Ferrari has had a 40-year tradition of launching ultra-special cars for the “chosen ones.” These cars command a significant premium over the Ferraris and for years they have had a V12 in a mid-engined configuration. Whilst the engine placement has stayed for this decade, the engine has been changed to a V6! Now, enthusiasts will cry “Oh it’s under Government Legislation destroying cars by downsizing”. But, Ferrari, the makers of the 12 Cilindri, insisted upon this engine choice for an interesting reason. Let us understand whether the Ferrari F80 continues the legacy of exquisite hypercars charmingly or disappointingly.
The styling is undoubtedly a strong point for the F80. It has aggressive lines and a classically elegant silhouette. One of the most distinctive aspects of the front end is what we like to call the “unibrow”. As seen on the 12 Cilindri, this is there to give a race-inspired look but in terms of the rest of the iconic Ferrari models, the differences end here. The rest of the car is centred around the Ferrari 499P, the two-time Le Mans-winning racecar, an instant fan favourite. Designed by Flavio Manzoni, the intention was to create a futuristic design that was partly fulfilled thanks to blacked-out body panels and butterfly doors. The official reports suggest that only 799 examples!
The heart of the F80 beats a 3.0-litre Hybrid V6. It is essentially the V6 that won the Le Mans but street legal. This decision can be looked at with some respect now that we know it isn’t legislation forcing them but offering a motorsport engine for the road like its German counterpart, Mercedes AMG One. It makes 1200hp which makes it the most powerful road-legal Ferrari, a title which justifies its Rs. 20 crore Price Tag! This will make the F80 do 0-100 in a blistering 2.15 seconds! The 0-200 time is 5.75 seconds and can stop within 100 metres! Beyond this, you can also cruise at a leisurely pace thanks to the triple electric motors. The top speed is 350km/h which is a respectable statistic for the price it commands.
The Frankenstein trickery was fitted after Ferrari decided to borrow various aspects from the Le Mans racecar and Formula 1 car design. The implementation of squared, vertical aero elements, giant grilles and a rear wing resembling a picnic table actively aids the F80 in producing 1055kg of downforce. The interior is just as dramatic with visuals showing different coloured seats to show the driver-focused nature of the cockpit. The cockpit was made to give a single-seater experience or as Ferrari would call it “1+.”
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Plenty of buyers will consider shopping the F80 or the McLaren W1. It is thanks to recency bias and both cars launching around the same price. The Mclaren W1 feels less special as it is another one of the special Mclaren in the list of Senna, Sabre and Speedtail. Whilst Ferrari has also done their version of the Special Series, they have done it more systematically by labelling the cars like SP1, SP2 Monza, and SP3 as part of the Icona series. Mclaren’s reasoning has been worse and “appears” to be more of a cash grab than a genuine attempt to create something meaningful. However, we think the goalpost should be the Mercedes AMG One as that is also a car that has successfully brought the motorsport engine into the real world. It should be noted that even if Mercedes tasked itself with bringing an F1 engine, built with a lower tolerance limit, Ferrari’s attempt feels more genuine as compared to the German’s difficulties. Overall, it is a welcomed addition to the wide array of limited-edition Hypercars! Is there a way for us to drive it on the Maranello Test Track?
