Ferrari is be working on a new supercar powered by a Formula 1-style V6 hybrid engine, according to reports.
Highly camouflaged 488 GTB development cars have been spotted undergoing winter testing in Sweden. Given that the 488 was recently discontinued and replaced by the F8 Tributo, many believe the cars are being used as a test bed for the V6 new engine.
The V6 hybrid motor will allegedly power a new mid-engined supercar that will sit underneath the F8 Tributo. It’s also rumoured that the powertrain may find its way into the company’s upcoming Purosangue SUV.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Latest Videos FromThe Week
Fans may not have long to wait long for the V6-engined supercar to be unveiled, as an announcement is expected within the next few months.
For now, though, here’s everything we know about Ferrari’s mysterious new model:
When will it come out?
Car magazine says it “understands” that Ferrari is planning to take the wraps off the new powertrain in May.
However, it’s not yet known where the company will showcase the engine inside the rumoured entry-level supercar, or under the bonnet of its new SUV, the magazine says.
Will the supercar be called the Dino?
Perhaps. The Italian marque has considered rebooting the Dino range - named after Enzo Ferrari’s son, Alfredo, who died of a muscle disorder at the age of 24 - for a new V6-powered supercar, according to Car.
However, US news site Motor1 claims Ferrari is also working on a new model called the 486, which is may take the form of a cheaper, V6 hybrid version of the V8-engined F8 Tributo.
Is it the same engine as an F1 car?
No. Unlike the Mercedes-AMG One hypercar, which uses one of Lewis Hamilton’s championship winning F1 engines, the Ferrari’s V6 hybrid has been specifically designed as a road car motor.
Details about the hybrid V6 are scarce, but Car magazine says it will probably be turbocharged, similar to the engine layout of a modern F1 car.
The hybrid system is expected to minimise turbo lag, the term given to the delay between a driver pressing the accelerator and the engine responding in turbocharged cars, the magazine says.
Lag occurs because of the time it takes for the turbine inside of the turbocharger to spin up. The hybrid system would reduce the lag by bringing the turbine up to speed with an electric motor.
Not only will the hybrid system help boost performance, the technology should also help Ferrari meet tough CO2 emission targets that are in force across Europe.
Speaking to Top Gear at the Geneva Motor Show last week, Ferrari technical chief Michael Leiters said the supercar maker is “being forced to look at emissions” and must consider reducing the size of its engine to meet the strict targets.
