Ferrari To Go Hybrid, World Trembles On Its Axis

By John Voelcker

John Voelcker

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15,220 views May 27, 2009

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2007 Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano

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Ferrari. Hybrid. Ferrari. Hybrid.

Hmmmmm. Hard to put the two together, isn't it?

Well, hold onto your (prancing) horses, kids, 'cause the men from Maranello are indeed readying a hybrid system for future Ferraris, which will most likely launch in 2015 or thereabouts.

In March, Ferrari president Luca Cordero di Montezemolo told reporters at the Geneva Motor Show that the company was testing prototypes of a hybrid powertrain in a 2009 Ferrari 599 adapted to the new drive system.

Now, drawings from a patent application have leaked out and more details are known. The Ferrari papers show several variants of four-wheel-drive and hybrid technology, with one pair of wheels (presumably the rear) driven by the engine through a transmission, and the other pair (the front) powered by either an electric motor or a pair of in-wheel motors. Both front- and mid-engine layouts are included.

While the patent application claims the system is meant to improve handling, Ferrari has said in the past it intends to reduce its carbon emissions a full 40 percent by 2012. That goal, however, seems aggressive for just two model years from now.

But the company has recent experience in recovering wasted energy via regenerative braking, from none other than its Formula One team. As of this season, the team is using a Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) to comply with new rules on the world's most prestigious racing circuit.

Regardless of launch date and final drive system, we here at GreenCarReports.com are very excited at the prospect of finally having an excuse to road-test a Ferrari.

Green. Ferrari. Green. Ferrari. Hmmmmmmm. That one works!

2007 Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano

Enlarge Photo

[SOURCES: Left Lane News, Autocar ]