The Mighty Ferrari F80, With 1,200 Horsepower

Within the yr 2027, Ferrari will have fun its eightieth anniversary, and it has simply launched its mindblowing birthday reward to itself; the all-new Ferrari F80. This follows the bloodline that began with the 288 GTO which advanced into the F40 and F50 for the model’s fortieth and fiftieth anniversaries respectively. Then got here the Enzo, dropping the numbered title for Ferrari’s poster boy in favour of ‘Il Commendatore’s’ first title. Then got here the LaFerrari, and now the F80, with which we return to numbers once more. And numbers it brings to the desk in boatloads because it packs at least 1,200 horsepower!

Only a week in the past we showed you McLaren’s all-new W1 hypercar because the successor to the mighty P1 and the primary entry into the hypercar Holy Trinity. Now Ferrari enters the combination with the dramatic F80, and it’s doubtless solely a matter of time earlier than Porsche joins the fray too with its latest-and-greatest masterpiece. Though we’ve but to see what’s cooking in Stuttgart, I can discuss you thru the F80 intimately, and I’ll! And only for the enjoyable of it, I’ll try to examine it to its rival from the UK within the course of.

What instantly stands out is the very fact the brand new F80 doesn’t have a hair-raising V12 within the again, however a turbocharged V6 hybrid as a substitute. Whereas which may sound a contact disappointing at first, studying that it’s based mostly on the engine of the double-Le-Mans-Winning 499P greater than makes up for it! That additionally means it’s smaller and lighter than any V12 Ferrari has on supply proper now. The V6 produces nearly 900bhp by itself however is coupled to a sequence of electrical motors, two of that are fitted to the turbos to make them spool up sooner. There are additionally e-motors on the entrance axle, and yet another on the rear axle, leading to a complete energy output of at least 1,200 horsepower. All that grunt is split between all 4 wheels, instantly one-upping the rear-wheel-drive-only McLaren W1.

When it comes to efficiency, the F80 additionally has the higher hand over its British rival, because the zero-to-100kph takes an insane 2.15 seconds, in opposition to the two.7 seconds of the W1. The 200kph mark is handed a tenth faster than the McLaren and from then on, the W1 ought to catch the Ferrari F80 on the run to the 350kph high velocity each declare to have. On paper that’s, because it all depends on the situations and the power to really put all that energy down. And we all know how shut the P1, LaFerrari and 918 Spyder had been in actuality! The proof will probably be within the pudding although, as neither of the 2 has been put by way of their paces aspect by aspect but.

However all that energy is nothing with out management, and Ferrari has labored its proverbial magic to make the F80 the best factor to ever come out of the manufacturing facility in Maranello. Entrance to again, the F80 has a laser-sharp give attention to aerodynamics (the place have we seen that earlier than?) and it places up a greater than first rate battle. The F80 makes 1,050kgs of downforce at 250kph/155mph. Beneath, it’s a labyrinth of bargeboards, moveable flaps and a large diffuser (the biggest within the trade, in line with Ferrari). On the surface, it’s an enormous entrance splitter, loads of ducts and vents and a monstrous rear wing that adjusts itself to the extent and angle that’s wanted. So in essence, it makes use of the entire cutting-edge hypercar methods within the recreation.

The general styling although is… reasonably dramatic, I’d say. The very first thing that stands out is how flat the automobile really appears to be like! Then you definitely’ll discover styling components just like the blackened blade within the nostril carried over from the Dodici Cilindri and the outsized Naca-style ducts (known as Impluvium) that lower from the aspect of the door into the rear bodywork. Undecided how I really feel about these but, however they absolutely serve a function past simply trying cool. The engine is hidden from sight beneath a louvered cowl however open that up and also you’re greeted by components of the in-board rear suspension system and carbon fibre constructions. Simply behind it, you possibly can see components of the exhaust system created from Inconel, a cloth broadly utilized in Formulation 1 for its excessive temperature resistance. The engine breaths out by way of a big central exhaust exit.

Two butterfly doorways that transfer up and ahead give strategy to the purposeful cabin. You’ll discover maybe, that the passenger seat is moved again just a little in comparison with the motive force’s seat, because of an asymmetrical carbon tub. This implies the frontal space of the cabin may be 50mm narrower, in comparison with a pure side-by-side seating place, benefitting the circulate of air over and alongside the highest of the automobile. The motive force’s seat is adjustable forwards and backwards, with the squared-off steering wheel and pedals being adjustable as effectively, whereas the passenger seat is mounted in place. All controls are angled in direction of the one in cost, with toggles and switches each on the steering wheel and on both aspect. The digital instrument panel has varied settings, relying on the motive force’s wants. Ferrari’s well-known Mannetino change on the correct helps you to select between a spread of modes (Moist – Sport – Race – CT Off – ESC Off) with three extra modes for the powertrain on the left (Hybrid – Efficiency – Qualify).

It’s not on daily basis we get handled to a totally new Ferrari, and this yr we’ve had two already! And it should be stated, with every one it appears they’ll’t enhance anymore but the engineering masterminds at all times discover a strategy to increase the bar. And with the F80, they undoubtedly have raised that bar, because it’s two seconds sooner round Ferrari’s personal Fiorano check observe than the SF90 Stradale and a whipping 4.4 seconds faster than the LaFerrari!

The Ferrari F80 will price future house owners a gargantuan sum of cash, because it has a beginning worth of EUR 3,600,000. Meaning the McLaren W1 is a billionaire’s discount, costing roughly 1.5 million much less. Solely 799 will probably be constructed, double the variety of the W1, and absolutely every one will discover an proprietor with none points. All this does increase a query although; when is Porsche joining the Holy Trinity again, and what’s going to they create to the desk? Absolutely it should be one thing spectacular, each technically and aesthetically if it desires to go toe-to-toe with the brand new super-athletes from Woking and Maranello!

For extra info, please go to Ferrari.com.

Editorial observe: All photographs and data used for this text are sourced from and used with permission of Ferrari S.p.A. except acknowledged in any other case.