Monday 28th March 2011

700hp V12, But No 4x4 For Next Ferrari 599

Ferrari's front-engined GT replacement will be lighter, faster, etc...

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Current 599 production has now ceased

The increased potency of the new Ferrari FF (measured against the outgoing 612 Scaglietti) means the company's next generation front-engined GT will be even more hardcore.

Using a further evolution of the latest gasoline direct injection V12 that's good for 660hp in the new Ferrari FF, the 599 replacement due next year will likely run to more than 700hp in order to maintain the sort of power differential that Ferrari feels is appropriate for its range-topping front-engined GT car.

And while the new part-time 4x4 system employed by the Ferrari FF would be compatible with the new car (it's basically an extra two-speed gearbox module added to the front of the V12 crankcase), we've got a definite steer that the purist rear-drive configuration will be retained.

Raffaela at the Ferrari FF launch

There is potential for the 4x4 system to appear elsewhere, but never on Ferrari's 'ultimate' sporting machines, we're told, and never as a 'bolt-on' addition to an existing model. (So perhaps we must speculate all the way forward to a California replacement before we expect to see it again?)

All the above has been distilled from informal conversations with various Ferrari bigwigs at the FF event last week, including engineering concept boss Franco Cimatti and factory test driver Raffaele De Simone.

Raffaele also hinted the 599 replacement will be notable for adopting weight-saving tech, but that we shouldn't expect to see anything as radical as extensive use of carbon fibre in the new car's vital underpinnings.

No 4x4 for new 599, official! (Unofficially)

"The history of aluminium is not finished yet," he quipped, while maintaining that full carbon fibre structures are still not economically viable for build volumes of more than two or three cars per day.

No official date has been confirmed for the 599 replacement's launch, but production of the outgoing car has already been halted as the factory is now building the limited edition SA Aperta in its place.

The video clip below shows a prototype of the new car on the test track.

 

[WCZ]

upset, GTO owners? :P

[jon-]

Everything in this article is good news.

[wackojacko]

Blimey they've realised it !

Ferrari should never ever use 4WD !

[J4CKO]

Surely with 700 bhp its really pushing what two wheels can transmit, look at those Mega AMG Mercs with 600 odd, similar acceleration to the next model down, just with the traction control light staying on longer.

[jon-]

J4CKO said:

Surely with 700 bhp its really pushing what two wheels can transmit, look at those Mega AMG Mercs with 600 odd, similar acceleration to the next model down, just with the traction control light staying on longer.

Don't be silly, the 599 GTO is absolutely fine. Especially in the wet.

Oh wait.

[CHIEF]

Will this be a genuine 700bhp or will this be just reserved for the 'special edition' press cars along with an army of technicians that will make sure it is running just 'ahem' right?

I'd still have one though.

[rob.e]

CHIEF said:

Will this be a genuine 700bhp or will this be just reserved for the 'special edition' press cars along with an army of technicians that will make sure it is running just 'ahem' right?

I'd still have one though.

Agree. It'd be hard to say "no".

I have to say though - 700 bhp in a road car will be er, a lot.

[Twincam16]

Odd things seem to be afoot at Maranello. I can understand why the FF replaced the 612 Scaglietti (more useable to more people as a GT etc), but why can the 599? It just seemed to be getting into its stride (although the GTO did seem a bit of a misnomer).

I reckon they've seen the technology behind the Porsche 918 and reckon they'd be better off using KERS-derived hybrid technology like some giant Honda CRZ. The staggering figures for just about everything on the 918 must be causing Porsche's rivals a fair bit of bother right now.

[Corsair7]

I've seen the GTO described as 'undrivable' becasue of the sheer power going to just the rear wheels, so how will they make a 700bhp car actually put its power down, when they cant do it with the lesser powered car?

I think I'd rather have the simple (and lightweight)4x4 solution from the FF than a car thats dominated by its nannying software, which I suspect this will be.

[Corsair7]

wackojacko said:

Blimey they've realised it !

Ferrari should never ever use 4WD !

have you read the reviews on the FF? Seems a much better car for having the new 4x4 system.

[bobberz]

Seems like a logical choice as to not alienate the purist "Ferrarista". 700bhp going to only two wheels does seem a bit silly to me, though the technology will surely be to the point that it can cope by the time it hits production.

One thing's for sure: if it sounds anything like the test mule in the vid, I don't care how many wheels receive the engine's torque!

[j123]

I think Ferrari owners would feel better if they started out with 800hp with the option to supercharge it at 1000hp. j

[soad]

Looks a bit gorgeous, mean menacing...at least in black
Perfect soundtrack bellowing out of those loud pipes too!

Edited by soad on Monday 28th March 17:56

[Anh]

Headline BHP figure + Ferrari = instant sales.


Bit like the Emperor's new clothes really ...

[jon-]

Did I miss something? I know Ferrari prepare the press cars in a very special way, but I've not heard of any recent customer Ferrari's not making the headline power figure?

[Anh]

wackojacko said:

Blimey they've realised it !

Ferrari should never ever use 4WD !

4WD if used properly will put a car's overall performance in another league ...

But that said, this is Ferrari, so living in past glorys and massaging the ego's of rich petrolheads and posers with old world RWD pretentions makes sense if they still want to sell their cars.

[davepoth]

jon- said:

Did I miss something? I know Ferrari prepare the press cars in a very special way, but I've not heard of any recent customer Ferrari's not making the headline power figure?

http://www.autoblog.com/2005/06/29/man-disgusted-with-his-slow-ferrari/

Sort of.

[J4CKO]

Imagine the ignominy of getting battered by a Nissan GTR in one of these.

[Kong]

Is this "front-engined GT replacement" going to replace the 599 in the same way the 575M Replaced the 550? I.e. more of a facelift to the same car. The 599 only went on sale in 2007, seems a bit soon to completely replace it.

[MrTappets]

So this new 700bhp jobbie is going to roll out in a year or two? Hope Aston have upped their game by then. If things carry on the way they are they'll be making 14 different 'DB9s' by then, all within about 30bhp of each other and all about 200bhp down on this 'ere fezza. Maybe One-77 drivetrain tech will have made its way into a cheaper model by then.