It might confuse some Ford pickup truck buyers, but it looks like Ferrari are going with F150.
The most exciting new revelation about Ferrari next ultimate car is the size: will be small, the same size as a 458 Italia but with a monster 740HP + V12 supplemented by KERS making it 40% less polluting. Thank god for that, everyone was terribly worried about the amount of pollution a few hundred Ferrari hypercars would produce driven for the dozens of miles a year they usually are!
Ferrari's web site adds:
In order to rationalise interior space, the cockpit, and consequently the entire vehicle, is built around the driver, making the most of Ferrari’s experience, both in functionality and ergonomics. Hence the decision to adopt a fixed seat, which will be made to measure (as it is in an F1 car), with an adjustable pedal box and steering wheel. The inclination of the backrest, and the fact that the occupant’s feet are at the same level as the driving position, gives an extraordinarily racy feeling and achieves a considerably lower centre of gravity.
The F150 will be powered by a development of the 740 CV 6.3-litre V12 introduced in the new F12berlinetta, along with the latest evolution of Ferrari’s HY-KERS electric hybrid system unveiled at the Geneva Show in 2010. The HY-KERS system is a performance enhancer, as well as a tool in the battle to lower emissions. In fact, it is estimated that that the system shaves 10 per cent off the car’s 0-200 km/h time, while cutting emissions by an impressive 40 per cent, while also enhancing a torque vectoring system, traction control and brake force distribution as it is fully integrated with Ferrari’s already phenomenal chassis electronics. Under braking, the KERS directs the kinetic energy to charge the batteries.
Flavio Manzoni, Design director at Ferrari says of the F150:
‘I wanted a front end still inspired by F1 but not the same, so how to do it?
Of course it’s not easy, but this is the most exciting project in the world!
The F150 will be the Ferrari with the greatest transfer between F1 and a road car that we ever did. We are trying to anticipate the future with this car. We are building a car close to the limits of technology, but we will only have succeeded if you can feel the result. The real objective of a special Ferrari is feeling, feeling, feeling.’
A none too subtle swipe at Mclaren I'd say.
