Video: Modern Ferrari 488 Pista Spider goes up against iconic F40

They say modern cars aren’t what they used to be, but is that so? Lovecars decided to find out by bringing two Ferraris to a drag strip: an up-to-date 488 Pista Spider and a 33-year-old F40.

The F40 used to be produced in 1987–1992 and emerged in 1.325 total units. Its 2.9-liter twin-turbocharged V8 managed 478 hp (356 kW) and 577 Nm (426 lb-ft), taking it from zero to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.1 seconds and all the way up to 324 km/h (201 mph).

The 488 Pista Spider looks much more impressive on paper: it packs a 3.9-liter V8 with a twin-turbo system, 720 hp (537 kW) and 770 Nm (568 lb-ft). It hits 100 km/h in 2.85s, 200 in 8s, and maxes out at 340 km/h (211 mph).

Unsurprisingly for most of us, the F40 easily yielded to the Spider, coming more than a second and a half later. It finished the quarter-mile strip in 12.74 seconds and hit 118 km/h (73.3 mph) at the finish line. The 488 Pista did the same in 11.17 seconds and at 195 km/h (121.2 mph), respectively.

For the record, the F40 driver only managed to get it to 100 km/h in 5.34 seconds, while the Pista pilot made it in 3.38 seconds.