If you think buying the 710-horsepower Ferrari 488 Pista makes you someone special, remember that there’s always a bigger fish. The new Ferrari 488 Pista Piloti is a limited edition so exclusive that even a bulging bank account is no guarantee of landing one. That’s because the Piloti Ferrari is only available to customers who participate in Ferrari’s racing programs.
Through programs like the Ferrari Challenge, Ferrari has built up a loyal cadre of customers who actually race its cars, not to mention legions of people involved with its various professional motorsports programs. Fittingly, the Piloti Ferrari made its debut on the eve of the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race in France.
The special edition’s paint scheme is inspired by a car that will be racing at Le Mans this weekend. The number 51 AF Corse Ferrari 488 GTE won the manufacturers’ title in its class at the 2017 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), while drivers Alessandro Pier Guidi and James Calado won the drivers’ title. Like the race car, the Piloti Ferrari wears stripes in the colors of the Italian flag, as well as the WEC logo and the word “Pro,” signifying the class the number 51 car raced in. Owners can add their own racing numbers to the sides of the car.
The interior is drenched in black Alcantara and carbon fiber, with some Italian flag elements. The racing number used on the exterior is repeated at the base of the steering wheel, and each car gets an identification plaque trimmed in carbon fiber.
No mechanical changes were made, so the Piloti Ferrari still boasts a 3.9-liter twin-turbocharged V8 with 710 hp and 568 pound-feet of torque. The engine borrows its turbochargers, exhaust system, and other parts from the 488 Challenge race car, so it’s a fitting heart for a racing tribute. Ferrari’s claimed performance figures of 0 to 62 mph in 2.8 seconds and a top speed of 211 mph for the Pista should carry over to the Piloti Ferrari.
Ferrari would not discuss pricing but, considering that the only people eligible to buy the 488 Pista Piloti Ferrari already own one of the automaker’s race cars, it’s probably irrelevant.
