The war began. After the McLaren W1, Ferrari has just unveiled the new F80, the successor to the La Ferrari.
The war has begun! After unveiling McLaren’s new sports car, the W1, it’s now time for Ferrari to reveal the desired successor to its iconic lineage. After the 288 GTO, F40, F50, Enzo and LaFerrari, it is the turn of the F80.
It is the return of the Maranello brand to hyper-sports cars, more than ten years after the debut of the LaFerrari. In this way, the new F80 will mark the next generation of Ferrari, maintaining the tradition of innovation and performance of the brand.
With the signature lines of Flavio Manzoni, the design director, the new Ferrari F80 shows features and details from the classics such as the F40 or the Daytona, while integrating the most advanced aerodynamics derived from single-seater Formula 1 .
The interior is completely focused on the driver, with a minimalist look, but completely focused on the driving controls. The «1+» configuration, as Ferrari calls it, reflects precisely this priority, through an adjustable red seat and a redesigned steering wheel.
The asymmetric structure made of carbon fiber and aluminum manages to reduce the weight of the Ferrari F80 – at least 1,525 kg dry – to improve agility. Just like a certain British model recently presented, the doors have a vertical opening, which improves access but also adds to the drama of the whole.
Bye V12! Hello V6 hybrid
Behind the cabin is a V6 engine that is part of a hybrid system. Ferrari divested the services of its iconic V12, and “cut” it in half, adding three electric motors to compensate. The result is a maximum combined power of 1200 hpenough to make this the most powerful Ferrari title ever.
The 3.0 l V6 engine is based on the unit that powers the Ferrari 296 GTB, but also on the 499P that won the 24 Hours of Le Mans. In the F80 it delivers 900 hp of power at 8750 rpm and 850 Nm of torque at 5550 rpm. The cutoff is at 9,000 rpm and the specific power is 300 hp/l, the highest so far in a street Ferrari.
The modifications compared to the 296 GTB are extensive. Efforts were focused on injection and increased pressure in the combustion chamber (+20% compared to the 296) and, for the first time, Ferrari uses electric turbochargers, where a small electric motor is located between the turbine and the compressor. Despite this, in the end, the F80’s V6 weighs as much as the 296 GTB. Transmission to the rear wheels is via an eight-ratio dual-clutch gearbox.
As with the individual F1 seats, the hybrid system is also based on an 800 V architecture and includes a 2.3 kWh battery.
It has three electric motors, designed and produced for the first time by Ferrari, with two mounted at the front and one at the rear (MGU-K). Yes, the F80 is Ferrari’s first all-wheel drive hypercarin contrast to the McLaren W1 which, despite being a hybrid, remains true to rear-wheel drive.
The two engines on the front axle produce a total of 210 kW (286 hp), while the rear one, which also acts as a starter motor, can add up to 60 kW (82 hp) to assist the twin-turbo V6. In addition, it allows you to recover energy when braking, up to 70 kW (95 hp).
The F80 is not a hybrid plug-in and, therefore, it does not include a fully electric mode, but offers three driving modes: Hybrid, Performance and Quality, which change the way all this power is managed.
© Ferrari
In addition, new technology Boost Optimization it automatically identifies the perfect zones to maximize acceleration, especially useful when the F80 is on the road.
As expected, this all adds up to a great performance. The Ferrari F80 accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in just 2.15s and reaches 200 km/h in just 5.75s and the top speed is 350 km/h.
Aerodynamics and dynamics
As expected, the role of aerodynamics is crucial to the performance of the Ferrari F80. The front is the biggest «S-Duct», and at the back is the lower air diffuser – the longest ever installed on a street car, at 1.8 m – and the active wing that stands out the most.
At 250 km/h, the downward force (force) is 1000 kg, divided into 460 kg at the front and 540 kg at the back.
© Ferrari
Dynamically, it inherits the active suspension from the Purosangue, although it has been completely redesigned to meet the needs of a hypercar like the F80.
The active system includes four 48 V electric motors (one per wheel), a layout of double overlapping triangles, the upper ones as a result of additive manufacturing (3D printing). It is the first Ferrari to use this technology. With this suspension, stabilizer bars are distributed and a camber angle correction function is added.
When does it arrive and how much does it cost?
With a starting price of 3.6 million euros (before taxes), the production of the Ferrari F80 will be limited to 799 units, with the first deliveries scheduled for the end of 2025.
This is undoubtedly a new milestone in the history of Ferrari, continuing one of its most impressive lines of all time, but also a battle that should not end.
After the McLaren W1 and now the Ferrari F80, we just have to wait for Porsche’s answer, to create a new “holy trinity”.