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general

SummaryLatest of Ferrari’s limited edition supercars with production of just 499 vehicles expected,

priced at £1,040,000.

Carbon fibre and hybrid/KERS technology feature (the first hybrid Ferrari),

with trickle-down technology from Ferrari’s F1 team.

Ferrari LaFerrari

factor

volumes

Ferrari LaFerrari

Structure :Unsurprisingly the structure is predominantly of carbon fibre construction, developed by a working group of Ferrari road car and F1 engineers, to produce a lightweight yet strong ‘body in black’ (BIB). The emphasis has been on “the right material for the right place”, with 4 materials being used.

The engineering aim, which was achieved, was for the body and hybrid package not to compromise the 41:59 front:rear weight distribution.

The main body is of 3 vertically stacked components; a lower under-floor, the main body, and an upper body that includes the roof. A compact design was required to keep weight down to compensate for the hybrid components weight, but to avoid a longer wheelbase that would compromise dynamic handling.

Most of the tub including the main body and upper body is of T800 carbon fibre fabric, with T800 uni-directional tape reinforcing key areas and dispersing energy along pre-determined load paths. The tub includes integrated seats to reduce weight, but also to allow a more compact overall structure. To overcome the lack of seat movement the pedals and steering wheel are custom fitted to the driver’s position.

The hybrid battery compartment is also integrated into the main body structure.

M46J material was used in some areas of the upper and main body for extra rigidity. And T1000 Ultra High Tensile strength uni-directional carbon tape has been used for key areas requiring additional lateral impact strength, such as the doors and the sills.The lower under-floor is a composite of carbon fibre and Kevlar to produce a high impact and penetration resistance, to protect critical components from road damage.

The rear wings and engine cover are a single section of M46J and T800 material to reduce weight and component count, resulting in a stiffer structure. This single piece rear section is also critically shaped for aerodynamic performance, creating significant down-force.

The components are vacuum bag cured in a two stage autoclave process at 130 & 150 degrees C, with the end result being a BIB structure that has 27% more torsional rigidity than the Ferrari Enzo predecessor and a centre of gravity that is 35mm lower.

Very little of the external shape is purely due to aesthetics, with the front wheel arch trailing edge designed to extract air from the front diffuser, increasing down-force. The rear spoiler diffuser creates mini air vortexes that also improve down-force. The front diffuser and grille channels air up and across the bonnet and across the roof and single-piece rear section.

Technology :Magneti Marelli provided the technology for the hybrid system. The 6-litreV12 Ferrari engine is mated to two electric motors. The main electric motor, EM1, is coupled to the dual clutch transmission and recovers energy as a generator under braking, as with F1 KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System). This energy is stored in a 120-cell lithium-ion battery (62kg of the total hybrid systems 140kg) that is later used to assist the engine, providing 120kW (163bhp) of additional power (and 200Nm of torque). The battery pack is assembled by the Scuderia Ferrari F1 race department.

A 2nd and much smaller electric motor is driven by the engine to keep a constant charge level in the lithium-ion battery and to provide, via its own dedicated invertor, lower voltage power for the vehicle electrical system. The two invertors, one 12V, the other 380V, are in the same unit. One controls the battery temperature via two CAN lines and 8 battery module controllers (BCM) that each monitor and control 15 battery cells.

The system will not provide electric-only drive, but Ferrari say the system could be engineered that way if required in the future.The LaFerrari features active aerodynamics and includes actively deploying diffusers at the front and rear of the car, together with an active rear spoiler. These are not solely speed-related but are managed according to driving and road conditions. During cornering, for example, excess torque is diverted away from the rear wheels to recharge the battery; this maintains higher revs for better exit speed from the bend. This is part of the EF1-Trac traction control system.

The braking system features hybrid-integrated callipers that provide regenerative energy even under hard braking and carbon-ceramic brake discs. ABS together with Electronic Brake-force Distribution are standard.

Magneti Marelli provides the Xenon headlamps and LED tail-lamps as well as the ‘Superlift’ system that lifts the car by hydraulic actuators to enable it to go over speed bumps and other irregular road surfaces.

Ferrari LaFerrari

Paint colours :Rosso Corsa Red Nero Black Giallo Modena Yellow

Engine & hybrid :6262cc 65-degree V12 petrol engine: 789bhp at 9250rpm, (950bhp combined with electric motor), 700Nm of torque @ 6750rpm, mated to a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

EM1 (oil-cooled electric motor): maximum power 120Kw, maximum torque 200Nm, motor weight 47.5kg.

EM2 (water-cooled electric motor): maximum power 6Kw, maximum torque 20Nm, motor weight 14.95kg. Invertor: water cooled, DCDC 12V to a maximum of 3.3Kw, DCDC 380V to a maximum of 7Kw.