2013 Geneva Auto Show: Ferrari LaFerrari
Placed strategically at another end of the Geneva show hall, Ferrari mustered more attention than their shock inducing rivals from Sant'agata. Highly anticipated as the next massive force from the Prancing Horse stable, the LaFerrari or what we knew from the teasers so far as the F150 in president Luca di Montezemlo's own words is the 'maximum expression of what defines our company â€" excellence'.
The LaFerrari may sound a bit lame as far as nomenclatures go. But as another Ferrari punter put it at the office the LaFerrari looks to be much of refined aggression than the more balls out approach of past Ferraris. Whatever may be the case there is no denying the LaFerrari is a stunning successor to the Enzo.
Take a long hard look at the images of the LaFerrari because there is very little of this car you may ever see in the flesh. Only 499 of these will be manufactured making it highly exclusive not to mention expensive. But then being a part of that very exclusive club will get you a hypercar that is capable of flying past a 100kmph in under three seconds, past the 200kmph marker in under seven seconds going on to attain a top speed of nearly 330kmph. It's even lapped Fiorano in under 1'20" making it seven seconds quicker than the Enzo and three seconds quicker than the F12 Berlinetta.
Clearly it's F1 inspired, visually you can see it in the body work but what you can't see is its astounding powertrain. For the first time in Ferrari history this car will be powered by the HY-KERS system. A 6.2-litre V12 engine packs in a massive 789PS, giving it a phenomenally punchy specific output of 126PS per litre.
But what makes a difference is the hybrid system composed of two electric motors, one powering the driven wheels and the second the ancillaries. The petrol engine coupled to the 120kW electric motor raises power output to a richter rocking 950PS. Total torque generated is in excess of 900Nm.
There are four different types of hand laminated carbon-fibre, a 41/59 weight distribution, carbon ceramic brakes and a stunning aerodynamic package. As for that restrained aggression in the styling, it's the handiwork of a Ferrari design team led by Flavio Manzoni who joined Ferrari as a design director in 2010. Flavio is also an architect but in earlier roles within the automobile industry he has worked bringing to life the concept of the Lancia Fulvia Coupè, in the Lancia Ypsilon and the Lancia Musa. He was also responsible for providing the new design direction for Volkswagen in addition to penning the lines for the VW Golf Mk6.