Could it be – a Ferrari hypercar without a V12? The F40, F50, Enzo, and the LaFerrari all had twelve cylinders but the next flagship from Maranello might have two fewer cylinders than the Prancing Horse’s original flagship, the V8-powered 288 GTO. A new spy video shot in Italy near the automaker’s factory shows a heavily camouflaged prototype with a giant wing and a large rear diffuser. It’s also a good opportunity to hear its combustion engine.
According to the man with the camera, YouTuber Varryx, the test vehicle was making V6 noises. Despite the decades-long V12 tradition, axing half the cylinders wouldn’t come as a huge surprise considering the 499P Le Mans Hypercar uses a twin-turbo V6. It’s derived from the engine powering the 296 GTB and its GT3 race car sibling but not identical. In the endurance car, the ICE is good for 680 horsepower (500 kilowatts) and works with an electric motor developing 272 hp (200 kW).
Because the race car’s output is limited by regulations, a road-going hypercar with an electrified setup would easily trump those numbers. Logic tells us a new and uncorked Ferrari hypercar would have to pack more punch than the SF90 Stradale, so the total output should easily exceed 1,000 horsepower. Despite halving cylinders, we wouldn’t necessarily count on the new “F250” being lighter than the V12-powered LaFerrari before it since installing the hybrid-related hardware will add weight.
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Those yellow high-voltage stickers denote the test vehicle had a hybrid powertrain, and the general impression we’re getting is of an early prototype. It’s either cleverly camouflaged or the car simply didn’t have all the production bits in place. It honestly looks rather ungainly at this point but we’re sure that’s intentional to throw us off.
For example, the quad square taillights seem to be borrowed from the SF90 while the exhaust tips stick out from the body more than they should. After all, the LaFerrari test mules and prototypes didn’t win any beauty contests either but the subsequent production car was a looker and has aged gracefully.
If reports are to be believed, series production is scheduled to commence in October 2024. If that’s accurate, the world premiere could take place a few months earlier, so roughly a year from now. The plan is to make 220 units in 2025, another 300 examples in 2026, and only 79 in 2027. In the same year, a hardcore XX could be assembled in 20 units, with another 10 planned for 2028.
Ferrari is believed to be working on a Spider version slated to hit the assembly line in 2028 when 50 will be made, with another 79 in 2029 and the last 70 in 2030. Doing the math, 599 coupes will be assembled, along with 30 XXs and 199 Spiders for a total production of 828 units. However, take these figures with the proverbial pinch of salt as they’re not official.
