LaFerrari is fastest, most powerful & expensive stallion ever
(Ferrari / Ferrari )
El Nino is Spanish for “The Nino.” LaFerrari is Italian for “The Ferrari.” Yes, the Italian automaker’s new flagship supercar has a ridiculous name that will probably haunt it for the rest of its existence, but that doesn’t make it any less of a bombshell. Not only is it the most powerful, fastest and expensive car Ferrari has ever produced, it’s also their first ever production hybrid.
Cutting right to the chase, the LaFerrari is powered by a 6.3-liter V-12 engine coupled to a seven-speed dual-clutch gear box. Running purely on gasoline the 12-cylinder is good for 800hp. With the help of a 163hp electric motor peak horsepower jumps to 963hp and 660 pound-feet of torque (final figure to be determined).
Ferrari has been coy with official performance numbers but says the LaFerrari should be able to manage 0-60mph in under3.0 seconds and reach a top speed of over 217mph. Sources are speculating real-world numbers could be more in the neighborhood of 230mph.
Using a chassis made of several lightweight composites including carbon fiber and Kevlar the car is expected to tip the scales at around 2,800lbs. It can recharge its batteries on the go by capturing kinetic energy with regenerative braking and with excess torque generated by the engine, such as during cornering.
Ferrari claims the LaFerrari gets an impressive 16.6mpg, although it would be safe to assume that number can be flushed out the exhaust pipes with a heavy throttle foot. Efficiency aside, Ferrari says the car is flat-out the fastest they’ve ever made. It lapped their testing track in 1 minute, 20 seconds – five seconds faster than the legendary Enzo supercar it replaces and three seconds faster than the F12 Berlinetta.
If you’ve been incensed by this blog and plan on rushing out to place an order for a LaFerrari forget about it. To keep production poignant Ferrari doesn’t plan to make 500 of the cars but 499, all of which are expected to be spoken for. Those lucky enough to have made the cut can expect to pay an estimated $1.58 million after taxes for a base version. That makes the LaFerrari the most expensive Ferrari to date. If it weren’t the Ferrari that might seem a little steep.
Watch the LaFerrari official launch video here.
SOURCES
