Icons with Different Approaches

Ferrari and Mercedes-Benz are two of the most iconic and well-renowned car manufacturers in the world. Both have rich histories and are seen as objects of aspiration amongst the average Joe. However, that aspiration differs depending on the individual questioned.

As a petrolhead, you dream about a Ferrari. You dream about blasting down a B road with an unmatched soundtrack and styling that demands attention. You dream about experiencing the many hundreds of snarling Italian horsepower on a track, the feeling of absolute precision and passion exploding from its vibrant red.

However, your parents, and your wife, believe a Ferrari to be an impractical and vulgar toy and that there’s only one brand you should actually aspire to own, a Mercedes-Benz. A sensible, practical, grey-painted, safe, accessible and very Germanic machine for people who think with their heads and not their hearts.

Of course, that’s the surface-level average Joe looks at these two iconic brands. Ferrari is the dream car you desire, and Mercedes-Benz is the car you will inevitably own. Except, we as petrolheads, know a little more. Behind its dour 3-pointed star and sensible image, Mercs are as desirable and cherished as any vibrant Fezza.

Back in the day, they were the most exclusive and expensive cars on the road, even more so than Ferrari. And even though Ferrari has made a name for itself in racing, Mercedes also has a rich and successful racing heritage. In the last decade, they were the force to be reckoned in F1, easily overshadowing Ferrari.

And on occasion, Mercedes-Benz will build a high-performance sports car to rival the likes of Ferrari, McLaren and Lamborghini. Legends like the 300SL Gullwing, SLR McLaren and SLS are proof that that statement holds weight. And more recently, Merc have given us the AMG GT Black Series.

A car designed to bring all of their experience in F1 into one track-focused weapon. So serious is this car that when it was launched, it was the fastest car at the Nürburgring, with an outrageous time of 6:43.62. Therefore it's only appropriate, for this monster to be compared to the equivalent lightweight Ferrari of the time, the 488 Pista Spider.

In many ways, both these cars are very similar. They are both lightweight extreme variants which stem from models launched in 2015, they both feature similarly sized twin-turbo V8s, they’re both rear-wheel drive and they both feature all the advancements each manufacturer have gained in Formula 1. However, dynamically, they are as similar as chicken and chocolate. But which is overall better, let’s dive in and find out.

Dramatic Styling

When Ferrari and Mercedes launched the 488 GTB and AMG GT back in 2015, it was clear the designers wanted to match elegance with performance. Hence why the regular AMG GT and GTS are relatively subtle and the 488 is arguably one of the most beautiful supercars ever made. However, with these lightweight variants, elegance was thrown out in favour of drama.

The Pista features a redesigned lower front end, with a signature S-duct and larger air intakes. The rear is also redesigned with a brand new rear diffuser from the 488 GTE, there’s carbon fibre everywhere and it even has a stripe. Overall the Pista has transformed the elegant and beautiful GTB into a camera-capturing, flash mobile.

That being said though, nowhere near as flashy as the Black. Like the Pista, the design is heavily inspired by the AMG GT3 racer. The whole front grill is enlarged and redesigned to improve airflow. There’s a front splitter that’s retracted manually, carbon fibre is used everywhere and the air outlets on the hood are enormous.

But the most striking feature is undoubtedly the ginormous rear wing. This wing is so huge, that one must question if it’s even road-legal. Overall the Black’s redesign has changed what was a common or garden sports car into an outlandish and boisterous muscle car. Both these cars have that get-your-camera-out appeal that Lamborghinis revel in. As a result, it’s a tie in this first round.

Winner: TIE

Complex Engineering

There’s no denying that turning any performance car into a lightweight, track-hard monster is no easy task. Ferrari already built the 488 to be as good as a car can be. From its snappy and responsive dual-clutch transmission and creating a turbocharged that has the responsiveness and immediacy of a naturally aspirated unit, it is truly an incredible car.

But the Pista is no doubt even more incredible. For engineering, Ferrari took inspiration from the 488 GTE and 488 Challenge race cars. Its twin-turbo V8 features new camshafts, a larger intercooler and Inconel exhaust manifolds. Carbon fibre is used extensively and Ferrari even revitalised the dual-clutch gearbox for faster, more immediate shifts.

That being said though, Mercedes’ challenges were even more extreme. The AMG GT was primarily designed as a sports car, not a supercar. A 911 and F-Type rival, not something to take down Ferraris and McLarens. So turning that into a car that can destroy Lambos and hardcore track-focused Porsches around the ring seemed laughable. But Mercedes managed to pull it off.

The design of the Black isn’t just for show, it borrowed heavily from its GT3 counterpart to be as much a racer for the road as possible. Its rear wing will engage an additional spoiler just to generate more downforce. Its twin-turbo V8 featured an all-new flat-plane crank and smaller compressor which boosted power by an astonishing 220 horsepower over the standard car. As an engineering marvel, the Black wins this round. Simply for having steeper barriers to overcome and then succeeding at it.

Winner: AMG GT Black Series

Twin-Turbo Soundtracks

Ferrari and AMG are renowned for being the only two manufacturers to actually bring character and sound to their twin-turbo V8s. Though most were concerned when both ditched their respective Naturally-Aspirated Units to meet the stricter emission requirements, it’s fair to say, that both have managed to pull the impossible.

Ferrari especially have triumphed with the 3.9l twin-turbo V8 soundtrack. Not only does the limited torque in its first six gears ensure maximum revs but the resulting soundtrack is baleful. Like a wolf howling at the moon. And with this being the Pista Spider, the soundtrack is even more pronounced. Overall it sounds like a Ferrari should.

AMG though were even more successful, turning that grunting, growling rumble of the old 6.2l Naturally Aspirated Volcano and refining it to a more racy and revving noise of the new 4.0l twin-turbo V8. This new engine is a masterpiece and had this been the regular GTS or especially AMG GT R, it would’ve won.

But the Black’s soundtrack is a little disappointing. Owing to its flat-plane crank, this car no longer barks or burbles like AMGs of old, instead it just shouts. It doesn’t exactly sound like how an AMG Merc should, more or less, it sounds fake. There’s no competition, it’s an easy victory for the Ferrari.

Winner: 488 Pista Spider

Horsepower and Aerodynamics

But of course, lightweight supercars aren’t just about sound. You pay extra because you expect more performance, more precise handling and superior aerodynamics over the standard car. This is all in to provide a superior driving experience. Needless both the Black and Pista excel in this department.

The Pista’s specially designed S-duct and rear diffuser aren’t just there for camera flashing, but rather to allow effective airflow to the subtle rear spoiler. The result is 20% more downforce than a regular 488. All the changes to the twin-turbo V8 have resulted in a power boost from 661 horsepower to 710 horsepower. However wanting to maintain that immediacy and precision, torque has from 561 lb-ft to 568.

The Black’s show-and-go design is also designed to enhance its aerodynamics. Its larger front grill and air vents allow more air to pass through and over the car to its enormous rear diffuser and ginormous rear wing. The rear wing is even fitted with an air flap that produces 400kg of downforce at 155mph.

But it’s the engine that is where this car shines. Thanks to its flat-plane crank and smaller compressor, horsepower has gone up from 503 horsepower to an astonishing 720 horsepower. In addition, torque has increased from 479 lb-ft to 590 lb-ft. The Black easily wins this round not only for its impressive power and aero features over the Pista but also for its significant step up over the regular AMG GT S.

Winner: AMG GT Black Series

Weight, Performance and Handling

Ferrari went to their nous to make the 488 Pista as light as possible. Thanks to the extensive use of carbon fibre, it weighs in at 1380kg, 145 kg less than the regular 488 Spider, a 40% weight reduction. The result of all this is it produces a fairly impressive 515 horsepower per tonne.

Despite its extensive use of carbon fibre, the Black’s enormous wing and redesigned engine have almost certainly counteracted the weight reduction. In fact, at 1623 kg, weight has only gone down by 22kg over the regular AMG GT S. That means its power-to-weight ratio is only 434 horsepower per tonne.

As a result in a straight line, the Ferrari blitzes the Merc achieving 0-62mph in 2.8 seconds vs 3.2. And maxing at 211mph where the AMG is out of puff at 202mph. But this weight doesn’t just hinder the Black’s performance. In the corners, the Pista dances and flows with the grace of Ballerina, whilst the Black is more about grip and go. Overall for driving and enjoying, owing primarily to its lower weight, the Fezza takes this round.

Winner: 488 Pista Spider

Value and Exclusivity

Lightweight, track-hard variants are generally more desirable and therefore significantly higher value than their standard models. Ferrari and Mercedes have experienced this with some of their previous lightweights. The Pista's predecessor, the 458 Speciale will set you back $430,000 whilst the AMG GT’s predecessor, the SLS Black will set you back an astonishing $700,000.

When brand new the Pista Spider was offered at $320,000 but today, you’d be lucky to find one at under $530,000. An astonishing figure but not surprising given how desirable Ferrari lightweights are. The AMG GT Black was astonishingly even more expensive than the Pista when new at $335,000 but shockingly has only increased in value to $380,000.

Why is this, you wonder. Well clearly if the SLS Black and 458 Speciale prove its not desirability in brand. Rather it comes down to build numbers, Ferrari only built 1,110 Pista Spider whilst Mercedes built a ridiculous 1,700 Black Series. Therefore if you bought these cars for investment purposes, the Ferrari was the better shout. Hence it's victory here.

Winner: 488 Pista Spider

Lineage and Achievements

Ferrari is of course known for their heritage, and the 488 Pista Spider stems from a range of mid-engine, V8, lightened, track-hard legends. These include cars like the phenomenal 458 Speciale, raucous 430 Scuderia, spectacular 360 Challenge Stradale and the game-changing 288 GTO. The Pista is the most recent addition to this frankly golden line-up.

The name “Black” was usually a term given to the most hardcore, brutal and fiery cars deep within the skunkworks of AMG. Cars like the insane C63 Black, tyre-shredding CLK Black and ginormous SLS Black are some of the most desirable and most outlandish cars in Merc’s history. That being said in terms of lineage this is a shell to Ferrari’s.

However whilst the Pista has the stronger lineage, there’s no denying the Black boasts the more impressive record. On the 4th of November, 2020, the Black, with Maro Engel at the wheel, became the fastest road car around the Nürburgring, setting an astonishing lap time of 6:43.61.

This lap record not only put AMG above previous record holders like the Aventador SVJ and GT2 RS but was an astonishing 17 seconds quicker than the hardtop Pista. In terms of lineage, it’s a full-on Ferrari victory but for that astonishing lap times, the Merc pulls it back, leading this round to a tie.

Winner: TIE

Conclusion

It’s always admirable when the unexpected underdog beats out the king. Well sadly, that’s not the case here. Despite their dominance in Formula 1, with a 7:6 victory, Mercedes-AMG just can’t quite beat Ferrari. There’s no denying the Black is an astonishing piece of engineering and its lap record at the Nürburgring is key proof of that.

But when all is said and done what does one want from their track-hard, lightweight supercar? They want something fast, exciting, loud, sharp, precise, special and ultimately will gain them value should they come to sell it. All factors where the Pista completely blows the doors of the Black Series. The AMG GT Black is a great track-hard lightweight, but the 488 Pista is the ultimate track-hard lightweight. Ferrari’s pinnacle of Turbocharged power.

F1rstMotors: 488 Pista Spider vs AMG GT Black Series Comparison

Manufacturer	Mercedes-Benz AG/Mercedes-AMG GmBH	Ferrari S.p.A
Model	AMG GT Black Series	488 Pista Spider
Year of Release	2020	2019
Engine	4.0l Twin–Turbo V8	3.9l Twin-Turbo V8
Horsepower	720 horsepower	710 horsepower
Torque	590 lb–ft	568 lb–ft
0–62mph (100km/h)	3.2 seconds	2.8 seconds
Top Speed	202mph (325 km/h)	211mph (340 km/h)
Weight	1,623kg (1.7 tonnes)	1,380kg (1.4 tonnes)
Power to Weight	434 hp per tonne	515 hp per tonne
Gearbox	7-speed-dual-clutch	7-speed-dual-clutch
Driven Wheels	Rear-Wheel-Drive	Rear-Wheel-Drive
Amount Built	1,700	1,100
Price (when new)	$335,000	$320,000
Price (today)	$380,000	$540,000

Source: Ferrari and Mercedes-AMG