Ferrari Four Wheel Drive in the Making?

The first four wheel drive Ferrari is in the works, but no need to worry, we’re not talking about a Cayenne-like SUV. The Italian manufacturer is not considering a new carrier in off-road or on-road family vehicles, but rumors say that its next generation Ferrari 612 will have a hybrid powertrain and electrically driven front wheels.

There has not been an official announcement yet, but Autocar magazine says they have an inside source at Ferrari that confirmed the 4x4 set-up could be on the market as soon as 2014.

The system under development uses twin motors mounted in-board of the unsprung bits, and the units are suitable for fitting on both front and mid-engined Ferraris, so this means the process to will continue throughout the range.

The 612 model is due to arrive in 2012, so there’s a good chance the full hybrid 4x4 system could debut at the Geneva Motor Show in 2014, according to Autocar’s source. Due to Ferrari’s attempts to exhibit good Corporate Social Responsibility, the model is likely drop the V12 engine for a turbocharged V8. For the record, we believe this is wrong.

As you might know, the 612 Ferrari is a grand tourer produced by Ferrari since 2004. This car was designed in order to replace the smaller 456 M model, produced from 1998 to 2003. Due to its larger size, the 612 Ferrari can easily accommodate four adults. Hopefully, adding the hybrid system will not compromise the interior space.