The open-top incarnation of the 599 will make its debut in August at the Pebble Beach concourse in California. The upcoming vehicle could offer a power premium that would allow it to maintain its dynamic qualities in spite of the added weight, just as the company’s latest topless V12 model, the Superamerica, did.
Ferrari has decided to choose a different pathway for the car’s name, leaving names such as “Superamerica” behind. Talking to autocar about the car’s name, Ferrari’s boss Luca de Montezemolo mentioned that “it will have an emotional, romantic name such as Italia or Fiorano.”
The Ferrari 599 will also receive a hybrid version, which is expected to shock the market by 2015. The car was previewed by the HY-KERS ventura laboratorio (experimental vehicle), which was introduced at this year's Geneva Auto Show. The vehicle’s hybrid powertrain uses a compact, tri-phase electric motor, coupled with a rear-mounted dual clutch 7 seven speed transmission. The electric motor tips the scale at 40 kg and has an output of 100 hp, which allows it to compensate for the weight of the whole electric drive system.
The hybrid 599 is only a part of Ferrari’s future green plans. These also include the introduction of a V6 powerplant, as well as the development of turbocharged V8 engines. However, Ferrari vowed that all this planet-hugging solution will not affect the performance offered by its future vehicles.
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