By Cheryl Tay
Ferrari has launched its most advanced and fastest street production model ever, a new limited-edition special series edition named LaFerrari at the 2013 Geneva International Motor Show.
A successor to the Enzo, there will only be 499 units of LaFerrari, a 6.3-litre V12 hybrid supercar that packs a powerful 950bhp with an electric motor.
Adopting the knowledge of KERS from their Scuderia Ferrari Formula 1 team, LaFerrari is the first car in the history of Ferrari to be powered by HY-KERS (hybrid kinetic energy recovery system), its new hybrid technology that charges its batteries under braking or when there is additional torque, while working in tandem with the main engine.
Featuring four different types of carbon fibre, LaFerrari’s chassis is all hand-laminated and autoclave-cured in the racing department using the same design and production methods as the Formula 1 car.
"We chose to call this model LaFerrari," declared Ferrari President, Luca di Montezemolo, "because it is the maximum expression of what defines our company – excellence. Excellence in terms of technological innovation, performance, visionary styling and the sheer thrill of driving."
LaFerrari is the finest expression of our company's unique, unparalleled engineering and design know-how, including that acquired in Formula 1.
With 789bhp revved to a maximum of 9,250rpm from its 6,262cc V12 engine that has a high compression ratio of 13.5:1 and coupled with an electric motor, LaFerrari is capable of a combined output of 950bhp. Peak torque levels of 700Nm at 6,750rpm from the V12 can be further generated to an excess of 900Nm with the electric motor.
Mated to the F1 dual-clutch gearbox for optimal weight distribution, the electric motor boosts energy efficiency, offering torque instantly to the wheels and also from the wheels back to the electric motor during recharging.
The fastest road car from Ferrari, LaFerrari takes less than three seconds to get to 100km/h from zero. From a standstill to 200km/h, it needs less than seven seconds. It was also tested at Fiorano and it produced a lap time five seconds faster than the Enzo and more than three seconds faster than the F12berlinetta.
di Montezemolo revealed that advanced solutions found in the LaFerrari model will eventually make their way to rest of the Prancing Horse's fleet, and will become "the benchmark for the entire automotive industry."
Scuderia Ferrari drivers Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa had a significant role in the development of LaFerrari, providing guidance on the driving position that is made similar to a Formula 1 single-seater.
The F1 influence extends to the styling and aerodynamics with the body given a sculptural treatment and a sporty tail section. A newly-designed steering wheel sporting all the major commands, and the gear-shift paddles are now longer and more ergonomic.
Finally, the signature bridge on which the F1 gearbox functions are clustered has taken on a sleek, suspended wing-like shape. The whole interior, in fact, has a fiercely track-inspired, pared-back allure.
For more information, go to ItalAuto, Official Ferrari Importer in Singapore.
