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Ferrari makes 488 Pista official with 711 hp, racing tech, photos

Instead of letting the internet get the best of its new V8 Special Series coupe, a day after images leaked Ferrari released a batch of details and photos on its 488 Pista track-day weapon. The twin-turbo 3.9-liter V8 produces 720 of France's Cheval Vapeur, which equates to 710 of our U.S. horsepower, while torque churns in at 568 pound-feet. Those numbers outdo the 488 GTB by 50 hp and eight pound-feet, and will get the 488 Pista in its lightest guise from a standstill to 62 miles per hour in 2.85 seconds, with 124 mph arriving in 7.6 seconds. Maximum velocity tops out at 211 mph. We say "in its lightest guise" because Ferrari records the 488 Pista's weight as 2,821 pounds dry, but with an asterisk that explains said weight can only be achieved "With optional lightweight features." As of now we have no idea what those features are, but along with other lightweighting efforts like the carbon floor, they help amputate a total of 198 pounds compared to the weight of the standard 488. Ferrari says the goal was to make the upper reaches of the new Special Series V8 "easier to reach and control," so engineers poured the brand's racing toolbox over the 488 Pista. The front S-Duct and diffuser mimic the ramp angle on the 488 GTE World Endurance racer. The sixth evolution of Side-Slip Angle Control that oversees the electronic differential, the magnetorheological suspension, and the F1-Trac stability control, now incorporates Ferrari Dynamic Enhancer software that varies the brake caliper pressure. Even the livery was created to enhance the coupe's raciness, as if such ornamentation were needed. We've heard rumors that 488 Pista can lap Ferrari's Fiorano test track faster than the LaFerrari. A better comparison — one we're more eager to see, and one with a much better chance of happening — is that between Ferrari's latest and the McLaren 720S. Their specs are nearly identical. The McLaren produces 710 hp and 568 lb-ft from a 4.0-liter, twin-turbo V8, weighs 2,828 pounds in its lightest fitment, sprints to 62 mph in 2.9 seconds, to 124 mph in 7.8 seconds, and has a top speed of 211 mph. Things that make you go, hmmm... We'll be at the Ferrari booth at the Geneva Motor Show as soon as the lights go up on this one. Related Video:

Race Recap: 2013 Twelve Hours of Sebring, cakewalk up front, grindfest out back [w/spoilers]

This year's 12 Hours of Sebring wasn't exactly a foregone conclusion because we're still talking about racing, and anything can happen when the speeds are as high as the adrenaline and the desire. But we're still talking about Audi bringing it's two top-spec racers - and its huge budget and its nearly neurotic attention to detail - to a race that it uses as a test bed for The 24 Hours of Le Mans and as a way to open the endurance racing season with a victory.
Besides, 12 hours is a long time, especially at Sebring, and things didn't go all Audi's way. On top of that, although it was a pretty quiet race, behind the Audis things got even grimier, with plenty of battles, plenty of mechanical issues, and the new BMW Z4 GTE and Viper GTS-R being race tested. Oh, and that brand new chromed-out DeltaWing...

Watch the Ferrari F8 Tributo in its first official videos

The Ferrari 458 Italia has played a core role for the Italian brand since its debut all the way back in 2009 and has been in a perpetual state of improvement throughout the 10 years. It has evolved through numerous stages and earned a new name at each step, from the Speciale to the 488 GTB to the Pista to the newest model, the F8 Tributo. Although each car has the same genes, every one has a slightly different look due to numerous aerodynamic tweaks and subtle bodywork changes. The new angles are obvious in the Tributo's first official videos released this week. The video above premieres the car in a mountainous environment with all the curvy roads one could ever need. It flips between close-ups of the car, driving shots, and hazy smoke-filled displays of power. The only negative is the super-quick cuts don't allow much time to stare. The videos below put the F8 Tributo's aerodynamics and power on display. Several parts of the Tributo's salacious body is functional, including the front S-Duct, the front splitter, the underside vortex generators, the beefier rear spoiler, and the rear diffuser. It also has some hidden tricks using active features. Overall, Ferrari says it has 10 percent better efficiency than the 488 GTB. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Power comes courtesy of a different 458 family member, the 488 Pista. They share Ferrari's twin-turbo 3.9-liter V8 that makes 710 horsepower and 568 lb-ft of torque. It's the most powerful V8 Ferrari has ever put in a car that wasn't part of a special series. Get more familiar by watching all three clips. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.