Ferrari has unveiled its latest supercar which joins a short list of iconic and exclusive models that includes the GTO (also referred to as the 288 GTO), F40, F50, Enzo and LaFerrari. Called the F80, it follows in the footsteps of its predecessors by showcasing the best that the Maranello-based marque has to offer in terms of technology and performance.
Motorsport has been a part of Ferrari’s DNA for decades, with the technologies developed for racing often being applied to its road cars as well. The brand’s return to endurance racing with the 499P was a leading influence on the F80’s development, as its F163CF engine is derived from that back-to-back Le Mans-winning racer.
The 3.0 litre, 120-degree V6 shares the race car’s architecture, crankcase, layout and drive chains of the timing system, oil pump recovery circuit, bearings, injectors and direct injection pumps. It also features dry sump lubrication and two electric turbochargers – the latter being a first for a Ferrari – with each turbo featuring an electric motor installed axially between the turbine and compressor housing in order to negate turbo lag and improve response times.
From Formula 1, the F80 inherits the concept of the MGU-K, which scavenges up to 70 kW from an electric motor sandwiched between the V6 and eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. This system can also provide 81 PS (80 hp or 60 kW) and 45 Nm to assist the engine, while also functioning as starter. There’s also an MGU-H system that generates power from the excess kinetic energy from the rotation of the turbines created by the heat energy from the exhaust gases.
On its own, the engine generates 900 PS (888 hp or 662 kW), which makes the F163CF the brand’s engine with the highest specific power of all time at 300 PS per litre. Peak power comes at 8,750 rpm but the maximum engine speed is 9,000 rpm, with a dynamic limiter set at 9,200 rpm. Meanwhile, maximum torque of 850 Nm is reached at just 5,550 rpm.
These electrified systems are connected to an 860V battery with an energy capacity of 2.28 kWh, which is linked to a DC/DC converter that can handle three different voltages simultaneously: 800V, 48V and 12V.
The 800V circuit is used not just for the MGU-H and MGU-K systems, but also for a pair of electric motors acting on the front axle to contribute to the maximum available output as well as provide all-wheel drive (Ferrari calls it e4WD). These electric motors are the first to be developed, tested and manufactured entirely by Ferrari, with each rated at 142 PS (141 hp or 105 kW) and 121 Nm, while being 14 kg less than previous applications thanks to deeper integration of the power electronics.
With the engine and electric motors in play, the total system output is 1,200 PS (1,184 hp or 883 kW) and 1,092 Nm, making the F80 the most powerful road car the brand has ever made. Performance-wise, the F80 will complete the 0-100 km/h sprint just 2.15 seconds, while the run from 0-200 km/h takes 5.75 seconds on the way to a limited top speed of 350 km/h.
Like the SF90, the F80’s e4WD doesn’t have a mechanical connection between the engine and front axle, hence the ‘e’ to indicate an electric-type all-wheel drive system. Unlike the SF90, the front electric motors in the F80 do not disengage beyond a certain speed, meaning all-wheel drive is always available all the way to Vmax.
Other bits of trivia mentioned by Ferrari are that the F80 is its first road car to benefit from a new approach for statistical knock control, which lets the engine operate even closer to the knock limit, allowing the use of higher combustion chamber pressures than ever (+20% compared with the 296 GTB).
It adds that the engine is installed as close as physically possible to the flat undertray in order to lower the car’s centre of gravity. As a result, none of the components situated at the bottom of the sump are more than 100 mm below the centreline of the crankshaft.
Along with a revised cylinder block, crankcase, timing cover and other components, as well as the use of aluminium pistons as well as titanium screws and connecting rods, the F163CF is also lighter but generates more power than the F163BC V6 found in the 296 GTB.
Another way the F80 is different from the SF90 is the lack of charging port because the newcomer isn’t a plug-in hybrid. In fact, Ferrari states the F80 can’t be driven in electric-only mode, with further evidence of this being the eManettino, which only has Hybrid, Performance and Qualify modes, but no eDrive option like in the SF90 as well as the 296 GTB.
Without a plug-in charging system, the F80 has a dry weight of 1,525 kg, which is 45 kg less than the SF90 with the Assetto Fiorano package. Ferrari says the decision not to make the F80 a plug-in hybrid was because it was “considered not be in keeping with the car’s mission.”
For vehicle dynamics, the F80 gets a re-engineered active suspension system that is different from the version that made its debut on the Purosangue. The system features completely independent suspension all round actuated by four 48V electric motors, a double-wishbone layout, active inboard dampers and upper wishbones created with 3D printing (another first for a Ferrari road car).
Ferrari says the active suspension system provides compliance necessary to deal with the bumps of daily driving while also ensuring a very flat ride on the track. Should you find yourself in the latter situation, there is the new SSC 9.0 (Side Slip Control) and CCM-R Plus brakes (six-piston front, four-piston rear calipers) to keep things manageable and you confident to push further.
The CCM-R Plus features carbon-ceramic brake discs (408 mm front, 390 mm rear) that were developed in collaboration with Brembo and use longer carbon fibres to significantly improve mechanical strength (+100%) and thermal conductivity (+300%) over the previous-generation solution.
Braking surfaces are also coated with a layer of silicon carbide (SiC) for better wear resistance, and the brake pads are made from a specific new compound. Relevant performance figures? The F80 comes to a complete stop from 100 km/h in 28 metres and from 200 km/h in 98 metres.
Ferrari offers two tyre setups co-developed with Michelin for the F80, including the Pilot Sport Cup 2 and Pilot Sport Cup 2 R, both available in 285/30R20 and 345/30R21 sizes. To supplement the mechanical grip, the F80 gets innovative aerodynamic solutions that as much as 1,050 kg of downforce at 250 km/h.
A large front wing meets with the S-duct that features two flaps that sends air towards the front bonnet to produce 150 of the 460 kg of the maximum downforce generated at the front of the car. There’s also a generously-sized underbody “sucks” the car to the road creating concentrated air vortices through three pairs of bargeboards that are made possible by the volume freed up under the feet of the driver that is seated in a more Formula 1-like position – we were told the hip point was tilted eight degrees to enable this.
At the rear, an active rear wing and expanded volume of the rear diffuser measuring a record 1,800 mm in length generate the remaining 590 kg of downforce at 250 km/h. Ferrari points out that the active rear wing is bolted to the chassis and can be set at various angles up to 11 degrees depending on requirement: low drag or high downforce. On Ferrari’s Fiorano track, the F80, with its powertrain and all the aero elements, set a new road car record time of one minute and 15 seconds.
As for the chassis, the passenger cell and roof are made of carbon-fibre and other composites, while the front and rear subframes are made of aluminium and fastened to the tub with titanium screws. To make use of the air further, the front impact-absorbing longerons have hollow interiors used as cooling air ducts for the brake system.
Meanwhile, the bodyshell fabricated from pre-preg carbon-fibre includes butterfly doors that open vertically to an angle of almost 90 degrees, while the rear engine cover has six slots (a nod to the V6) to vent hot air from the engine bay.
In designing the F80, the team at Ferrari Centro Stile wanted a high-tech character for the car that used logic as the foundation, to which technological considerations were implemented. The end product is very striking and race car-like appearance, with various intakes, ducts and other contoured surfaces serving to either help the car carve through the air more efficiently or promote cooling.
There are also references to past and current Ferrari models such as the vertical panels on the front wheel arches that pay homage to the F40, while the headlamps are concealed in a black visor element, just like on the 12Cilindri.
The interior follows the same approach with a greenhouse that is a whole 50 mm lower than that of LaFerrari. Ferrari also looked to single-seat racers as inspiration for creating a cabin with compact proportions that it refers to as a ‘1+’ layout.
It’s still a two-seater, but the longitudinal offset in the positions of the seats of the two occupants means the passenger sits farther back than the driver. This allows for a narrower interior space to enable the prominent shoulders on the car’s exterior that contribute to the 2,060 mm width. In case you’re curious about the other dimensions, the F80 is 4,840 mm long, 1,138 mm tall, has a wheelbase of 2,665 mm.
As with most Ferrari models, infotainment is integrated into the digital instrument cluster, with the passenger getting their own small touchscreen to fiddle with. A unique cue because of the compact cabin is the gear selector is mounted on an upright panel on the dashboard along with other controls for the climate system and specific vehicle functions.
The F80 also gets a new steering wheel that will be used in future road-going models from the brand. Slightly smaller overall and with flattened top and bottom rims, the wheel also has a smaller boss for better visibility and the lateral zones are optimised for better grip with or without gloves. More important for easier operability is the return of physical buttons instead of the digital touch panels that were used previously.
Only 799 examples of the F80 will be offered, all of which have been snapped up by affluent individuals. Those lucky enough to secure an allocation will begin receiving their cars from the fourth quarter of next year, with each one carrying a starting drive-away price (in Italy) of 3.6 million euros (about RM17 million) before options.
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Question is, Is it street legal???
Meh. Just as boring as mclarens.
It’s a beast but it doesn’t strike the presence like its predecessors the F40/50/Enzo/FXX.
johor can easily afford to buy this, no need to pay tax