Wednesday 3rd December 2014

Ferrari FXX K revealed

FFS, it's a new FXX K as Ferrari makes LaFerrari officially 'more bonkers'

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As Enzo begat FXX in 2005 and 599 spawned 599XX in 2009, Ferrari has officially confirmed the 'client test driver' version of LaFerrariand called it the FXX K. From one stupid name to another then, the FXX K making its debut (or, rather, premiere in Ferrari speak) at Yas Marina Circuit next week. Yes, the one next door to Ferrari World.

PH feedback? Needs more diffuser...

"Unfettered by homologation and racing regulations the FXX K will never be used in competition," comes the slightly counter intuitive boast from Ferrari's press release of its new LaFerrari-plus. But then these aren't even cars, they are in the official lingo merely components in a research and development programme in which 'owners' can participate. A different approach from McLaren's with the P1 GTR, which very much does include racing.

Back to the FXX K, the headlines include modification of LaFerrari's 6,262cc V12 with mechanical rather than hydraulic tappets, revamped and 'specially' polished intake manifolds and ... no silencers. Nice! On its own the V12 now delivers 860hp, up from LaFerrari's 800hp. Which would be adequate on its own, right?

But of course in the hybrid age internal combustion power is only half the story. Or, in FXX K's case, 81.9 per cent of the story. Because with a 190hp boost from the HY-KERS the electrically assisted peak horsepower is 1,050hp, torque now 'more than' LaFerrari's 664lb ft. So it'll go well, and make a fantastic noise doing it. But an XX car wouldn't be an XX car without some wild looking aero and here the FXX K car achieves a 50 per cent improvement in downforce in its low-drag configuration and a 30 per cent improvement in its more aggressive setting. This equates to 540kg of downforce at 124mph - a P1 in its track configuration makes 600kg at 161mph - and some suitably wacky looking bodywork.

In this space nobody can hear you scream

Unlike the FXX this has actually been achieved without turning LaFerrari into some hideously bewinged monstrosity too, the curling endplates on the rear aesthetically distinctive as well as functionally useful.

Rather than just paraphrase here, in Ferrari's words, is how it all works. "The front of the car is dominated by a twin-profile spoiler and a larger splitter, which is 30 mm lower, with a gap in its centre. This design is an application of the concepts developed to improve aero balance in the GT category of the WEC ... Two pairs of vertical elements, an endplate and, externally, a dive plane, together with vertical fins channel the air towards the car's flanks, generating a longitudinal vortex that creates a localised depression. This in turn sucks the wake from the wheels to the outside of the aerodynamic underbody. Along with the side skirts that extend out from the sills, the vortex helps isolate the airflow from the underbody to boost its efficiency."

Still with us or are you now dreaming of unsilenced V12s? Because we're not done yet.

Mainly because of the unsilenced 860hp V12

"The solutions on the rear of the car are highly sophisticated, too," the press release continues. "The tail section is now higher and the mobile spoiler extends further for a total increase in extension of 60mm when fully deployed. A vertical fin and a small wing each side of the tail act as guide vanes in the low drag configuration and boost the spoiler's efficiency in the high downforce one. This system also creates considerable downforce at the rear of the car, allowing the use of an extreme diffusion volume for the rear diffuser which optimises air extraction from the underbody. The section of the flat underbody just ahead of the rear wheels is also exploited to the full to generate downforce thanks to the reduced pressure in the wheel arch guaranteed by the direct connection to the rear of the car by a by-pass duct."

So there you go. It looks mental, goes like stink and you can't actually own it, even if accepted as part of the programme. Full tech spec below if you're not already tech'd out...

Meanwhile we'll be booking a circuit for the twin-test versus the McLaren P1 GTR.

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TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS [Reproduced verbatim from Ferrari press release]

KERS system
Total maximum power 1,050 hp
Total maximum torque >900 Nm [664lb ft]
V12 maximum power* 860hp@9,200 rpm
Maximum revs 9,250 rpm
V12 maximum torque 750Nm@6,500 rpm [553lb ft]
Electric motor output 140 Kw (190hp)

ICE
Type 65-deg. V12
Bore and stroke 94x75.2 mm
Total displacement 6,262 cc
Specific power 137 hp/l

Dimensions
Length 4,896 mm
Width 2,051 mm
Height 1,116 mm
Wheelbase 2,650 mm

Gearbox
7-speed DCT

Suspension
Front double wishbones
Rear multi-link
Tyres (Pirelli P-Zero slicks with sensors )
Front 285/650 - R19 x10.5
Rear 345/725 - R20x13
Carbon ceramic brakes (Brembo)
Front 398x223x36 mm
Rear 380x253x34 mm

Electronic controls
ESC stability control
High perf ABS/EBD Performance anti-lock system/electronic brake balance
EF1-Trac F1 electronic traction control integrated with the hybrid system
E-Diff 3 third generation electronic differential
SCM-E Frs magnetorheological damping with twin solenoids (Al-Ni tube)
Aerodynamics active

* with dynamic ram effect

 

[North West Tom]

I think FXXK is a very appropriate name.