Yes, we know. Drag races are coming out of the woodwork now, as motoring journalists are finally able to get out and do things again.
However, LoveCars has a pretty special one lined up: One classic Ferrari super special, one modern Ferrari super special.
In the… well, red corner, we have the Ferrari F40. Built to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Ferrari as a car company, it was the last car that was personally signed off on by Enzo himself. Packing a 2.9-liter twin-turbocharged V8, it punches out anywhere from 478 to 515 HP, depending on which year it was built in. Being made almost entirely out of carbon fiber and aluminum honeycomb, it weighs in nearly dead on 3,000 lbs (1,350 kg).
In the other red corner (they had to use two Rosso Corsa cars, eh?), we have the Ferrari 488 Pista Spider. Much like it’s classic cousin, it is made almost entirely from carbon fiber and aluminum and was built to celebrate the on-track victories of the 488 GT3 and GTE racing cars. It too packs a twin-turbocharged V8, except this one makes a little more power, to the tune of 710 HP. It also weighs just 42 lbs more than the F40 at 3,042 lbs (1380 kg).
Also, it must be said, whoever the owner of the F40 is, hats off to them. They let Tiff Needell launch the car properly. Held revs, dropped clutch, tires squealing. Not surprisingly, the F40 does leap off the line with much more eagerness, being a completely and totally analog car.
However, at the top end of first gear, the 488 Pista Spider roars past and disappears into the distance. This is, again, because of the analog nature of the F40, as Tiff needs to use a clutch and has a gated shifter to deal with.
With a second run, the F40 again wins it off the line, but once again, modern superfast dual-clutch semi-automatic gearboxes win out over old school manual shifters, although the finish is much closer.
The real question is, however, which would you drive home?
On a personal note, for me, it would be the F40, every time. It’s the most pure, the most raw, the ultimate of what Enzo himself thought a Ferrari could be. The Pista? Just a fancy 488. A really nice fancy 488, but there you go.
