Only weeks after the reveal of the McLaren W1, Ferrari is answering back with this, the F80. On its face, it looks sort of like any other modern prancing horse, but under the skin this is a very different animal. The Italian automaker blended F1 and Le Mans tech to create this beast. As a result, its beating heart is a twin-turbocharged V6 hybrid that makes a total output of 1,184 horsepower.
The F80 is a successor to the LaFerrari and as such it has big shoes to fill. Ferrari knows that, too. Here’s what it says of this new supercar (that’s right, Ferrari calls this a supercar, not a hypercar).
“The latest addition to this family, the F80, is tasked with embodying the ultimate in engineering for an internal-combustion-engined vehicle and employs all the most advanced technological solutions, including latest-generation hybrid technology for the powertrain, to achieve unparalleled levels of power and torque.”
Let’s first focus on the powertrain because it’s a dramatic departure from every other flagship Ferrari ever made. The LaFerrari and F50 leveraged big V12 engines. Before that, cars like the F40 and 288 GTO made use of V8s. Now, the “ultimate in engineering” is a twin-turbocharged V6 that shares much of its tech with Ferrari’s Formula 1 car and its Le Mans-winning 499P car.
For example, the architecture of the engine itself is “closely derived” from the 499P. That includes the crankcase, the layout and drive chains of the timing system, the oil pump recovery circuit, the injectors, GDI pumps, and bearings. The front motor, a component called the MGU-K unit, is the first of its kind as it was developed, tested, and manufactured by Ferrari itself.
Ferrari incorporated more technology to really push the limit of what the engine can manage as well. The knock control now allows for operation closer to the knock limit thanks to variable-phase valve timing. As a result, combustion pressures can be 20 percent higher than those found in the 296 GTB.
The eTurbo system is tuned to react differently based on the load and the specific gear so as to reduce lag and make the engine feel naturally aspirated. All of the tech incorporated enables this engine to rev to a staggering 9,200 RPM. Ferrari says it’ll go from 0-200 km/h (124 mph) in 5.7 seconds. That’s 0.1 seconds faster than the McLaren W1.
The car also features three electric motors including one in the rear incorporated into the engine and two more at the front. The trio makes a combined 296 horsepower to stack on top of the 900ish ponies created by the internal combustion engine alone.
Drivers will have the option of using three different drive modes including Hybrid, Performance, and Qualify. Unsurprisingly, each has its own unique application on the road or track. Hybrid is basically normal mode, Performance mode is basically like a track mode with consistent boost and the goal of maintaining a 70-percent state of battery charge, and Qualify adds maximum boost without concern for how long the battery lasts.
According to Ferrari, there is also a new “Boost Optimisation” setting that can learn a specific track and then use that data to deliver “an extra power boost in sections of the track where it is most needed.”
Ferrari also built a new set of brakes to handle all of that power. Crafted in collaboration with Brembo, the new discs in the F80 use longer carbon fibers to make the disc not just stronger but also better at dissipating heat. According to the automaker, these brakes are twice as strong and three times as good at conducting heat.
This car is also unique in terms of its cabin. Ferrari refers to this car as a 1+ layout with basically everything inside focused entirely on the driver. The center control stack wraps around the driver, the dash design also focuses on the driver, and even the driver’s seat is uniquely upholstered for the occasion that is this car.
The steering wheel is new for the F80. It gets a new shape with what Ferrari claims are improved ergonomics. Notably, Ferrari also brought back physical buttons for the wheel rather than touch-sensitive ones. They rightly point out that one can use them without having to look at the switchgear.
Underneath the cabin and bodywork, one will find a unique suspension. The upper wishbones are 3D-printed metal that appears more organic than industrial. The car benefits from inboard dampers and in turn, doesn’t need an anti-roll bar to accomplish its goals.
Ferrari says it’ll build just 799 examples of this new halo flagship supercar. Ferrari has sold every one of them already says Autocar. Buyers willing to pony up the $3.2 million dollar price for this car also benefit from a seven-year maintenance program that’ll keep the F80 in peak condition. Now, all we need is a new Porsche flagship supercar so that we can have a new holy trinity.
Freakin hell that thing is ugly.
The design is of little consequence. The problem is the powertrain. Let’s take a trip down memory lane.
My point being, Ferrari has only ever used their race technology in their flagship car when it coincided with their top-tier road engines. And the only time they ever outright talked about using F1 or Le Mans engine tech in one of these cars was in the F50. The F50 would never have used the F355 V8, The Enzo would never have used the 360 or the F430 V8, and La Ferrari would never have used the 458 or the 488 V8. The decade-defining cars are meant to be the purest form of what Ferrari can do at the time, not always the fastest or most powerful.
The fact that the F80 shares its base engine architecture with the “entry-level” mid-engine car is, above all else, sad. It is simply sad. Ferrari making an SUV never bothered me, their working on an EV isn’t great, but I understand why it has to happen from a road car perspective. Let’s hope it’s an aberration and the F90 goes back to a V12 or a TTV8 and we can all forget this car exists.