Ferrari 488 Pista vs. Porsche 911 GT3 RS: which is king of the track?

Two of the biggest names in the motoring world have released track-focused supercars in recent months.

In February, Porsche unveiled its new GT3 RS. Essentially a lightweight racing-inspired version of the company’s iconic 911 sports car, the GT3 RS is one of the German carmaker’s most hardcore models, bettered only by the turbocharged 911 GT2 and discontinued 918 hypercar.

The same week, Ferrari took the wraps off its highly anticipated 488 Pista, after images and performance specs of the supercar leaked online.

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Both the GT3 RS and the 488 Pista are designed to performance as well on the race track as they do on public roads, but which company has delivered the ultimate driver’s car?

Here’s how the two compare and what the critics have to say:

Price

The Ferrari 488 Pista comes with a price tag of £252,000, says Auto Express. That makes it significantly more expensive than the GT3 RS, which cost £141,340.

Expect both of those prices to rise when optional extras are specced, such as the 911 GT3 RS’s lightweight Weissach Package at $18,000 (£13,000), Motor1 reports.

Design and aerodynamics

On the surface, the GT3 RS appears to have the most aggressive and complex aerodynamics of the two.

The front of the hardcore 911 sports a large carbon fibre splitter on the front bumper that leads towards two rows of winglets above the front wheel arches.

On Weissach package cars, the GT3 RS gets an unpainted bonnet and a carbon-fibre roof to keep weight to a minimum.

At the rear, the GT3 RS gets a tall carbon-fibre wing and diffusive, which together generate aerodynamic grip and stability and high speed.

But despite the GT3 RS’s imposing looks, the 488 Pista is packed with hidden design features that drastically improve the car’s cornering capabilities.

Car magazine says the track-focused supercar utilises ground effect in its design, meaning there is a series air ducts underneath the car that generate a significant amount of downforce.

Plus, the 488 Pista boasts a massive carbon-fibre diffuser at the rear end that is inspired by Ferrari’s 488 GTE endurance racer, says Auto Express. And the new car’s redesigned spoiler helps generate 20% more aerodynamic grip than the regular 488 GTB.

Engine and performance

Ferrari and Porsche have created two different engine designs in the pursuit of speed.

In the 488 Pista, Ferrari has installed a twin-turbocharged 3.9-litre V8 engine that produces 710bhp at 8,000rpm and 568lb-ft of torque at 3,000rpm, says Evo. The car’s performance figures are also impressive, achieving 0-62mph in just 2.9 seconds, and a top speed of 211mph.

Power is sent to the rear wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox, says the magazine, while the company’s new Ferrari Dynamic Enhancer software helps make the car feel “more friendly” when pushed to its limits.

Meanwhile, the GT3 RS features a naturally aspirated 4.0-litre flat-six engine derived from the limited-edition 2016 911 R.

The car’s maximum power is 513bhp at 8,250rpm, although the motor will rev to around 9,000rpm, and 346lb-ft of torque at 6,000rpm, The Daily Telegraph reports.

Although the Porsche has less power than the Ferrari, the newspaper says it closely matches the 488 Pista in performance. The GT3 RS does 0-62mph in 3.2 seconds, 0.3 seconds slower than the Italian supercar, while its top speed of 194mph is just 17mph down on the Ferrari.

Verdict

Despite seeming like a perfect match on paper, the track-focused supercars are markedly different on the road.

The Ferrari 488 Pista is “generally more approachable and playful than its competitors”, so is less likely to punish drivers who overstep the limit of grip, says Autocar.

“Put carpets and inertia-reel belts rather than harnesses in it and it could even just be the next 488, rather than a motorsport-derived special,” the magazine adds.

However, Top Gear’s Chris Harris claims that the exhaust note from the Pista’s turbo V8 engine is “at times average”, and that the car’s controls have a certain “numbness” that will be “frustrating” for some drivers.

That’s not to say the Italian supercar fails to live up to its racing heritage, though.

Evo insists the Pista “feels right at home” on a race track, with an “uncannily sharp” throttle response and rapid acceleration. This car is “simply ferocious”, according to the magazine.

The Pista’s brakes also “deserve a special mention”, says Evo, because Ferrari’s engineers have “worked hard” to make the pedal feel like a race car under foot.

Meanwhile, the GT3 RS is “a thinly disguised racing car” that offers the “most visceral driving experience of any production car costing less than £200,000”, The Daily Telegraph says.

Auto Express agrees, adding that the new German supercar is “sharper, faster and even more feelsome” than any of its previous versions, which will come “to the dismay of Porsche’s rivals and the delight of its fans”.

The GT3 RS is also “hugely capable on the road”, the magazine adds, making it “one of the most exciting and engaging new cars money can buy”.