Ferrari is a carmaker that has built up its heritage in motorsports. So, whenever a new Ferrari comes out, it has a set of expectations to live up to. And when a Ferrari named "The Ferrari" comes out, that expectation level just shoots right off the stratosphere. We are talking of the mighty LaFerrari, the successor to Ferrari Enzo.
Apart from being the only car named after the company's founder, Ferrari Enzo was an accumulative effort of taking a big giant leap in technology and ideology for a conservative brand like Ferrari. And its successor should also pack a character worthy of a 10-minute standing ovation. The dudes at Maranello knew that too well. This is why the LaFerrari was the first of many from this Italian carmaker.
It packed the glorious screaming V12 motor but with two electric motors for the first-ever hybrid system in a Ferrari. The design, chassis, and interior were all derived and carved from Formula One Technology. But yet, Ferrari managed to make a hypercar that you would feel comfortable taking on daily errands. And most-importantly, LaFerrari completed the modern Holy Trinity of hypercars alongside the McLaren P1 and the Porsche 918 Spyder.
We tell you of the best bits that make Ferrari's first-ever hybrid hypercar so desirable.
Racetrack Tech Bundled In And Around A Hybrid 949 Hp V12 Heart
The highlighting feature of Ferrari LaFerrari is its screaming V12 engine, assisted by a Formula-One-derived Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS). This hypercar uses a rear mid-mounted 6.3-Liter naturally-aspirated V12 motor coupled to two electric motors (one for the wheels and the other for its internal electronics) to churn out a combined 963 hp and a peak torque of 663 lb-ft. It uses an F1-derived seven-speed dual-clutch transmission that helps this screamer do 0-60 mph in less than 3 seconds and have a top speed of 217 mph.
All this while you drool away to the glorious music it makes up to 9,250 rpm. This powertrain tech is wrapped around a carbon-fiber monocoque chassis derived from, you guessed it right, their F1 department. This chassis is connected to the wheels via double-wishbones at the front and a multi-link at the rear. As for the braking setup, it again was a first for Ferrari, as the Brembo system was integrated with a hybrid system for regenerative purposes. It also bought in interesting features like lightweight calipers with aided cooling and carbon-ceramic discs to take all the extra heat.
LaFerrari Is A Driver's Addictive Hyper Dream
Ferraris are soulful machines, and the greatest threat that LaFerrari faced was from the skeptics, who were with the notion that hybrid technology will take away the raw appeal that Ferrari stood for. But oh boy! Were they wrong. On one end we had the hybrid skeptics, and on the other end, there was the idea that close to 1000 horses will make it more of a racecar than a road car. But surprisingly, both these sets of people were proved wrong.
The LaFerrari turned out to be a tamable hypercar with no reduction in driving pleasure. And it all has to do with that glorious gasoline engine assisted with the HY-KERS system. The low-end torque deficiency of the V12 motor was taken care of by the instant torque from the hybrid system. This made it unlike any other Ferrari ever made. The steering was sharp, the throttle was Godly, and this hybrid's braking was not lousy at all. This is one of the rarest Ferraris that can be driven on both extremes.
Aero Wizardry Fused In The Image Of The Iconic Ferrari Enzo
Clever aerodynamics has a major role to play in the razor-sharp driving dynamics that we mentioned above. There are all sorts of inlets and air tunnels throughout LaFerrari's beautiful body to help it achieve a drag coefficient of as low as 0.3. This hypercar is a living and breathing entity with all its diffusers, guide vanes, and spoiler ready to change angles, if and when needed for more or less downforce.
These are based on the driving conditions and the inputs you give on the tiny knob on the steering wheel to change drive modes. The LaFerrari was designed by a team led by Flavio Manzoni who has had his hands on almost all modern Ferraris. We see a strong throwback inspiration here to the iconic Ferrari Enzo, especially from the side angle. It is a perfect combination of form and function. The design is unmistakably Italian, exotic, and looks the most "Ferrari" in the iconic Rosso Corsa shade.
Racecar Interior With A High Degree Of Luxury And Comfort
The interior of LaFerrari has a unique appeal, with inspirations coming in directly from Ferrari's race and track cars. The unique bits here include a newly designed steering wheel that gives all the controls to your fingers. The shift paddles were made longer so that you don't miss out on the excitement of downshifting this glorious-sounding machine.
The driver seat is fixed but the pedal box and steering wheel are movable. And the driver's ergonomics were refined with the help of Ferrari race drivers. But despite all this aggressive racecar appeal, there was a lux appeal to it with all the Alcantara and leather upholstery. Oh, and there is an overdose of carbon fiber!
To Be Called "The Ferrari" Came With A Huge Responsibility
....and a lot of exclusivities. The Ferrari LaFerrair was limited to just 499 units and was only sold to select Ferrari collectors. This machine was the pinnacle was what Ferrari stood for and they nailed it pretty well. Making journalists and hardcore Ferrari enthusiasts call the LaFerrari, an Enzo successor is no small feat. But the LaFerrari surely has the making of greatness and has fulfilled its responsibility of carrying forward Ferrari's baton of heritage, performance, and downright drama.
Sources: Rmsothebys.com, Topgear.com. Supercars.net, Netcarshow.com