It’s been 11 years and seven months since the world first saw the LaFerrari at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show. That’s what we like to call in the business Quite A Long Time, but the wait for a replacement is finally over. Say ciao, everyone, to the Ferrari F80.
That name brings Ferrari’s hypercar lineage back to its roots, returning to the tradition kicked off by the F40 and F50. That, though, is largely where its similarities to its forebears end, and it takes a much more future-facing approach.
Ferrari F80 – front
The beating heart of the F80 is a 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6, derived from the one that’s taken the Ferrari 499P to two successive 24 Hours of Le Mans victories. On its own, it produces 888bhp. We say ‘on its own’ because the F80 is, inevitably, a hybrid.
Electric motivation comes from a trio of electric motors. Two are on the front axle – yes, that makes the F80 four-wheel drive – and one is connected directly to the engine. All these power sources combine for a total output of 1183bhp, which goes through an eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox.
Ferrari F80 – side
The numbers this results in are as impressive as you’d expect. 62mph is achieved in a scarcely believable 2.15 seconds, and within 5.8 seconds, you’ll be travelling twice that speed. It’ll pull all the way to a 217mph top end and has inevitably set a new production car record around Ferrari’s Fiorano test track – 1min 15.3 secs.
Its aggressively wedgy shape has naturally been penned with aero performance as a priority. Much of this is happening underneath, though, with a deployable flap beneath the front splitter to increase downforce or reduce drag depending on its position, and of course, a massive rear diffuser. The rear spoiler can pop up by 200mm to serve as an airbrake, or lie flush with the body for minimal drag on top-speed runs. The overall effect is 1055kg of downforce at 155mph.
Ferrari F80 – interior
Also helping all this is some very trick active suspension developed by British firm Multimatic, which keeps ride height consistent regardless of the road surface. The springs themselves are inboard. Five-spoke carbon wheels shroud Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes, cooled by the big air intakes up front.
Butterfly doors reveal an interior layout that Ferrari calls 1+1. Don’t get excited about some crazy tandem arrangement, though – this is marketing speak for ‘the passenger seat is 50mm further back than the driver’s seat’. This helps keep the carbon tub small, light and narrow, in turn lifting the occupants’ feet up high for more underbody aero and contributing to a 1525kg dry weight.
Ferrari F80 – interior
While the passenger seat is integral to the chassis, the driver’s seat is its own unit, and all the controls are unashamedly tilted towards its occupant. Ferrari has debuted it with a unique two-tone scheme inside, although we imagine its personalisation team will be able to do pretty much whatever its owners want.
The new steering wheel, its shape taking inspiration from that of the Austin Allegro (presumably), is business as usual for Ferrari, i.e. lots of buttons. That includes the obligatory Mannettino switch, which adjusts between the three drive modes – the efficiency-geared Hybrid, best-of-both-worlds Performance, and Qualify, which uncorks everything both the engine and e-motors can muster for maximum performance.
Ferrari F80 – rear
The F80 arrives on the scene less than two weeks after the McLaren W1, likely its biggest rival. It means that two of the hybrid hypercar ‘holy trinity’ of 2013 – the LaFerrari, McLaren P1 and Porsche 918 Spyder – now have successors. We’re likely still a little while off from seeing a new halo car from Porsche to go up against the F80 and W1, but we certainly won’t complain about a two-way showdown in the meantime.
And if you want one? Tough luck. Ferrari is building 799, and they’re all sold, at a minimum of £3.1 million a pop. Still, dreaming is free, and we’re sure this is what Debbie Harry meant when she sang that, so: would this or a W1 take pride of place in your fantasy garage?
