The F80 is Ferrari’s new supercar, a car destined to join iconic models from the 1984 GTO to the 2016 LaFerrari Aperta.
The Italian house of the Prancing Horse unveiled the F80 writing a new chapter in the history of legendary supercars in a limited run of just 799 examples.
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 road legal car, to the new active suspension optimised to let the driver wring every ounce of performance from the car on the track.
The cockpit has a distinct single-seater feel, despite the fact that the car is homologated for two occupants, resulting in a architecture that could be called ‘1+’. The primary reason for this is to minimise width, to the benefit of aerodynamics (with less drag) and weight saving.
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.
The F80 marks the start of a new design era for Ferrari, with a more tense, extreme design language accentuating its race-bred soul.
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 900hp, making it the Ferrari engine with the highest specific power of all time.
Naturally, there is also technology carried over from Formula 1, from which the F80 inherits both the concept of the MGU-K (with the development of an industrially manufacturable electric motor similar to the unit used in Ferrari F1 cars) and the MGU-Hs (which generate power from the excess kinetic energy from the rotation of the turbines created by the heat energy from the exhaust gases) with a bespoke e-turbo application.
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.
The e-turbos, with an electric motor installed axially between the turbine and the compressor housing, let the engineers optimise the fluid dynamics of the engine for maximum power at mid to high engine speeds without the usual compromise this entails in terms of turbo lag at low engine speeds.
To lower the centre of gravity of the car, the engine has been installed as close as physically possible to the flat undertray.
To lighten the engine, the cylinder block, crankcase, timing cover and other components have been revised, while titanium screws have also been adopted. As a result of these measures, the engine weighs no more than the V6 of the 296 GTB despite a power increase of 237hp.
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.
AERODYNAMICS
The F80 pushes aerodynamic performance to levels never seen before on a Ferrari road car, as testified by the 1,000kg of downforce produced at 250km/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.
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.
Another major evolution introduced by the F80 is the new SSC 9.0 (Side Slip Control) system, which now benefits from the integrated FIVE (Ferrari Integrated Vehicle Estimator) function. The new estimator is based on the concept of the digital twin, a mathematical model that uses the parameters acquired by sensors installed on the car to replicate its behaviour virtually.
Featuring the eManettino like all PHEV Ferrari models, the hybrid powertrain of the F80 offers three different driving modes: ‘Hybrid’, ‘Performance’ and ‘Qualify’. There is no eDrive mode, which is available on the SF90 Stradale and 296 GTB, because the F80 cannot be driven in full-electric mode, considered not be in keeping with the car’s mission.
The braking system of the F80 introduces another important innovation: CCM-R Plus technology, developed in collaboration with Brembo. The adoption of materials and technologies derived directly from Ferrari’s experience in motorsports has given shape to a product with distinctly superior performance to any other road-going carbon ceramic system.
Two tyre choices, with Pilot Sport Cup2 and Pilot Sport Cup2R variants, both offered in the sizes 285/30 R20 and 345/30 R21 (front/rear), were co-developed with Michelin for the F80. Pilot Sport Cup2 tyres feature a casing and tread designed specifically to offer a thrilling driving experience and maximise the usability of the car, while the Pilot Sport Cup2R uses specific compounds derived from motorsports applications to allow the car to reach previously unimaginable levels of performance on the track for a Ferrari road car, in terms of both maximum grip and consistency over time.
And to maximise day to day usability, even when not driven at the limit, the F80 is equipped as standard with all the main ADAS driver assist functions currently available such as Adaptive Cruise Control and Driver Drowsiness and Attention Warning.
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 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
A car that could accommodate a passenger, while feeling like a single-seater, was the inspiration and with this logic as the foundation, the design of the F80 was then developed with technological input, lending the car its boldly high-tech character.
The F80 has a strongly futuristic visual impact with unmistakeable references to aerospace. The architecture is defined by a dihedral cross section with its two bottom corners firmly planted on the wheels. From the side view, the rear section has a sculpted flow that emphasises the muscularity of the entire rear wing. The front section of the car is defined by more architectural elements: the wheelarch ends with a vertical panel that stands proud of the door paying homage to the visual language of the F40.
Rising out from the volumes of the lower body is the cabin, a floating bubble structure of unexpected volumes, and the product of an exacting study in architecture and proportion. A whole 50mm lower than greenhouse of the LaFerrari, the cab has a significant effect on the perception of volume, broadening the shoulders of the car to give the cockpit an even more compact look.
As on all latest-generation Ferraris, the contrast between the upper zone in bodywork colour and the lower zone in clear-coat finished carbon fibre accentuates the design of the car.
The short-tail rear of the car has two different configurations during use: with the mobile wing stowed or deployed.
With the rear spoiler raised, the car expresses even more power and dynamism as the difference in visual balance between the two configurations reveals the other side of its character.
Another functional but highly symbolic element is the louvred engine compartment spine, where six slots, one for each cylinder of the internal combustion engine, create an unexpected relationship between the geometric lines and sculptural surfaces of the car.
INTERIOR
The compact proportions of the cabin were made possible by opting for a cockpit inspired by a single-seat racer, creating a visual perception akin to an enclosed Formula 1 car. A lengthy process involving designers, engineers, ergonomics specialists and colour and 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.
While ergonomically complete and comfortable, the passenger seat is so well integrated into the trim of the cabin that it almost disappears from view.
The F80 also boasts a new steering wheel developed specifically for this car, which will make an appearance in the future road-going models of the Prancing Horse. Slightly smaller than its predecessor and with flattened top and bottom rims, the steering wheel also has a smaller boss, improving visibility and accentuating the sense of sportiness when driving.
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