Ferrari's 488 Pista Must Not Be Forgotten

We live in a period where being conspicuous is regarded by many as a must-have trait. Almost everyone wants to be noticed, followed, liked, adored, or to just feel important. There’s this weird link between being known and being successful like it matters if people have any idea about who you are. On the other hand, others are very keen on privacy. They don’t want to be easily recognized or on social media.

Since cars are meant for humans, they’re trying to mimic what both successful and ordinary people are doing or what they deeply desire. That’s why there are so, so many options for us to choose from. Automakers want to be as diverse as possible because, at the end of the day, sales are important. It’s almost unbelievable when you try to think of every type of vehicle a person – wealthy or not – can get their hands on.

But, oh boy, there are some… There are some cars that just won’t leave your mind. And if they do, it’s only for a short time. You’ll remember them randomly. They’ll just pop up in your head and your heart will immediately make itself noticeable. Your blood starts rushing. The eyes, suddenly, capture more light. Your senses heighten. It happens briefly and it gets you going, but… You stop. You have to. There’s no way you’re going to allow yourself to indulge, right?

The Italians want to have a chat

So, you explore some other options. What could be a good fit for you, if that one thing can’t become yours as soon as you may have desired? You could buy a Mitsubishi Mirage, a beat-up Ford Bronco, a brand-new BMW M5, or a 2000 Lexus LS and you would still end up thinking about other vehicles. Because that’s just how we all are – it’s never enough. We, as humans, don’t want only the cake – we must have the cherry on top of it too.

And that’s why supercars and hypercars exist. That's also why the Ferrari 488 Pista was made. And...

What. A. Car! Italy must be proud of what came out of Maranello. Powered by a twin-turbocharged V8 which puts out 711 hp (721 ps) and 568 lb-ft (770 Nm) of torque, this dreamy-looking machine weighs only 3,241 lb (1,470 kg) and it sends all its power to the back wheels. It’s made to entertain.

The high-performance and very expensive two-seater isn’t meant for the average Joe, but I think Ferrari made a mistake by keeping it exclusive. This vehicle deserves to find itself in as many garages as possible. It’s not because of its special turbocharged engine, nor due to its amazing heritage. My argument is based solely on looks – I don’t think there was ever created a better-looking car than the 488 Pista.

Dreamy, yet encouraging moments

I have a 1/43 diecast model sitting in front of me, on my desk. From time to time, I glance at it. Then, I fantasize about how I could earn enough money to buy a pre-owned 488 Pista or, even better, a 488 Pista Spider in about eight or nine years, right before the world is getting ready to ditch gas and follows the all-electric route.

Even though it’s quite unlikely, I’m hoping gas cars will eventually become cheaper as we’re moving towards the zero-tailpipe emission future.

This idea that one day I could own this vehicle is one of the things that keep me going. It’s my motivation, even though prices currently start from around $550,000. Just taking a couple of seconds to admire its proportions is enough for me. There’s nothing that I could argue against. It looks perfect from any angle. This fantastic Ferrari is sleek and wide, has enough aero work done on it to make you fall in love with physics even if you hated it in school, and it showcases what an established brand can do when money or sales numbers are not an issue.

For me, this is the vehicle that proved automotive perfection can exist. There are other supercars out there, I know, but for me, there’ll only be one that’s downright amazing and will always leave me starstruck – the marvelous Ferrari 488 Pista.

I haven’t driven one (yet). Three years ago, my luck struck out and I got to push a somewhat similar Ferrari to its limits in Germany, but it was “just” the 488 GTB. All in all, maybe that’s for the best. It’s usually recommended to not meet your heroes.