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Ferrari Hybrid V8 Will Not Make You Miss The V12, New Supercar Coming In 2019

Sergio Marchionne is known for overstating possibilities and exaggerating realities, and this story makes no exception. Speaking at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show, the chief executive officer of Ferrari claims that the hybridized V8 the Prancing Horse is developing will push the envelope so much that not much else will come close to it.
Ferrari 488 Pista 10 photos
Photo: Ferrari
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In a mid-afternoon questions and answers session with Top Gear, the head honcho of Maranello’s said: “When you drive the new Ferrari hybrid, well you can tell me how much you miss the V12.” Sergio is referring to a yet-unnamed supercar that’s all but confirmed to drop in 2019, with test mules of it “running around right now.”

As you might imagine from such a project, the “hybrid element will be much more of mainstay of the powertrain than it was in the LaFerrari.” The combination of a twin-turbo V8 (most likely the 3.9-liter engine in the 488 Pista) with hybrid won’t be exclusive to the supercar mentioned by Marchionne. Remember the Ferrari Utility Vehicle? That model, which has the makings of a commercial hit, is also supposed to sport eight cylinders, forced induction, and some sort of hybridization.

Codenamed F16X and coming as a reply to the Lamborghini Urus, the FUV is a bit of a mystery for the time being. Depending on who you ask, production kicks off in 2020 or 2021, and on that bombshell, four doors expected from the newcomer. But in a similar fashion to the Mazda RX-8, the rear doors are understood to be hidden.

The question is, why would Ferrari consider hybridization for its next crop of supercars and first-ever utility vehicle? On the one hand, more stringent CO2 emissions and fuel economy standards are looming on the horizon. On the other, turbocharging and natural aspiration can only go so far, which is why a KERS-style system would complement internal combustion like a hand in glove.

But still, comparing a hybrid V8 with the feeling of a V12 is hogwash.
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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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