Ferrari finally revealed its latest flagship hypercar, the V-12-powered LaFerrari, after a decade since the last one was unveiled in 2013. Everyone expected the latest flagship to have a V-12 powerplant since that engine has been used in some of the latest limited edition vehicles and the newest front-engine super GT, the 12Cilindri. Instead, it uses a high-output hybrid V-6.
This was met with quite a backlash from the car community, as we all expected this car to have a naturally aspirated V-12 producing spine-tingling sensations when you move up the rev range and change gears. But, Ferrari has defended its decision to go with a V-6, as it says. The marque had already set some targets for the F80, and the V-6 hybrid was the best option for that application.
The Best Performance Solution
Every new flagship car should be the best-performing car in the lineup, depending on the criteria set by the manufacturer. For Ferrari, that criterion is all-out performance, which has made Ferrari choose the V-6 hybrid over the V-12. Ferrari said it considered using the V-12 but looked at all available options and decided that the V-6 is the highest-performing engine it has and that was the right decision.
Purists may not like this, but when Ferrari makes a decision it sticks to it no matter the backlash. It even used the F40 as an example of how relevant that car is despite using a twin-turbo V-8 when most supercars used naturally aspirated V-12s. But the new V-6 hybrid in the F80 is probably one of the most complicated engines in a road car.
The Most Powerful Engine In A Ferrari
Ferrari made headlines with the 296 being the baby supercar and having 820 horsepower from its V-6 hybrid, the F80 has set the benchmark with almost 1,200 horsepower in the F80 with the engine alone making 888 horsepower, then it gets very complex.
It has three electric motors, two mounted at the front and one between the engine and the eight-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. Combined, they make 296 horsepower, delivering instant power and torque. It also uses electric turbochargers that eliminate almost any form of lag. Together, this complex powertrain delivers blistering performance with a and 124 mph in 5.75 seconds.
Despite having a V6, this car meets the performance benchmarks Ferrari has set for it. Ferrari’s V-12 is still very much alive in its lineup, so you can still enjoy this iconic engine. But, for all-out performance, Ferrari has gone with the best option in its arsenal.
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