Ever since 1984, Ferrari has periodically released a new supercar that represented the pinnacle of cutting-edge technology and innovation of its era and that was destined to become enshrined in popular culture. Intended for the most discerning clients of the brand, these cars immediately became legends in their own lifetime, making an indelible mark not only on the history of Ferrari, but on the history of the automobile itself.
Ferrari’s F80
The latest addition to this family, the F80, is tasked with embodying the ultimate in engineering for an internal-combustion-engined vehicle and employs all the most advanced technological solutions, including latest-generation hybrid technology for the powertrain, to achieve unparalleled levels of power and torque. Every aspect of the architecture is conceived to maximise performance, from the carbon-fibre chassis and extreme aerodynamic solutions far beyond anything seen before in a roadlegal car, to the new active suspension optimised to let the driver wring every ounce of performance from the car on the track.
Unlike anything else in the current supercar world, the F80 combines all these attributes with uncompromising levels of usability on the road, where it can be driven with ease. This ability shaped every choice made in terms of technology and architecture to achieve the goal, which at first sight seems impossible, of creating a track-oriented supercar that’s just as driveable as a production range model.
All this means that the driver will spend even more time in the car and can truly get to know and revel in its performance and the thrilling driving experience it offers. The architecture of the F80 is so extreme that the layout chosen results in a narrower cabin with a driver-centric layout, which nonetheless still offers excellent space and comfort for a passenger. This choice had crucial benefits in terms of minimising drag and weight.
The cockpit area therefore has a distinct single-seater feel, despite the fact that the car is homologated for two occupants, resulting in a architecture that we could call “1+”. The primary reason for this choice was to minimise width, to the benefit of aerodynamics (with less drag) and weight saving. This concept is completely in keeping with the motorsport world from which this car not only draws inspiration but also inherits technological solutions.
As has always been the case with the Ferrari supercars preceding the F80, the powertrain is based on the finest expression of technology in motorsport. The GTO and F40 were powered by a turbo V8, because Formula 1 cars used turbocharged engines in the 1980s. Today in both Formula 1 and the World Endurance Championship (WEC), powertrains consist of turbo V6 ICE engines mated with an 800 V hybrid system. It was only natural then that this architecture – the same architecture used by the 499P, which has taken two consecutive victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans – would be transferred into the new F80.
Here though the powertrain is further complemented by the introduction, for the first time ever on a Ferrari, of electric turbo technology (e-turbo), which, with an electric motor installed between the turbine and compressor of each turbo, allows for an extraordinary specific power output and instantaneous response from low down in the rev range.
Aerodynamics play a key role on the F80, with solutions such as the active rear wing, rear diffuser, flat underbody, front triplane wing and S-Duct working in concert to generate 1000 kg of downforce at 250 km/h. This result is further enhanced thanks to the active suspension, which contributes directly to generating ground effect. Performance is boosted by the electric front axle, which brings fourwheel drive capability to make even more effective use of the torque and power on tap, and the new brakes with motorsports-derived CCM-R Plus technology.
As with all the supercars preceding it, the F80 marks the start of a new design era for Ferrari, with a more tense, extreme design language accentuating its race-bred soul. There are clear references to cues borrowed from aerospace, which underscore the cutting-edge technology and elegant engineering of each and every technical solution. But there are also nods to its hallowed progenitors which clearly declare the illustrious lineage of the F80.
POWERTRAIN
INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE
The three-litre 120° V6 F163CF of the F80 is the ultimate expression of the Ferrari six cylinder engine: this unit produces an astonishing peak power of 900 hp, making it the Ferrari engine with the highest specific power of all time (300 cv/l), to which the electric front axle (e- 4WD) and rear motor (MGU-K) of the hybrid system add another 300 cv. The link with motorsports, and endurance racing in particular, is strong: the architecture of this engine and many of its components are closely derived from the powerplant of the 499P which won the last two editions of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Commonalities with the car competing in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) include the architecture, crankcase, layout and drive chains of the timing system, oil pump recovery circuit, bearings, injectors and GDI pumps.
For maximum performance in all possible conditions, every aspect of the calibration of the engine has been taken to the extreme, focusing in particular on the ignition and injection timing, the number of injection events per stroke and the management of the variable-phase valve timing. The F80 is equipped with the first Ferrari road car engine 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) to unleash even more of the engine’s potential.
Another crucial aspect has been the work dedicated to the dynamic calibration of the torque curve in every gear, an all-time first for a Ferrari road car. This part of the project focused on real road-driving conditions and the management of the e-turbo system, because knock and compressor surge limits vary depending on whether they are measured in dynamic or stationary conditions. As a result of this research, a dedicated calibration was developed for each gear, allowing the engine to attain levels of responsiveness comparable to a naturally-aspirated engine in all operating conditions.
HYBRID POWERTRAIN
The electric motors used for the F80 are the first units developed, tested and manufactured entirely by Ferrari at Maranello, all with the specific goal of maximising performance and reducing weight. Their design (with two on the front axle and one at the rear of the car) draws directly from Ferrari’s experience in racing; specifically, the stator and rotor in a Halbach array configuration (which uses a special layout of the magnets to maximise magnetic field strength) and magnet sleeve in carbon fibre are all solutions derived from the design of the MGU-K unit used in Formula 1.
The rotor adopts Halbach array technology to maximise magnetic flux density and minimise weight and inertia. The carbon fibre magnet sleeve, on the other hand, has been used to raise maximum motor speed to 30,000 rpm. The concentrated winding stator reduces the weight of copper used for the end windings, while the Litz wire minimises high-frequency losses. The Litz consists of multiple insulated strands instead of a single wire, reducing the ‘skin effect’ and allowing the current to flow uniformly through the entire cross section of the wire to minimise losses.
Innovative resonant technology allows this component to convert current with no latency with a conversion efficiency in excess of 98%, so that it behaves to all intents and purposes as an accumulator. This component eliminated the need for a 48 V battery, saving weight and simplifying the layout of the electrical system.
AERODYNAMICS
The F80 pushes aerodynamic performance to levels never seen before on a Ferrari road car, as testified by the 1000 kg of downforce produced at 250 km/h. This astonishing achievement was made possible by perfect symbiosis between all the internal Ferrari departments working on the definition of the car’s architecture; for each department, the perfect balance between downforce and top speed was the basis for every design choice, giving shape to a suite of extreme solutions befitting a true supercar.
The front end of the F80, which develops 460 kg of total downforce at 250 km/h, was inspired by the aerodynamic concepts employed in Formula 1 and the World Endurance Championship (WEC), innovatively reinterpreted for this application to become cornerstones of the entire design. The body-coloured central volume of the nose acts as the generously-sized main plane of the front wing. Inside the S-Duct are two flaps following the main profile to complete the triplane wing configuration with curvatures and blower slots clearly inspired by the 499P. Crucial for the aerodynamic efficacy of the front of the vehicle is the way the triplane works in perfect concert with the S-Duct and the high central keel, minimising blockage of the air flow towards the wing and maximising performance.
HEAT MANAGEMENT
Defining the layout of the cooling system demanded in-depth studies and painstaking development to reconcile the thermal needs of the engine (which has to dissipate over 200 kW of thermal power during performance usage) and the new hybrid system with aerodynamic requisites. The aim was to design a cooling system with the least possible impact on the overall packaging, to attain a functionally and aerodynamically valid configuration that perfectly accommodates both the aerodynamic and thermal demands of the F80.
The radiators are positioned optimally to maximise the flow of cold air and minimise interference with the hot air flow, for better thermal exchange efficiency. A number of other innovative solutions were also adopted to improve the overall thermal balance of the car, such as the transparent film embedded in the windscreen which uses power from the 48V circuit to demist the screen and reduce the power demand on the HVAC system. Additionally, the climate control circuit is controlled by electrically actuated valves which modulate the flow of refrigerant in relation to the needs of the HVB circuit, improving energy management.
VEHICLE DYNAMICS
The F80 is equipped with the most advanced suite of technological solutions currently available for managing vehicle dynamics in all possible conditions on the road or track. The Ferrari active suspension system is undoubtedly one of the showpieces of these and has been re-engineered from the ground up compared with the version used on the Ferrari Purosangue to tailor it to the F80’s supercar soul.
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 and additive manufacturing technology, which is used here for the first time on a Ferrari road car. This solution offers a number of advantages, such as an optimised layout, more precise wheel control, reduced unsprung mass, no requirement for an anti-roll bar and the introduction of a dedicated camber angle correction function.
This system fulfils two apparently irreconcilable requirements – the need for a very flat ride on the track, where variations in ride height must be minimised as much as possible, and the need for the compliance to effectively soak up bumps in road surfaces during normal driving. This means that the car boasts outstanding driveability on the road and can also manage downforce optimally in all possible conditions.
CHASSIS AND BODYSHELL
CHASSIS
The tub and other elements of the chassis of the F80 were developed using a multi-material approach, where the best suited material for the task is used for each individual zone. The cell and roof are made of carbon fibre and other composites, while the front and rear subframes are made of aluminium and are fastened to the tub with titanium screws. At the rear there is an additional aluminium subframe, fastened to the main rear subframe with screws, for carrying the battery.
As on the LaFerrari, the sills act as side impact absorbers. The asymmetric layout of the cabin allowed each side of the tub to be optimised separately: the driver side has an adjustable seat, with a generous range of positions ensuring driving comfort and safety in the event of a side-on impact. This necessitated a larger number of structural panels in the floor and longer impact absorbers on the driver side than the passenger side, where a fixed seat is used to save weight while still ensuring uncompromised safety for both occupants.
BODYSHELL
The bodyshell of the F80 is completely new and is fabricated from pre-preg carbon fibre and cured in the autoclave using technology derived from Formula 1 and other motorsports. The front bonnet features an S-Duct consisting of a fixed element connecting the two front wings.
Butterfly doors are used, as on the LaFerrari, with a dual axis of rotation hinge mechanism allowing them to open vertically to an angle of almost 90°. The substructure of the doors, a structural element also tasked with absorbing dynamic loads in the event of lateral impact, is constructed from special high-performance carbon fibre.
The rear engine cover, which echoes the styling cues of the door from the side view, includes six slots venting hot air from the V6 engine and a grille which also vents air.
DESIGN
EXTERIOR
The 250 is the product of a creative design study that has led the team of the Ferrari Styling Centre headed by Flavio Manzoni to make a radical change in the visual language of the marque, forging a link between the past and future of Ferrari design. With the intent of assimilating a host of different elements of the design language and DNA of the brand, this study first turned its attention to the aesthetics of the marque’s F1 racing cars to identify the direction for creating a car with a modern and innovative visual identity that can accommodate a driver and a passenger despite offering the uncompromised experience of a single-seater.
INTERIOR
The compact proportions of the cabin were made possible by opting for a cockpit inspired by a singleseat racer, creating a visual perception akin to an enclosed Formula 1 car. A lengthy process involving designers, engineers, ergonomics specialists and Colour & Trim experts culminated in an original new solution that sets the driver unequivocally as the protagonist in the cabin and transforms the car into a “1+”.
The decidedly enveloping cockpit is centred entirely around the driver, with its forms converging towards the controls and instrument panel. The control panel is also oriented ergonomically towards the driver, creating a sort of cocoon effect around them.
7-YEAR MAINTENANCE
Ferrari’s unparalleled quality standards and increasing focus on client service underpin the extended seven-year maintenance programme offered with the F80. Available across the entire Ferrari range, this is the first time this programme has been offered on a supercar and covers all regular maintenance for the first seven years of the car’s life. This scheduled maintenance programme for Ferraris is an exclusive service that allows clients the certainty that their car is being kept at peak performance and safety over the years. This very special service is also available to owners of preowned Ferraris.
Regular maintenance (at intervals of either 20,000 km or once a year with no mileage restrictions), original spares and meticulous checks by staff trained directly at the Ferrari Training Centre in Maranello using the most modern diagnostic tools are just some of the advantages of the Genuine Maintenance Programme. The service is available on all markets worldwide and from all Dealerships on the Official Dealership Network.
The Genuine Maintenance programme further extends the wide range of after-sales services offered by Ferrari to meet the needs of clients wishing to preserve the performance and excellence that are the signatures of all cars built in Maranello.