's the skinny of it. Sell the 488, and keep the rest. If you have an 812, a 488 and a GT2RS, I can't for the life of me, see why you would tradd in those two. IF you need to trade in two cars, trade in the 488 and GT2RS. A Pista Spider and an 812 is as best-of-both-worlds as you can get.
Click to expand...

Yes aside the fact it would be akin to committing financial suicide 3 times over, the simple thought of doing something like that is just not even remotely believable. Unleash the hounds without any further ado!

4_Eff_Sake · Jan 16, 2020

victorg said: ↑

My Pista Spyder coming in in a few weeks but I loved the look of the F8 Spyder and I'm wondering what to do next - take the profit on the Pista S and switch down to an F8 Spyder. I have a 488 (my first ever F), an 812 and a GT2RS that I'll be trading in for the new Pista S. Any thoughts on strat and happiness down the road?
Click to expand...

You know the drill... pics or it didn’t happen

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

europa · Jan 16, 2020

Perfectly said.....I just received my 2020 Pista and everything you described in your article is true. You took the words right out of my mouth

FordGTDriver · Jan 16, 2020

CSlow997 said: ↑

Beautiful car and thanks for sharing... but I’ve been dying to ask someone with knowledge of both that and a 458 Speciale. Allowing for the seemingly mandatory increase in “numbers” that comes with each generation it’s love to hear what you think about how they compare in sheer “feel”. Put it this way... things like resale aside if you could only ever have and keep one Fezza to drive until your last days which one would you pick? What would be your proverbial final drive? I’ve not yet considered a 488-gen model at all but I do know I tend to lean towards character well before performance in my stable.
Click to expand...

That, Sir, is an excellent question, and one that I have wrestled with for quite some time. Isn’t it interesting how a car on paper vs. a car on the road is so totally different? I’ve owned a few cars that I immediately fell in love with and never looked back...while others got old quite quickly and went to the glue factory. In other words, I agree with your assessment that character comes first. Some of my very favorite cars are most certainly not the fastest cars in the stable.

With regard to the Speciale vs. the Pista, I think what it boils down to for me is the Turbo vs. NA discussion. (This, because the cars are built on the same basic platform). There is no question that there is a significant difference in the driving experience between the two. Some love the razor sharp throttle response and unfettered exhaust note of the Speciale (and who wouldn’t?) while others love the swell of immense power that accompanies revs in the 488/Pista. I am firmly in the Turbo camp, and have been ever since my two-stroke motorcycle days. What makes the Pista remarkable is that with the reduction in internal engine weight, increase in power, and clever software management, the old school turbo lag has been irradicated. So, for me, I would have to say that the Pista is my preference. It’s the one I could take to the grave and be happy. However, I have a ton of respect for the Speciale and would not argue with those who felt that IT was the keeper between the two.

FordGTDriver · Jan 16, 2020

pdxjim488 said: ↑

Enjoyed reading about your new car! Am awaiting additional news! For those that have an interest in a closed highway event near Sun Valley Idaho:
https://sunvalleytourdeforce.com/

Believe top speed last summer was around 250 MPH.
Click to expand...

I had the pleasure of driving the Sun Valley Road Rally/Tour De Force on two separate occasions, and it is a great event. I last ran it in my former 675LT. I can’t think of better place to attend a car event than Ketchum/Sun Valley, and the people are the absolute best. Highly recommended!

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SECRET · Jan 16, 2020

What a great write up. Can't wait for my Pista to start production!

Il Co-Pilota · Jan 16, 2020

SECRET said: ↑

What a great write up. Can't wait for my Pista to start production!
Click to expand...

Regular Pista or Spider? Is it R10 yet?

SECRET · Jan 17, 2020

Il Co-Pilota said: ↑

Regular Pista or Spider? Is it R10 yet?
Click to expand...

Just a plain old Pista. Could not secure a Spider allocation. Still in 10G.

Sellatease · Jan 17, 2020

This is awesome. The fabric interior got me. The red exterior is awesome. Ferrari always producing beasts.

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