When the name Ferrari is mentioned, pulses start to race. A common enough surname among the Italian populace, but in that country and around the world among car enthusiasts, the name signifies automotive power and beauty. Well, the legendary brand have done it again, developing and building their most powerful road-going supercar so far: The F80. There it is in our images and it is exquisite. Obviously a Ferrari, this time the sleek sophistication of, say, the Roma, has been replaced by a machine that is all about speed and downforce.
A Supercar In Every Way
The F80 will be produced in a limited run of just 799 examples, showcasing the best that the Maranello-based marque has achieved in terms of technology and performance. The F80 is tasked with embodying the ultimate in engineering for an internal combustion engined vehicle and employs all the most advanced technological solutions, including latest-generation hybrid technology for the power-train, to achieve unparalleled levels of power and torque. What’s more, it comes with a complete seven year maintenance programme courtesy of Ferrari.
Every aspect of the design and build is conceived to maximise performance, from the carbon-fibre chassis and extreme aerodynamic solutions far beyond anything seen before in a road-legal car, to the new active suspension optimised to let the driver wring every ounce of performance from the car on the track; but it’s not a race car because it combines all these performance attributes with uncompromising levels of usability on the road, where it can be driven with ease. A supercar that’s just as drivable as a production range model. Why not spend more time in the car?
The Exterior
The Ferrari F80 is a supercar with a modern and innovative visual identity that can accommodate a driver and a passenger despite offering the uncompromised driving experience of a single-seater.
The F80 has a strongly futuristic visual impact with architecture that is defined by a dihedral cross section with its two bottom corners firmly planted on the wheels. From the side view, the rear section has a sculpted flow that emphasises the muscularity of the entire rear wing.
The front section of this premium quality car is defined by yet more architectural elements: the wheel-arch ends with a vertical panel that stands proud of the door paying homage to the visual language of the legend that is the F40. Rising out from the lower body is the cabin, a floating bubble structure of very compact dimensions. A whole 50 mm lower than the cabin of the ‘LaFerrari’ supercar, the cab has a significant effect on the perception of volume, broadening the shoulders of the car to give the cockpit an even more compact look.
As on all latest-generation Ferraris, the contrast between the upper zone in bodywork colour and the lower zone in clear-coat finished carbon fibre accentuates the design of the car, revealing more of its technical side with each new glance. The headlamps are concealed in a visor element, a black screen serving both aerodynamic and lighting functions that gives the F80 a particularly original appearance. The short-tail rear of the car has two different configurations during use: with the mobile wing stowed or deployed. The tail lights are set into a two-layer structure consisting of the tail fascia and the spoiler, creating a sandwich effect that gives the rear an extremely sporty character in both configurations.
Aerodynamics
If we here at MHH International laid out the full specification of the aerodynamics of this car, readers would probably think that Tolstoy had taken over the writing, so, briefly, this is why this car is so special and why it hugs the ground like a rattlesnake.
The F80 pushes aerodynamic performance to levels never seen before on a Ferrari road car, as testified by the 1000kg of downforce produced at 155mph (250 km/h). This astonishing achievement was made possible by a perfect balance between downforce and top speed giving shape to a suite of extreme aero solutions befitting a true supercar.
The Interior
The compact proportions of the cabin were made possible by opting for a cockpit inspired by a single-seat racer, creating a visual perception akin to an enclosed Formula 1 race car. The decidedly enveloping cockpit is centred entirely around the driver, with its forms converging towards the controls and instrument panel. The control panel is also oriented ergonomically towards the driver, creating a sort of cocoon effect around them.
While ergonomically complete and comfortable, the passenger seat is so well integrated into the trim of the cabin that it almost disappears from view, a result also made possible by the differentiation between the colours and materials used for the driver seat and for the rest of the trim.
A longitudinal offset in the positions of the seats of the two occupants made it possible to set the passenger seat farther back than the driver seat, allowing for a narrower interior space with, surprisingly, no penalty in terms of ergonomics and perceived comfort. This solution let the designers give the car a smaller cabin and reduce the frontal cross section of the car.
There’s a new steering wheel developed specifically for this car, which will make more appearances in the future road-going models behind the Prancing Horse logo. Slightly smaller than its predecessor and with flattened top and bottom rims, the steering wheel also has a smaller boss, improving dash visibility and accentuating the sense of sportiness when driving. The lateral zones of the rim are optimised to ensure a better grip with or without gloves. The physical buttons on the right and left hand spokes of the steering wheel make a very welcome return here, replacing the full-digital layout used by Ferrari in recent years with a solution with easier to use buttons that can be instantly identified by touch.
The Power And The Glory
The three-litre V6 of the F80 is the ultimate expression of the Ferrari six cylinder engine: this unit produces an astonishing peak power of 900bhp, making it the Ferrari engine with the highest specific power of all time, to which the electric front axle (e-4WD) and rear motor of the hybrid system add even more to the awesome performance with technology gleaned from the brand’s FI race car. For maximum performance in all possible conditions, every aspect of the calibration of the engine has been taken to the extreme, all of this driving through an eight-speed gearbox. The power and precision of this car cannot be over exaggerated. The top speed of the F80 is 217 miles per hour (350kph) and 124mph (200kph) is reached in under six seconds of your time.
Sports Cars & MHH International
Needless to say this car is a very exclusive model but Ferrari do of course also make a range of sports and super cars. If very powerful prestige cars are your thing then MHH International offer a range of models. Browse our website to find current stock of vehicles from car makers like Aston Martin, McLaren and Bentley. With over ten years of experience, our stock is available for export from the UK to many destinations around the world including Kenya, Ireland and New Zealand, professionally shipped, cleared and delivered.
