Tuesday 9th June 2009

Ferrari Hybrid Concept Confirmed

Ferrari CEO Amedeo Felisa promises hybrid concept car; bioethanol also on the cards

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Ferrari's leaked hybrid patent plans

Ferrari’s hybrid plans, which were revealed in a recently leaked patent application, have been confirmed by Ferrari’s CEO, Amedeo Felisa.

Felisa told US magazine Car and Driver that a Ferrari concept featuring a hybrid powertrain would be revealed soon. Felisa said: "Not at Frankfurt, but shortly thereafter, probably at an American show." That would make December’s LA show the most likely candidate for a hybrid Ferrari concept reveal, then.

California could get bioethanol option

Felisa also revealed that the company was looking into other green engineering solutions, including biofuels. "The ECU in the California can already adapt to E85,” said Felisa, “so the know-how is there".

Another possibility is the return of the turbocharged Ferrari, something not seen since the largely forgotten Ferrari 208, the 288 GTO and the fabled F40.

Felisa would not be drawn on which car the hybrid concept would use as a base, but the technology is almost certainly going to be near-identical to the four-wheel drive lithium-ion battery powertrain revealed in the patent application.

[richie_mck]

ferrari really do love their etcha-sketch. You'd think ferrari would find out whose leaking their patent plans and do something about it, they are italian, maybe pop some caps.

[The Wookie]

Shown it around the office, none of us can work out what the hell it is... Looks like a separate motor and generator to allow braking energy recovery from the front wheels when declutched from the engine, but power boost through the flywheel to all four wheels... have no idea what the three boxes at the bottom represent though

Whatever it is, it looks pretty Heath Robinson

Edited by The Wookie on Tuesday 9th June 12:24

[Mini1275]

What next a diesel Veyron

[Snoggledog]

Somehow a Ferrari smelling of chip fat doesn't quite hit the right buttons for me.

[Gizmo!]

Sun must be getting a bit strong in Modena. First they lose the plot on the styling and now...

Still, so long as it's a bit more reliable than their Kers.

[Silver Pellet]

Quiz time.

What was the last 4WD Ferrari?

[Mark-C]

Wookie - you've missed the point by reading the article and the link and trying to use intelligent thought.

Much better to make a quip about chip fat or veyrons or misunderstand the patent process (it's public domain)

[Mark-C]

Silver Pellet said:

Quiz time.

What was the last 4WD Ferrari?

312T6?

[SleeperCell]

Silver Pellet said:

Quiz time.

What was the last 4WD Ferrari?

The 408 concept car of 1988?

[The Wookie]

Mark-C said:

Wookie - you've missed the point by reading the article and the link and trying to use intelligent thought.

Much better to make a quip about chip fat or veyrons or misunderstand the patent process (it's public domain)

[Steve Gunnis]

Call me a conservative (That's not conservationist) but I see this as nothing less than the death of one of the greatest and last remaining undiluted sporting marques. I didn't even mind all the pushchairs and lunchboxes but this makes me feel sick. So the petrol sports car is dead. Oh well it had to happen I suppose, just wish it wasn't in my lifetime, I've only just started getting into them (29 of my 30 years). Why don't they just give us all an electric bus pass and be done with it.

[turbosei]

Steve Gunnis said:

Call me a conservative (That's not conservationist) but I see this as nothing less than the death of one of the greatest and last remaining undiluted sporting marques. I didn't even mind all the pushchairs and lunchboxes but this makes me feel sick. So the petrol sports car is dead. Oh well it had to happen I suppose, just wish it wasn't in my lifetime, I've only just started getting into them (29 of my 30 years). Why don't they just give us all an electric bus pass and be done with it.

I think this is the price we pay for generalised legislation. Low volume manufacturers of exotic cars that don't do many miles are still lumped with the GM's, Fords and Fiat's when it comes to fleet emission targets. Couple that with places like California, where they have a huge market and where they're big into having tough environmental legislation, and Ferrari really don't have a choice.

Hopefully they'll limit this to a version of the California/599/612 rather than making it the only engine choice. I'm sure current 599 owners will be very happy if theirs is the last proper Ferrari V12 produced as it should stop the slide in prices.

[BluePurpleRed]

To try to add a ray of sunshine, this does only apply to new cars so far.. so just get a 430 / 599, if thats the last 'proper' petrol ferrari its not exactly terrible right?

I love how little this matters compared to when the Asian economy ramps up again and starts belching billions of tons of Co2 into the air from all the factories as we are driving round in cars with 180 g of Co2 per km instead of 350.

[life-in-old-dog]

I think I've got it - it's actually a scalextric car upside down with a few stray parts from a minitature pendulum clock attached and yes, it will indeed run like clockwork....

[Brighton Speed]

Steve Gunnis said:

Call me a conservative (That's not conservationist) but I see this as nothing less than the death of one of the greatest and last remaining undiluted sporting marques. I didn't even mind all the pushchairs and lunchboxes but this makes me feel sick. So the petrol sports car is dead. Oh well it had to happen I suppose, just wish it wasn't in my lifetime, I've only just started getting into them (29 of my 30 years). Why don't they just give us all an electric bus pass and be done with it.

Don't worry. The fact they are planning to (probably) launch it at a Stateside show means the technology is squarely aimed at us climate do-gooders in the West. Ferrari take-up in ever-emerging economies like Russia, China and India has got nothing to do with that natural enemy CO2 and more to do with the flashing of new wealth, so I'll wager that there'll be plenty more screamin' petrol Ferraris for years to come. We might not get 'em over here but all it'll take is a quick trip abroad to a 'real' Ferrari dealer then it's time for the best drive home of your life...

[bobthemonkey]

This idea has been around for a while. Autocar reported it years ago. While it is probably being sold as a 'hybrid' to appeal to the lentilists, it was originally sold as a form of traction control. The rear wheels are purely engine driven, while the front wheels are linked to electric motor(s) in order to provide short bursts of 4WD drive to get you out of trouble. Lexus do something like this, albeit in reverse on their soft-roader. For the original implementation, I suspect a capacitor would be fine.

Now they want it to be a more conventional, longer duration hybrid I suspect they are moving to a battery setup, allowing for some distance at low speed on purely electric. While some may say it is diluting the brand, if it means they comply with emissions regulations and can still sell the proper stuff, its a cost I'm prepared to live with. Anyway, it will probably only be fitted to the California. That being said, a very lightweight setup, using capacitors could be interesting on a 599.

[Graham E]

Call me ghey, but a Ferrari with a hybrid setup sounds interesting to me - being Ferrari, you'd expect it to be faster than the "straight" petrol setup, possibly with the ability to do some KERS - style extra boost. Either way, it's good that they're starting to look now, before the likes of Porsche, Nissan etc get too much of an advantage regarding BHP / Carbon - once the lentalists take over, it will be important!

[Pete Eroleum]

The article said -
"Another possibility is the return of the turbocharged Ferrari, something not seen since the largely forgotten Ferrari 208, the 288 GTO and the fabled F40."


Largely forgotten? You must be joking. Have you seen the price the damn things go for? Especially the last two.

[Ecurie Ecosse]

Graham E said:

Call me ghey, but a Ferrari with a hybrid setup sounds interesting to me - being Ferrari, you'd expect it to be faster than the "straight" petrol setup, possibly with the ability to do some KERS - style extra boost. Either way, it's good that they're starting to look now, before the likes of Porsche, Nissan etc get too much of an advantage regarding BHP / Carbon - once the lentalists take over, it will be important!

+1

In the past I thought that hybrid cars were the work of the devil, largely because of the Prius.

However, then I had a Lexis GS450h for a few days. That car proves that hybrids can be interesting and powerful, with the electric and petrol unit working together for an increased output. You also get good fuel economy.

I'm excited about the hybrid Ferrari - it will be interesting to see how far the technology can go.

[bobthemonkey]

turbosei said:

Steve Gunnis said:

Call me a conservative (That's not conservationist) but I see this as nothing less than the death of one of the greatest and last remaining undiluted sporting marques. I didn't even mind all the pushchairs and lunchboxes but this makes me feel sick. So the petrol sports car is dead. Oh well it had to happen I suppose, just wish it wasn't in my lifetime, I've only just started getting into them (29 of my 30 years). Why don't they just give us all an electric bus pass and be done with it.

I think this is the price we pay for generalised legislation. Low volume manufacturers of exotic cars that don't do many miles are still lumped with the GM's, Fords and Fiat's when it comes to fleet emission targets. Couple that with places like California, where they have a huge market and where they're big into having tough environmental legislation, and Ferrari really don't have a choice.

Hopefully they'll limit this to a version of the California/599/612 rather than making it the only engine choice. I'm sure current 599 owners will be very happy if theirs is the last proper Ferrari V12 produced as it should stop the slide in prices.

Then again, if they can be linked with Fiat, and the 500 starts selling well, then the V12 may live on.

Americans, I command you; "Buy the Fiat 500".