It would seem that the environmental message has even reached the hallowed halls of Maranello. Over the next decade, Ferrari will introduce a host of new technology that will make its cars lighter, smaller and more aerodynamic in a bid to improve their fuel efficiency. The company famous for its scarlet cars is going green.
"Ferrari has always been a byword for innovation," said Ferrari's general director, Amedeo Felisa, during an exclusive presentation at the company's Fiorano test track. "Traditionally, our strategy has concentrated on power density and the power/weight ratio. Now we must focus on energy efficiency. We must rethink everything to create a new mindset and a new paradigm."
Felisa acknowledges that if the Prancing Horse is to live to be a hundred, then it must breathe cleaner air. This is the future of Ferrari.
Aerodynamics
Since the early 1990s, Ferrari has focused its attention on generating aerodynamic downforce. "The F355 of 1994 represented our first attempt to generate downforce," explains Ferdinando Cannizzo, formerly an engineer for the Ferrari Formula 1 team. "Its predecessor, the 348 of 1989, still generated lift." The 1999 F360 Modena that followed the F355 was the first Ferrari to feature a sculptured aerodynamic underbody, while the 2002 Enzo introduced front and rear air diffusers.
The lessons learned in the past decade will not be wasted, but there will be a change of focus. "There will be a dramatic reduction in aerodynamic drag," says Cannizzo. Lower drag means lower fuel consumption and a higher top speed, but it does create problems. By creating a slippery, low-drag shape, you risk compromising aerodynamic downforce, reducing cornering speeds and also creating dangerous instability at higher velocities. This is the inherent contradiction that causes heartache for race teams the world over.
Ferrari's solution is to employ technology that's banned in racing — movable aerodynamic parts or "active flow control." In other words, you create downforce only when it's needed. "We will use the car's energy in a more efficient way," says Cannizzo. Ferrari is working on a new "humped" underbody design and will also seek to match the air intake to the airflow needed by the radiators.
Rolling Resistance and Weight Reduction
The rolling resistance of today's tires has been reduced fourfold since 1900, but Ferrari is targeting a further 33 percent reduction at 150 kph (93 mph). This will require a philosophical shift. Traditionally, the tire has been developed and set up for the car, but in the future, the car will be set up to suit the tire. In other words, Ferrari will adopt the same philosophy for its street cars that it has employed for its Formula 1 cars.
Felisa admits that Ferrari has targeted a curb weight for its future sports cars of just 1,000 kilograms (2,205 pounds), which is 300 kg (661 pounds) less than the Enzo supercar. This would offer a dramatic increase in performance without the need for more powerful engines. At the Fiorano event, Ferrari showed a plastic-and-cardboard mock-up of a 1,000-kg car called the FXX Mille-Chili ("1,000 kilos," in Italian), which looked like a scaled-down Enzo.
In pursuit of this goal, Ferrari is advocating a broad portfolio of solutions, the most radical of which is the introduction of a fixed driving position — only the pedals and steering wheel will move to accommodate different drivers. Ferrari estimates that this will allow the designers to reduce the length of the passenger compartment by around 3.1 inches. The driver will also sit in a more reclined position, which helps reduce the height of the cabin by 2.4 inches. The steering wheel will adjust for reach and rake, but it will have a fixed hub featuring a greater array of controls. Such refinements should reduce the overall vehicle mass, lower the center of gravity and improve aerodynamics.
We can also expect to see increased use of lightweight carbon-fiber construction, particularly for suspension components and the nose box. The use of carbon fiber for the latter will also improve crash protection. Ferrari is also working with Brembo to lower the weight of the brakes, further reducing unsprung mass and improving the center of gravity. Even brake-by-wire technology is being considered.
Engines
Ferrari is no stranger to turbocharged engines. The legendary F40 supercar of 1987 notably featured a twin-turbo V8, and Ferrari even produced 2.0-liter turbo cars in the 1980s in response to idiosyncratic Italian tax legislation. Jean-Jacques His, Ferrari's engine guru, says, "Although turbocharging was abandoned by Ferrari, it is something we might come back to." Ferrari also is hoping to improve the throttle response of a turbo engine relative to the normally aspirated alternative, while also lowering its fuel consumption. "We want a turbo engine that can achieve high revs," says His.
Other engine technologies in the pipeline include direct injection and lower (700 rpm) idling speeds. The technicians are also working with Shell to ensure that future engines can run on fuel with a higher percentage (up to 20 percent) of bioethanol.
Ferrari also expects to have developed a prototype road car with a regenerative braking system by the end of the year, technology scheduled to be introduced in Formula 1 in 2009.
Gearbox
Contemporary F1 cars use a seamless-shift transmission system that provides an uninterrupted flow of power. While Ferrari does not believe such a system would be viable on a road car for reasons of refinement and durability, the company is targeting a reduction in shift times. The F599 GTB Fiorano is Ferrari's current speed king with shift times of just 100 milliseconds, but the new F430 Scuderia will swap cogs in just 60 milliseconds thanks to the introduction of new software. This is as quick as Michael Schumacher's F1 Ferrari achieved in 1999.
The next target is 30 milliseconds, which Ferrari believes is the quickest time possible using current technology. In the future, it might even be possible to use the energy produced by regenerative braking technology to fill in the torque gap between gearshifts.
The Ferrari Future
A green Ferrari is a very interesting development, but it's important not to overstate the impact of green technology on the formula for speed to which we've become accustomed.
Ferrari intends to reduce the carbon-dioxide emissions of its cars to around 250 grams per kilometer (402 grams/mile). This would be a major achievement — the F599 GTB Fiorano currently emits 490 g/km (788 grams/mile) — but it would still make any Ferrari one of the dirtiest air polluters on the road. After all, a Toyota Prius emits carbon-dioxide emissions of just 104 g/km (167 grams/mile).
Yet there can also be no denying that this initiative has not come a moment too soon. There are already rumors that the European Union may impose a carbon limit of 250 g/km on road cars in the not-too-distant future. Other supercar manufacturers will have to follow Ferrari's lead.
It is reassuring that while these changes will have a dramatic impact on future Ferraris, they do not sound the death knell of the high-performance supercar. Ferrari's core philosophy has not changed. "Ferrari will continue to sell a dream, not a means of transport," says Ferrari's president, Luca di Montezemolo. "A Ferrari is like a woman. You have to desire and want her."
"Ferrari has always been a byword for innovation," said Ferrari's general director, Amedeo Felisa, during an exclusive presentation at the company's Fiorano test track. "Traditionally, our strategy has concentrated on power density and the power/weight ratio. Now we must focus on energy efficiency. We must rethink everything to create a new mindset and a new paradigm."
Felisa acknowledges that if the Prancing Horse is to live to be a hundred, then it must breathe cleaner air. This is the future of Ferrari.
Aerodynamics
Since the early 1990s, Ferrari has focused its attention on generating aerodynamic downforce. "The F355 of 1994 represented our first attempt to generate downforce," explains Ferdinando Cannizzo, formerly an engineer for the Ferrari Formula 1 team. "Its predecessor, the 348 of 1989, still generated lift." The 1999 F360 Modena that followed the F355 was the first Ferrari to feature a sculptured aerodynamic underbody, while the 2002 Enzo introduced front and rear air diffusers.
The lessons learned in the past decade will not be wasted, but there will be a change of focus. "There will be a dramatic reduction in aerodynamic drag," says Cannizzo. Lower drag means lower fuel consumption and a higher top speed, but it does create problems. By creating a slippery, low-drag shape, you risk compromising aerodynamic downforce, reducing cornering speeds and also creating dangerous instability at higher velocities. This is the inherent contradiction that causes heartache for race teams the world over.
Ferrari's solution is to employ technology that's banned in racing — movable aerodynamic parts or "active flow control." In other words, you create downforce only when it's needed. "We will use the car's energy in a more efficient way," says Cannizzo. Ferrari is working on a new "humped" underbody design and will also seek to match the air intake to the airflow needed by the radiators.
Rolling Resistance and Weight Reduction
The rolling resistance of today's tires has been reduced fourfold since 1900, but Ferrari is targeting a further 33 percent reduction at 150 kph (93 mph). This will require a philosophical shift. Traditionally, the tire has been developed and set up for the car, but in the future, the car will be set up to suit the tire. In other words, Ferrari will adopt the same philosophy for its street cars that it has employed for its Formula 1 cars.
Felisa admits that Ferrari has targeted a curb weight for its future sports cars of just 1,000 kilograms (2,205 pounds), which is 300 kg (661 pounds) less than the Enzo supercar. This would offer a dramatic increase in performance without the need for more powerful engines. At the Fiorano event, Ferrari showed a plastic-and-cardboard mock-up of a 1,000-kg car called the FXX Mille-Chili ("1,000 kilos," in Italian), which looked like a scaled-down Enzo.
In pursuit of this goal, Ferrari is advocating a broad portfolio of solutions, the most radical of which is the introduction of a fixed driving position — only the pedals and steering wheel will move to accommodate different drivers. Ferrari estimates that this will allow the designers to reduce the length of the passenger compartment by around 3.1 inches. The driver will also sit in a more reclined position, which helps reduce the height of the cabin by 2.4 inches. The steering wheel will adjust for reach and rake, but it will have a fixed hub featuring a greater array of controls. Such refinements should reduce the overall vehicle mass, lower the center of gravity and improve aerodynamics.
We can also expect to see increased use of lightweight carbon-fiber construction, particularly for suspension components and the nose box. The use of carbon fiber for the latter will also improve crash protection. Ferrari is also working with Brembo to lower the weight of the brakes, further reducing unsprung mass and improving the center of gravity. Even brake-by-wire technology is being considered.
Engines
Ferrari is no stranger to turbocharged engines. The legendary F40 supercar of 1987 notably featured a twin-turbo V8, and Ferrari even produced 2.0-liter turbo cars in the 1980s in response to idiosyncratic Italian tax legislation. Jean-Jacques His, Ferrari's engine guru, says, "Although turbocharging was abandoned by Ferrari, it is something we might come back to." Ferrari also is hoping to improve the throttle response of a turbo engine relative to the normally aspirated alternative, while also lowering its fuel consumption. "We want a turbo engine that can achieve high revs," says His.
Other engine technologies in the pipeline include direct injection and lower (700 rpm) idling speeds. The technicians are also working with Shell to ensure that future engines can run on fuel with a higher percentage (up to 20 percent) of bioethanol.
Ferrari also expects to have developed a prototype road car with a regenerative braking system by the end of the year, technology scheduled to be introduced in Formula 1 in 2009.
Gearbox
Contemporary F1 cars use a seamless-shift transmission system that provides an uninterrupted flow of power. While Ferrari does not believe such a system would be viable on a road car for reasons of refinement and durability, the company is targeting a reduction in shift times. The F599 GTB Fiorano is Ferrari's current speed king with shift times of just 100 milliseconds, but the new F430 Scuderia will swap cogs in just 60 milliseconds thanks to the introduction of new software. This is as quick as Michael Schumacher's F1 Ferrari achieved in 1999.
The next target is 30 milliseconds, which Ferrari believes is the quickest time possible using current technology. In the future, it might even be possible to use the energy produced by regenerative braking technology to fill in the torque gap between gearshifts.
The Ferrari Future
A green Ferrari is a very interesting development, but it's important not to overstate the impact of green technology on the formula for speed to which we've become accustomed.
Ferrari intends to reduce the carbon-dioxide emissions of its cars to around 250 grams per kilometer (402 grams/mile). This would be a major achievement — the F599 GTB Fiorano currently emits 490 g/km (788 grams/mile) — but it would still make any Ferrari one of the dirtiest air polluters on the road. After all, a Toyota Prius emits carbon-dioxide emissions of just 104 g/km (167 grams/mile).
Yet there can also be no denying that this initiative has not come a moment too soon. There are already rumors that the European Union may impose a carbon limit of 250 g/km on road cars in the not-too-distant future. Other supercar manufacturers will have to follow Ferrari's lead.
It is reassuring that while these changes will have a dramatic impact on future Ferraris, they do not sound the death knell of the high-performance supercar. Ferrari's core philosophy has not changed. "Ferrari will continue to sell a dream, not a means of transport," says Ferrari's president, Luca di Montezemolo. "A Ferrari is like a woman. You have to desire and want her."
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