Set to debut at the Geneva motor show in March, the Ferrari F150, successor to the legendary Ferrari Enzo, has been snapped during public road testing.
Ferrari released details of the F150’s advanced carbonfibre monocoque construction in October 2012 – the new tub (below) would be 20 per cent lighter, 22 per cent stiffer and 27 per cent more rigid than that of the Enzo – then followed in December with two teaser shots showing front and rear styling cues.
While the front and rear styling are lower, wider variations of the cues seen with the Ferrari 458 Italia and Ferrari FF supercars, the spy shots reveal door apertures that extend well into the roof, confirming that scissor doors will feature on new F150 – just like the 2002-2004 Enzo.
The spy shots also confirm that the F150 will be one of the lowest hypercars produced, backing Ferrari’s past claims that increasing aerodynamic performance is key to achieving increased efficiency.
The bold, squared-off rear haunches flaunt ducting for the rear-mounted V12 engine, with active ventilation expected for both brake and engine cooling.
An expected kerb weight of 1250kg is 100kg less than the decade-old Enzo, allowing the 7.3-litre V12 petrol engine and electric motor combination – with F1-derived KERS (kinetic energy recovery system) – shifting the hypercar to 100km/h in an expected 2.5 seconds. Total system outputs are tipped to be 680kW and 1000Nm, sent through a dual-clutch transmission to the rear wheels, managed by Ferrari’s sophisticated F1-Trac active suspension management.
Last year, Ferrari head of design Flavio Manzoni said the F150 represented the greatest crossover between road cars and F1 in the company’s history.
“We are trying to anticipate the future with this car,” Manzoni said.
“We are trying hard to achieve the technical limit of every single component we are using, and also the packaging of the car as a whole. We are building a car close to the limits of technology, but we will only have succeeded if you can feel the result.
“The real objective of a special Ferrari is feeling, feeling, feeling.”
The Ferrari F150 – codename-only thanks to a clash with the Ford truck of the same name – will kick off a hypercar war, Maranello’s shot against the forthcoming Porsche 918 Spyder and McLaren P1, in addition to the Pagani Huayra launched last year.
Expect a limited production run, with a $700K-plus price tag.
