Ferrari Enzo successor going hybrid - report

I don't have an issue with hybrids or other green technologies. As you sayi, of it looks, sounds and drives like it should then who cares? I'm all for cars being more efficeint -- it's just doing their job better.

I agree, but given the choice I prefer the old way of supercars, that is absurdly high speed with absurdly low mileage and minimal practicality. All the best supercars had those traits.

@dbehmoarass. So you are saying that supercars should be worse in order to be better? I think you have it wrong. Supercars should be about fascination and pushing the envelope of performance and technology. Why shouldn't the premier supercar manufacturers attempt to make a car that is both outrageously fast plus practical? To me that is almost X-prize stuff, and I applaud it. If it were up to you supercars would still be carbureted POSs and not the technological masterpieces they are now. I vote for progress.

Well yes and no. There are only a few things that matter in a supercar: looks, performance, sound, and feel. Quite frankly, it doesn't matter whether it gets 5 or 50mpg, has or has not have a boot, etc... And I didn't say that supercars shouldn't be about progress in technology. I'm expressing my disappointment in the fact that Ferrari's replacement for the Enzo is going to be a hybrid V8, rather than the V12 that it should be. I also vote for progress, but progress in performance not in public approval. The way I see it, this is progress for public approval, not performance. I think everyone here would agree that if it were up to Ferrari, the replacement would have a gas guzzling V12. I'll bet that Ferrari feels the same way. To quote dmanero, "Hybrids have no business in supercars or exotics." Could not have said it better myself.

hmmmm, Whats wrong with hybrid supercars? You get awesome torque from zero revs that is 100% controllable by comuters and a turboish boost that you only get from like a bunch turbos and superchargers for rest of revs. Ferrari has always been about the latest tech, magnetic suspension, hyper fast transmission, good ESP's and driving control units. How can you say ferrari should be about oldschool racetech? Ferrari has never been like it. As soon as they can get hands on something that improves performance they take it. Look at the 599XX with fans that create downforce etc.

There is nothing technically wrong with hybrid supercars. If I were to own a Ferrari, the last thing I would think about is green eco whatever... It just seems to bastardize the experience. I'm all for having a variant that is a hybrid, but to build a car that would define the brand for the next decade and have it be a hybrid in my opinion is just not Ferrari. Furthermore, in response to your comment about the 599XX, every single piece on that machine was designed to make it go faster. Not a single bit of it was compromised. When buying what is supposed to be the ultimate Ferrari, I would expect that every last effort would be spent on making the car as good as it could be, and not, quite frankly, wasted on making it more economical, especially because they were pressured (well forced, really) to do so. Also, you seem to be misunderstanding what I was saying. In no way am I saying that Ferrari should be old school. That's what Aston Martin does, and they are the best at it.

@dbehmoaras: I'm a Ferrari owner and enthusiast, and I know what you're saying. It's about the passion, the sound and the feel of a V12. An electric car will not give the same emotional experience, there's no doubt about that. However, two arguments: 1) Ferrari has always been about the latest tech, and even though it makes me cringe, they'll eventually phase out the combustion engine. I don't doubt that by 2025 all Ferraris will be a type of hybrid. But 2) You underestimate the power of an electric engine. If your argument against it is that for some reason, they'll suffer in performance you're wrong. I've driven the Tesla Roadster and the surge of torque takes 0 seconds, at any speed. No combustion engine can replicate that, save for a few hyperexotics. I think the next Enzo will probably have a normally aspired V8 coupled with an electric engine, and you could simply imagine the focus on performance- suppose a V8 churning out 500hp+ (like the Italia's) and an electric motor churning out 150hp. The effect on performance would be biblical. We might be talking about cars that do 0-60 in mid 2 seconds and quarter miles in low 9s.

Thanks for the insightful comment. You're right, my argument stems from the passion that defines, or should define, Ferrari more than anything else. I'm sure that if anyone can make it work it's Ferrari, but I feel that in doing so they will lose the emotional appeal that should be in all Ferraris. That's why I have always liked them. I'm sure there is a lot to be had from electric power, as the shown by the Tesla which is a monster of a machine for what it is. I'm not necessarily arguing that it will result in a loss of performance, because Porsche has shown in the 918 that stellar performance is possible. I just feel that in going hybrid Ferrari will lose some of its soul, which is what makes it really special. In my opinion, the performance is not the only thing that matters in a supercar. I like to think that is the reason why people are very particular when deciding on a supercar. If it was solely about performance, anyone who didn't bought something else instead of a 458 Italia or a 911 GT3RS mk.2 in the past 6 months made a terrible mistake. You know what I mean? That explains why I would take a DBS over anything else in today's market. Not the fastest, not the best performance, but it has something else that I don't think any other car has.

Because if they don't, governments won't allow the companies to produce them. I know we're speaking about Italy and Ferrari here, but things like CAFE are becoming more and more important in politics and the automotive industry.

WTF are you talking about supercar hybrids arent the same as a prius the F...king electric motor is there to help out just like a turbo, dont be ignorant jus cause you think your oldschool an cool. It'll rev just as brilliantly as any other V8 it just has more torque. Have you seen the video with the 918 driving, the sound is awesome. they can make a fully racing engine that wont get as restraind cause it wont have to work as hard in a production car.

@ dmanero , the V8 in the Porsche 918 sounds great.

The 918 is most certainly an econobox. 78mpg??? It just happens to have 720bhp. In fact, that's its saving grace. I would still take a Carrera GT any day.

Exactly. Fuel economy does not belong in the replacement for the Enzo.

exactly, very good point

No doubt about it. But you have to admit something else is lost by becoming a hybrid.