RE: Ferrari-developed turbo V8 on the way...

RE: Ferrari-developed turbo V8 on the way...

Thursday 14th June 2012

Ferrari-developed turbo V8 on the way...

...but California body is misleading - it could well be used in a Maserati first



The internetweb has been abuzz of late with video footage of a Ferrari California test mule lapping Fiorano to the accompaniment of the distinct rush of turbocharging. But this is not necessarily an indication that the next-gen California will get forced induction.

The key to the mystery, we hear, is the recent investment of 50 million euros by parent company Fiat in a new engine plant at Maranello to develop engines for the group's high-end models (for that, read Ferrari and Maserati).

Which means that, although the new motor under development is in the body of a California, it might well be heading for one of Maserati's two planned new saloons, the replacement for the Quattroporte and an all-new smaller model.

That's not to say that the turbocharged V8 won't find its way into the next California - it's something that 'may or may not happen' a Ferrari insider has told us. Our best bet at the moment? The new engine will go into a Maserati first, but will eventually filter into a California replacement. However, since Ferrari has only just given the California a significant facelift, that new car could be further away than some people imagine...

 

Author
Discussion

GroundEffect

Original Poster:

13,819 posts

155 months

Thursday 14th June 2012
quotequote all
Memories of the F40!

Chunkychucky

5,942 posts

168 months

Thursday 14th June 2012
quotequote all
Good grief that sounds like a low-revving Mitsubishi Evolution

suffolk009

5,344 posts

164 months

Thursday 14th June 2012
quotequote all
Why does everyone hate turbos so much. It's not like you get 1980s turbo lag anymore, and the argument that they don't sound so good doesn't ring true for me - when you can change the noise your engine makes at the touch of a button, it ALL false.

Best sound I ever owned was a X-flow with mad-cams and a pair of webers.

kambites

67,461 posts

220 months

Thursday 14th June 2012
quotequote all
suffolk009 said:
Why does everyone hate turbos so much. It's not like you get 1980s turbo lag anymore.
Yes you do and that's why I hate them. smile

I've never driven a turbocharged car without annoying levels of turbo-lag.

glm1977

199 posts

160 months

Thursday 14th June 2012
quotequote all
wont a de-tuned version ona v8 turbo end up in the Chrysler and other US brands that Fiat now have.... would be surprised if all the investment from Fiat went just on Fez & Massers....

thewheelman

2,194 posts

172 months

Thursday 14th June 2012
quotequote all
I'm sure I read about this before, & seem to remember another "F" car being mentioned, the F70. I hope this is the case smile

tommy vercetti

11,486 posts

162 months

Thursday 14th June 2012
quotequote all
thewheelman said:
I'm sure I read about this before, & seem to remember another "F" car being mentioned, the F70. I hope this is the case smile
yes The replacement for the Enzo, apparently its going to have over 900 bhp, exciting times.

kambites

67,461 posts

220 months

Thursday 14th June 2012
quotequote all
tommy vercetti said:
thewheelman said:
I'm sure I read about this before, & seem to remember another "F" car being mentioned, the F70. I hope this is the case smile
yes The replacement for the Enzo, apparently its going to have over 900 bhp, exciting times.
I'm guessing that's a combined figure for a hybrid system? I wouldn't have thought they'd use a V8 if they were aiming for 900bhp from the ICE.

tommy vercetti

11,486 posts

162 months

Thursday 14th June 2012
quotequote all
kambites said:
tommy vercetti said:
thewheelman said:
I'm sure I read about this before, & seem to remember another "F" car being mentioned, the F70. I hope this is the case smile
yes The replacement for the Enzo, apparently its going to have over 900 bhp, exciting times.
I'm guessing that's a combined figure for a hybrid system? I wouldn't have thought they'd use a V8 if they were aiming for 900bhp from the ICE.
According to Wikipedia, there using a 6.5 litre V12 which will be supplemented by a 120hp KERS unit, able to be used in short bursts.

nick-elise

114 posts

211 months

Thursday 14th June 2012
quotequote all
That sounds very dull, surely they can make it sound more interesting than that?!

Im sure it will go well mind!

mattharvey12

5 posts

161 months

Thursday 14th June 2012
quotequote all
If they can make it anything like an F40 thats all Win,

But like above it just sounds like an Evo and not a classic Ferrari! (thats not right)

StottyZr

6,860 posts

162 months

Thursday 14th June 2012
quotequote all
Sounds very low revving. Forced induction should power outputs somewhat smile

Jag-D

19,633 posts

218 months

Thursday 14th June 2012
quotequote all
Chunkychucky said:
Good grief that sounds like a low-revving Mitsubishi Evolution
Sounds ste

underphil

1,245 posts

209 months

Thursday 14th June 2012
quotequote all
nick-elise said:
That sounds very dull, surely they can make it sound more interesting than that?!

Im sure it will go well mind!
I'd have thought the exhaust acoustic tuning would be one of the last things they work on

RobCrezz

7,892 posts

207 months

Thursday 14th June 2012
quotequote all
mattharvey12 said:
But like above it just sounds like an Evo and not a classic Ferrari! (thats not right)
It sounds nothing like an evo, it sounds way better than an evo.

paranoid airbag

2,679 posts

158 months

Thursday 14th June 2012
quotequote all
suffolk009 said:
Why does everyone hate turbos so much. It's not like you get 1980s turbo lag anymore, and the argument that they don't sound so good doesn't ring true for me - when you can change the noise your engine makes at the touch of a button, it ALL false.

Best sound I ever owned was a X-flow with mad-cams and a pair of webers.
I don't hate turbos - they have their own flaws and advantages wrt na engines, and many turbo engines are quite lovely. It's the loss of diversity that people are sad about, I think (admittedly some are just being reactionary). I'm sure if you asked nature buffs they'd agree that the lesser-spotted whatever isn't inherently a better bird than the pigeon; it's the ability to contrast that makes life interesting, and it looks like it might be on the way out frown.

Steve12NG

257 posts

151 months

Thursday 14th June 2012
quotequote all

Sounds absolutely crap.

Particularly so compared to the 458 (or whatever it is) in the background.

Guvernator

13,104 posts

164 months

Thursday 14th June 2012
quotequote all
kambites said:
Yes you do and that's why I hate them. smile

I've never driven a turbocharged car without annoying levels of turbo-lag.
Have you tried a BMW 335i or better yet a 997 Turbo? I've owned some old school turbo cars previously so am no stranger to the "interesting" power delivery of a turbo engine but I was absolutely astounded at how little lag these two examples have now.

Both seem to produce useful boost almost from idle, the 997 Turbo even more so and they feel more like a big NA then cars with two turbos.. Tubo lag is almost a thing of the past, however throttle response and throttle lag are still not quite up to scratch or anywhere near the levels of a highly strung NA, especially on the 335i.

As for Turbo's in a Fezza, why the hell not? The F40, one of the best cars Ferrari have ever made has two of them so I trust Ferrari not to c*ck this up. As long as they keep some nice decent NA's too it's all good.

Edited by Guvernator on Thursday 14th June 15:31

356Speedster

2,293 posts

230 months

Thursday 14th June 2012
quotequote all
I'm a big fan of modern turbo engines and that video shows that you can now have a good sound with them too.... that's the first turbo motor I've heard with a tuned induction that sounds similar to my MP350, with a really agressive "cutting" sound, I love it.

Ferrari have finally given one of their V8s an exhaust note I can get behind too. With the exception of my mates 360CS, I've never remotely liked the shriek that Ferrari V8s have had.

What annoys me about folks banging on about turbo lag, is that few NAs actually do anything in the lower revs anyway. With their lower torque, you still have to wait and cane them to "find" the power band, which itself will generally be higher up the rev range anyway. What it really comes down to, is how you like power / torque to be delivered and whether you prefer a punching mid-range or a screaming top end.

Back to topic.... The promise of this engine in a Masser is something to definately get excited about and I'm sure that with the way legislation is going, Ferrari will have it in their cars promptly too. Ferrari are growing up a bit thumbup

Kermit79

96 posts

146 months

Thursday 14th June 2012
quotequote all

The car won't be running final exhaust boxes etc, so sound may well change, but does sound like a low revving v6. The car in the background does sound like it has a supercharger?!

Been a Maserati mule testing in Germany for a while with Biturbo V6: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1KY20e3nUg&fea...