The Ferrari F8 Tributo is only two years old, but the rocketship-quick mid-engined supercar is already a bit long in the tooth. We only met the F8 back in 2019 as a 2020 model, and even though Ferrari will never admit this next part, the F8 Tributo was really a stopgap measure to keep the 488 GTB competitive against the shockingly good McLaren 720S. Hence both cars having identical 711 hp outputs. Speaking of things Ferrari will never admit, the F8 is being replaced by a supercar with a hybrid V-6. And it’ll happen sooner than later.
Meet the Dino, or perhaps the SF60, and yeah, we’ve made both names up. It’ll crib its platform from the Maserati MC20. We know the MC20 is mid-engine and makes use of an engine that shares features with Alfa Romeo’s 90-degree 2.9-liter V-6. Dubbed Nettuno, Maserati’s 3.0-liter twin-turbo V-6 makes 621 hp and 538 lb-ft of torque, plus it has a Honda CVCC-like extra set of spark plugs and mini-combustion chambers. Bringing it all full circle, both Maserati’s and Alfa Romeo’s V-6 engines are derived from Ferrari’s 3.9-liter twin-turbo V-8, only with two cylinders lopped off. Moreover, the carbon-fiber monocoque MC20 platform has been designed from the beginning to accept a battery-electric powertrain. Meaning motor mounts and wiring passages have been baked in from day one. A hybrid powertrain would be easy to implement in a platform designed for both gas and EV duties.
Yes, the new entry-level mid-engine Ferrari will be a hybrid. A plug-in hybrid to be specific. Following in the footsteps of the mighty SF90, the forthcoming Ferrari will pack at least one electric motor to assist with forward propulsion. We’re hearing that the total system output will be in the 800 to 840 hp range, so we’ll guess three motors. We can do some easy extrapolating here. The SF90 has a total system output of 976 hp, with the gasoline-powered V-8 producing 769 hp. This means 207 of the peak combined hp comes from the hybrid part of the powertrain. And yes, “combined hp” is a black and mysterious art. Assuming the plug-in hybrid components are the same as those of the SF90, we simply add the 207 hp to the MC20’s 621 to get 828 hp—which would be 840 metric horses, a sum that also just happens to be the exact number given by our source. These things write themselves.
We can also infer that the Dino will have the same—or a similar—battery as the SF90. That said, given the MC20’s chassis is smaller than the 458/488/F8 platform the SF90 is based on, it’s possible the new six-cylinder Ferrari will get away with a smaller battery pack. There will be a “pizza motor” sandwiched between the V-6 and the eight-speed dual-clutch transmission (the MC20 also has an eight-speed dual-clutch). Expect two traction motors, one powering each front wheel, too. The front motors will handle the EV driving duties, just like in the SF90, as well as reverse because the dual-clutch gearbox has no reverse gear. This means that, like the SF90, this baby Ferrari can switch between front-wheel-, all-wheel-, and rear-wheel-drive settings, as the front motors stop spinning above 130 mph.
We can infer another thing. This new car will be quicker than both the 812 Superfast and the 812 Superfast Competizione, as not only is the 812 a much more massive car that’s RWD only, but the “normal” version makes 789 hp, whereas the Competizione makes “just” 819 hp. The baby SF90 will be AWD, smaller, more powerful, and sport instantaneous electric torque. Again, a V-6—powered anything will be quicker than a big dog V-12 Fezza. And here you thought 2020 was crazy! The Superfast will be faster than the Dino, however, because it retains its glorious V-12’s full power output all the way to its 211-mph top speed. Maybe call the new car the Superquick? Just a thought.
The question becomes when will we see this new machine? The answer is soon. We guess we’ll see the new Dino or SF60 or whatever Ferrari calls it on or around September 7—the first day of the 2021 Frankfurt Motor Show. Why not wait for Geneva? Because Ferrari has something even bigger planned. I’m talking about the brand’s first-ever SUV, the Purosange. Like the SF90 and this new V-6 model, the Purosange will also be a PHEV. We’ll go ahead and guess that the Ferrari SUV will make use of the fact the hybrid bits can mate to both the company’s V-6 and V-8 engines. All will be revealed in March. And we’ll learn everything about the Dino come September, though one source is saying Ferrari might reveal its $300,000-plus V-6 hybrid supercar even sooner than that—like maybe in the next month or two. Until then, yeah man, it’s a bit sad that the era of the mid-engine V-8 is coming to a close. But are you going to turn your nose up at a mini-hypercar packing potentially 828 horses? Didn’t think so.
Source: Future - motortrend.com
