Speciale vs. Pista : which should I buy ?

[Taffy66]

RSVP911 said:

What have you got Taffy - coupe or Spyder ? (Like Grigio Ferro btw)

Coupe but i also like the Spyder. Personally i don't get the £100K+ premiums to pay for a flashier and only slightly less common Speciale or Pista where the normal car they are based on are so much more under the radar. In terms of 488 vs 458(Pista vs Speciale) it basically comes down to whether you see a huge benefit of Turbo vs Na. To put it another way its like comparing a 991.2GT3 RS WP vs 991.2GT2 RS WP.
I love both 458 and 488 and have had both but don't really get the anti 488 propaganda on here when its such a brilliant car. Chris Harris much prefers it to the 458 and even thinks it sounds better.
I have my RS WP to fill the rare 9k rev NA and the 488 complements it beautifully. I also have a Lotus Exige 390 Last Edition coming in the Summer which will satisfy my lightweight Manual sports car needs.

[RSVP911]

Taffy66 said:

RSVP911 said:

What have you got Taffy - coupe or Spyder ? (Like Grigio Ferro btw)

Coupe but i also like the Spyder. Personally i don't get the £100K+ premiums to pay for a flashier and only slightly less common Speciale or Pista where the normal car they are based on are so much more under the radar. In terms of 488 vs 458(Pista vs Speciale) it basically comes down to whether you see a huge benefit of Turbo vs Na. To put it another way its like comparing a 991.2GT3 RS WP vs 991.2GT2 RS WP.
I love both 458 and 488 and have had both but don't really get the anti 488 propaganda on here when its such a brilliant car. Chris Harris much prefers it to the 458 and even thinks it sounds better.
I have my RS WP to fill the rare 9k rev NA and the 488 complements it beautifully. I also have a Lotus Exige 390 Last Edition coming in the Summer which will satisfy my lightweight Manual sports car needs.

Cheers Taffy

[fridaypassion]

Almost a man of exceptional taste Taffy I just confirmed my spec for a 250 cup final edition. V6 is too heavy for me. Like the 458 vs the turbo stuff I guess some of us are just a bit stuck in our ways. Really looking forward to the Lotus. Hope you enjoy the Exige when it comes. I've been told may for mine.

I've not seen the F8 mentioned in this thread is that better than the 488? I've not driven a 488 although I suspect the dealer will have me in one at some point. I drove the new F8 and although it was a better car in terms of ride and interior to me it was just a bit boring. I jumped in the 458 to drive home and 3 pulls of that right paddle later the F8 was a distant memory. To me it was a bit aloof and hardly any noise.

[RSVP911]

fridaypassion said:

Almost a man of exceptional taste Taffy I just confirmed my spec for a 250 cup final edition. V6 is too heavy for me. Like the 458 vs the turbo stuff I guess some of us are just a bit stuck in our ways. Really looking forward to the Lotus. Hope you enjoy the Exige when it comes. I've been told may for mine.

I've not seen the F8 mentioned in this thread is that better than the 488? I've not driven a 488 although I suspect the dealer will have me in one at some point. I drove the new F8 and although it was a better car in terms of ride and interior to me it was just a bit boring. I jumped in the 458 to drive home and 3 pulls of that right paddle later the F8 was a distant memory. To me it was a bit aloof and hardly any noise.

Interesting comments re the F8 - I wonder if a 488’s noise levels are better as no PF - can anyone confirm.

Also can someone with a lovely Speciale for sale please get in touch - lol. Interesting how the Ferrari thing work , main dealer must take £k20 on buy in - such a waste

[Taffy66]

RSVP911 said:

Interesting comments re the F8 - I wonder if a 488’s noise levels are better as no PF - can anyone confirm.

Also can someone with a lovely Speciale for sale please get in touch - lol. Interesting how the Ferrari thing work , main dealer must take £k20 on buy in - such a waste

I thought the F8 i drove was a fabulous car and the best i've ever driven. Just one negative compared to my 488 was the noise it made or rather the lack of it. Due to the GPFs its much quieter than my 488. I'd never driven a 488 before picking mine up and based my purchase purely on reading reviews plus U tube in particular Chris Harris and Harry Metcalfe.
I'd love a Pista or Speciale just i'm not really comfortable spending twice what i paid for my 488GTB for a slightly better but a bit too flashy for me Pista.
With regards noise which was the biggest surprise when i first started my 488. In fact Chris Harris has said on numerous occasions that in his opinion the 488 sounds better then the 458.

[garystoybox]

RSVP911 said:

Interesting comments re the F8 - I wonder if a 488’s noise levels are better as no PF - can anyone confirm.

Also can someone with a lovely Speciale for sale please get in touch - lol. Interesting how the Ferrari thing work , main dealer must take £k20 on buy in - such a waste

Had my 488 Spider since 2018, after two 458’s. Best car I’ve ever had and sounds magnificent (to my ears) with top down; even when just trundling around. Drove the F8 extensively, both coupe and Spider and they were superb. 10% better/faster than 488, however definitely more muted with the PF. The 488 might miss out on the last 1000 rev shrill, but I find it much more interesting than the 458 sound wise everywhere else in the rev range. Personally, I wouldn’t swap from 488 in into F8.

Edited by garystoybox on Sunday 14th February 12:14

[fridaypassion]

Interesting. I'll have to have a go in one but will leave my wallet at home!

[LordOfTheManor]

It not that easy to find a dealer with a little enthusiasm, lots are sat on their backsides enjoying the "covid way of selling cars"

as if they weren't bad enough before

[fridaypassion]

Well I have to confess that's what my business is and it's been very much easier just delivering cars rather than having lots of joyriders coming and kicking tyres! I'm dreading having to open the showroom again!

[RSVP911]

Thanks all - very good to hear from owners about 488 sound - appreciate it

[RSVP911]

garystoybox said:

RSVP911 said:

Interesting comments re the F8 - I wonder if a 488’s noise levels are better as no PF - can anyone confirm.

Also can someone with a lovely Speciale for sale please get in touch - lol. Interesting how the Ferrari thing work , main dealer must take £k20 on buy in - such a waste

Had my 488 Spider since 2018, after two 458’s. Best car I’ve ever had and sounds magnificent (to my ears) with top down; even when just trundling around. Drove the F8 extensively, both coupe and Spider and they were superb. 10% better/faster than 488, however definitely more muted with the PF. The 488 might miss out on the last 1000 rev shrill, but I find it much more interesting than the 458 sound wise everywhere else in the rev range. Personally, I wouldn’t swap from 488 in into F8.

Edited by garystoybox on Sunday 14th February 12:14

Thanks very much. Quick question - how do you find the chassis on the 488 Spyder roof up & down compared to the coupe - interested in spirited road driving not track ? Also was the F8 Spyder noticeably better ? Thx

[garystoybox]

RSVP911 said:

Thanks very much. Quick question - how do you find the chassis on the 488 Spyder roof up & down compared to the coupe - interested in spirited road driving not track ? Also was the F8 Spyder noticeably better ? Thx

Roof up, you can’t (at least I honestly couldn’t) feel any difference in structure rigidity between Spider and GTB... this felt exactly the same in the F8 I drove. I’d always read how the roof up/down makes no difference to structure but this is clearly not the case. The first time you drop the roof you’ll notice a little flex feel, but strangely this only is apparent for a few seconds I.e. the car feels a little different. Also there’s appears to be only noticeable at very slow speed and once you up the ante the car drives feels pretty much the same as the GTB. I.e. the harder you push it top down, the better it’s chassis feels. Plus all the benefits of roof off or rear window down.
Comparing spider models from my experience: 458 definite increased flex roof up and down; 488 and F8 improved I.e. not noticeable roof up, but some loss in rigidity (doesn’t impact driving experience) roof down.

[lowndes]

RSVP911 said:

Would you have gone Pista or Speciale ?

Started looking at 458 but it is now quite an old car and on reading more the consensus seemed to be the Pista maybe a better car. But Pista now undercut by F8 and perhaps starting to look vulnerable to further correction, F8 seems a stop gap before the next generation.
With Spring just around the corner, a Spider has more appeal so I may be back in a 720, plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.

[RSVP911]

lowndes said:

RSVP911 said:

Would you have gone Pista or Speciale ?

Started looking at 458 but it is now quite an old car and on reading more the consensus seemed to be the Pista maybe a better car. But Pista now undercut by F8 and perhaps starting to look vulnerable to further correction, F8 seems a stop gap before the next generation.
With Spring just around the corner, a Spider has more appeal so I may be back in a 720, plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.

I’ll let you know where I end up

[RSVP911]

garystoybox said:

RSVP911 said:

Thanks very much. Quick question - how do you find the chassis on the 488 Spyder roof up & down compared to the coupe - interested in spirited road driving not track ? Also was the F8 Spyder noticeably better ? Thx

Roof up, you can’t (at least I honestly couldn’t) feel any difference in structure rigidity between Spider and GTB... this felt exactly the same in the F8 I drove. I’d always read how the roof up/down makes no difference to structure but this is clearly not the case. The first time you drop the roof you’ll notice a little flex feel, but strangely this only is apparent for a few seconds I.e. the car feels a little different. Also there’s appears to be only noticeable at very slow speed and once you up the ante the car drives feels pretty much the same as the GTB. I.e. the harder you push it top down, the better it’s chassis feels. Plus all the benefits of roof off or rear window down.
Comparing spider models from my experience: 458 definite increased flex roof up and down; 488 and F8 improved I.e. not noticeable roof up, but some loss in rigidity (doesn’t impact driving experience) roof down.

Thanks for taking the time to share the info - cheers.

488 Spyder sounds good based on your posts - I like the idea of rear window down / roof up - I think that’s what you meant - wonder if this gives more engine noise in the cabin in practice or just a gimmick ? Cheers

[RSVP911]

Saw a car today and the drivers floor pan gap looked really odd - dealer said they are all different / hand attached and this is quite normal - any thoughts ? Thanks

[DT398]

No way that’s correct. The side trim panel should run neatly along the edge of the aluminium floor panel. The side trim panel looks broken/deformed and there’s no way you should see that ugly gap.

[Taffy66]

DT398 said:

No way that’s correct. The side trim panel should run neatly along the edge of the aluminium floor panel. The side trim panel looks broken/deformed and there’s no way you should see that ugly gap.

Correct and i'm pretty shocked any seller would show a car in that condition. '' Don't worry Sir, they all do that'' is the oldest sales pitch in history and been done to death.

[LordOfTheManor]

My Speciale had a little problem with this when it was brand new, the dealership just adjusted the gap so it was even all the way around
and it was fine

[RSVP911]

Oh well that doesn’t sound good - I’ve queried it with the dealer - let’s see what they say.

Off at a tangent - does anyone know what a set of MPSC2’s should cost fitted - have been quoted £1800 by dealer - I’m sure they were only £1400 for my GT3 - sounds bonkers to me ?

Thanks.