This 2020 488 Pista Spider is a truly compelling example of a milestone Ferrari. The 50th open-top model developed by the marque, the 488 Pista Spider is powered by a twin-turbocharged V-8—the first such engine used in a Ferrari road car since the legendary F40. Thanks to its 710-horsepower output, this was also Ferrari’s most potent roadgoing V-8 ever produced upon its debut.

Performance is jaw-dropping, with a 0-62 mph sprint of just 2.85 seconds and a 211-mph stated top speed, but Ferrari’s engineers also prioritized balance and handling; Pista, after all, is Italian for “track,” which signifies the car’s motorsport-derived purity of purpose. Formula One-inspired aerodynamic enhancements and carbon fiber composite construction are found across the car, and the 488 Pista models were the first to receive the Ferrari Dynamic Enhancer—a tech suite that improves handling on the limit by automatically modulating the car’s carbon ceramic brakes for greater control and predictability. It is also worth noting that, with a manufacturer-stated curb weight of 3,054 pounds, this hardtop convertible is over 200 pounds lighter than the 488 GTB coupe.

All proves, as if there was any doubt, that the 488 Pista Spider was no mere open-topped afterthought, but rather a carefully considered and utterly exhilarating evolution of Ferrari’s purebred lineage.

Delivered via Ferrari of Central Florida in Orlando, this 488 Pista Spider has remained in the private collection of the consignor from new. He specifically ordered the car with an enviable, well-chose slate of distinctive options, beginning with its exterior. Its attractive livery of Rosso Corsa with NART Blue and White racing stripes, finished with gold-colored forged diamond-cut wheels, is a tribute to the great racing Ferraris of the 1970s. It also mirrors the colors of the consignor’s 458 Special A, with which this 488 has shared a stable from new!

Carbon fiber options were selected wherever possible, including the front flaps, side air splitters, rear diffuser, front vents engine cover, B-pillar trim, door sills, and interior trim. To highlight this lightweight material (and to wonderfully complement the Rosso Corsa exterior), the composite resin has been tinted a deep blue and the carbon weave has been left exposed, rewarding those who take a closer look.

The attention to detail continues inside the car. Although 488 Pista cabins are typically swathed in Alcantara, this car sports a blue leather interior with red accents—an exclusive and luxurious touch, and one that further recalls vintage Ferrari racecars. An Italian tricolore stripe runs down each seat, and the headrests each bear the famous Prancing Horse silhouette. Even the steering wheel, which features Ferrari’s signature “manettino” drive mode selector dial, is trimmed in blue with red accents and stitching.

Further desirable add-ons include Apple CarPlay, AFS headlights, and brake calipers finished in Rosso Scuderia. All told, the slate of options selected by the consignor brought the 488 Pista Spider’s total suggested retail price to an impressive $567,557, as outlined in the window sticker on file; surely, there is no other example in existence with this striking combination of options, colors, and surface finishes.

While in the consignor’s collection, the 488 Pista Spider has seen very limited use, and as a result, it displays just 629 miles at the time of cataloguing. It has benefitted from careful storage and maintenance, including an annual service conducted in June 2021 by Ferrari Maserati of Central Florida (an invoice for which is on file). Commensurate with this low mileage, it presents in as-new condition, and is accompanied by its owner’s manuals, a spare key, and window sticker.

One does not need to be a Ferrari connoisseur to grasp that this 488 Pista Spider is a very special car—or to enjoy the exhilarating, open-topped thrills such a machine offers. Devotees of the Italian marque, however, will instantly recognize its significance: A prime example of Ferrari’s 50th open-top model, in an unrepeatable and attractive specification that pays tribute to the racing cars of the past, this is an opportunity not to be missed.