October 18, 2024

The Ferrari F80 Hypercar Is A Technical Tour-De-Force


Ferrari has unveiled the F80—its newest supercar that joins the ranks of legendary models such as the F40 and F50. And like those iconic models that carry the Prancing Horse, only 799 examples will be built.

The simply-named F80 trades in its V12 powertrain for a 3.0-liter V6 engine. Related to the one used in the 24 Hours of Le Mans winning 499P racecar, alone it makes 900 horsepower and 850 Nm of torque. From there, Ferrari added an 800-volt hybrid setup with three electric motors—two at the front and one at the back. The result? A combined 1,200 horsepower. With an 8-speed dual clutch, key figures include a 0 to 100 km/h time of 2.15 seconds, 0 to 200 km/h time of 5.75 seconds, and a top speed of 350 km/h.



Three drive modes are available on the F80—Hybrid, Performance, and Qualify. Although there’s no fully electric mode like in the Ferrari 296, the Hybrid mode does prioritize energy recovery and battery charge. Performance mode extracts more power while keeping the battery charged at an optimal state, while Qualify mode unleashes everything it’s got. There’s also Boost Optimization wherein the hypercar will recognize specific areas of a race track where it can deliver additional boost.

To tame all this power, Ferrari employs cutting-edge aerodynamics enabling it to achieve a ton of downforce at speeds of 250 km/h. This was done through clever rework of the underfloor and cooling system layout. Its most distinctive feature, however, is an active rear spoiler that switches between low drag and high downforce setups (there’s no driver override). In addition, the F80 employs tech first seen in the Purosangue: an active suspension system that makes sure the right ride height is maintained to optimize the aero.



In terms of braking power, the F80 uses new advanced carbon brakes which are stronger than traditional carbon fiber brakes, while also improving their thermal effectiveness. 200 to 0 km/h is done in just 98 meters, while 100 to 0 km/h is done in just 28 meters.

Style-wise, the F80 takes on the same motif first seen in the 12Cilindri. It’s a mix of sci-fi and retro elements with butterfly doors for good measure. It has mixed size tires with 285/30R20s at the front and 345/30R21s at the back. They’re made of carbon fiber and, in a surprising move, isn’t available with a central lock (they’re fastened by traditional five lug nuts).



Inside, the F80 has a unique “1+” seating configuration. This means that the driver sits slightly ahead of the sole passenger with all the controls canted towards him. Moreover, only the driver’s seat is adjustable with the passenger’s being fixed to the chassis. A new steering wheel, with a flatter top and bottom (as well as physical instead of touch-sensitive controls), is making its debut here. Eventually this will make its way to other Ferrari models.

The Ferrari F80 will go on sale starting late next year with a production run that’ll go up until 2027.

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