Miraculously, no one was injured.
While newer supercars are far easier to drive than their vintage counterparts, the powerful engines and tricky handling still makes them unforgiving at the limit. Earlier in the year, an example of the extremely rare Enzo met with an untimely end when the driver lost control, slamming the multimillion-dollar Ferrari into a tree.
While not as rare, another Prancing Horse has been wrecked. Approximately 3,500 examples of the Ferrari 488 Pista were produced but there doesn't appear to be any way back for this particular model. Polish news outlet Auto Swiat reports the driver lost control of the Pista, causing it to slide on the wet road and hit the traffic barrier. The low-slung supercar was forced under the barrier, causing significant damage to the front end and the roof. Despite the violent crash, no one was injured, thankfully.
The incident occurred in the Polish town of Wyrzysk, on the S10 expressway. It seems that not a single body panel has been left unscathed. The front end has been torn to pieces, with bits of bodywork strewn across the embankment. The windscreen is shattered, with the roof flattened by the guard rail. From the back, it appears as if the metal barrier also tore into the bodywork, undoubtedly damaging critical mechanical components.
While there's no news as to whether both seats were occupied, the lucky driver (seated on the left side) managed to escape potentially life-threatening injuries. The passenger side A-pillar appears considerably more damaged than the driver's side, which managed to retain its structural integrity. In January, a rare Lamborghini Aventador SVJ 63 was also destroyed on a highway, when the Italian exotic was engulfed by flames in what appears to have been a freak accident.
The speed at which the Ferrari was traveling at the time of the incident is unknown but based on the impact, the driver must have been moving along at a considerable pace – not something you want to do in a temperamental thoroughbred in less than ideal conditions. Whatever the case may be, he's incredibly lucky, despite the circumstances.
While the Pista boasts beautifully balanced handling, it's still a car that requires the pilot to pay extra attention when behind the wheel. The 3.9-liter twin-turbo V8 engine produces 711 horsepower and 567 lb-ft of torque, sending the power to the rear wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.
With a penchant for putting the power down in slippery conditions, we'd suggest the former Pista owner puts his insurance money into something with four-wheel drive, such as Ferrari's upcoming SUV. The Purosangue may not be as thrilling as the now-wrecked 488, but will certainly prove easier to use in the wet.
Keyword: Ferrari 488 Pista Destroyed In Dramatic Crash