The bells in Maranello are ringing, and it’s not because of a Ferrari race win: A new Ferrari hypercar is on the way.
Ferrari (RACE) unveiled the F80, its first hypercar in 11 years, earlier today, following in the footsteps of the LaFerrari released in 2013 and the Enzo, F50, and F40 before that.
The F80 combines race-derived aerodynamics (and of course scissor-like doors) with a hybrid powertrain that combines a V6 turbo engine and three electric motors. The car boasts nearly 1200 hp when the high-revving V6 pairs with the hybrid electric powertrain, making it the most powerful Ferrari ever.
Ferrari said it will only make 799 examples of the F80, and the cars will start at an eye-watering 3.6 million euros, or $3.9 million.
Ferrari shares pulled higher today following news of the F80. Back-of-the-envelope math shows that overall sales of the car could add $3.2 billion to Ferrari’s top line over the F80’s production run.
For Ferrari’s high-net-worth clients, the F80's steep price may be worth it.
“Even with the F80’s higher production number of 799, it will still be incredibly difficult to acquire, as they’re all already spoken for. Rarity always drives demand and value, and as Ferrari’s latest halo car, the F80 is no exception,” Ethan Gibson of RM Sotheby’s, a high-end automotive auctioneer, told Yahoo Finance.
Ferrari said the powertrain is based on the “finest expression of technology in motorsport,” in this case the hybrid V6 engines that power both the Ferrari F1 team cars and its World Endurance Championship Le Mans race cars (which are called “Le Mans Hypercars”).
An active rear wing, underbody aero elements, and even a “front triplane” and F1 inspired “S-Duct” combine to generate an astounding 2,200 lbs of downforce at only 155mph. That, combined with the svelte lines of the car, supercar scissor doors, and body-width wide rear wing, gives the Ferrari molto presence.
If the aerodynamic effects like active aero and powerful hybrid powertrain sound familiar, it’s because McLaren's just-announced W1 hypercar uses a similar formula, as did McLaren’s P1 before that. Even the world-beating Ferrari LaFerrari used a mild hybrid system.
And while the Ferrari has the right looks and powertrain, it lacks in one big detail — it has a V6 engine, whereas the LaFerrari had a sonorous 12-cylinder engine. Even the McLaren W1 has a V8.
Will this matter to Ferrari fans and the massive hypercar secondary market in the coming years? Gibson doesn’t think so.
"Ferrari’s halo cars have naturally progressed in their use of Formula 1 technology," Gibson said. "I don’t think the switch from a V12 to a hybrid V6 will affect sales in any way. It continues Ferrari’s tradition of incorporating cutting-edge F1 technology, which I believe is central to the brand’s DNA."
Gibson added that for the F80, the Ferrari allure may extend beyond traditional Italian sports car aficionados.
"The F80 is destined to become one of the ultimate collector pieces in the automotive world — and even beyond as we see non-automotive collectors increasingly interested in the finest cars as works of art.”
