LaFerrari History

LaFerrari was designed to replace the Enzo and become the fastest Ferrari production car ever. With only 499 units produced – at a price tag of more than 1 million Euro – it is a Ferrari collector’s dream. Focusing on high performance without compromising style, it was given the same dedication in design and testing as one of Ferrari’s F1 cars but developed to be a road-legal Grand Tourer.

This was the first Ferrari fully created in their own design studio, with the team led by Flavio Manzoni. The engineers were given the task of making a car no larger than the Enzo, with improved aerodynamic efficiency and an ideal weight distribution, which integrated the new hybrid system. To achieve this, many of the components were fitted in a way that kept the space compact while maintaining balance between the front and rear.

The engine features HY-KERS (HYbrid Kinetic Energy Recovery System), combining the power of the V12 engine with a 120kW electric motor to ensure maximum and instantaneous performance. The electric motor gives immediate power to start then keeps the revs of the V12 up for high speeds out of corners, with the batteries being recharged whenever the brakes are applied or when the V12 produces excess torque.

The chassis was designed with carbon fibre to increase rigidity while lowering the overall weight. Four different types of carbon fibre were used across the car as each area of the body had different functional requirements. The underside, for example, used a Kevlar composite to protect the undercarriage from road debris. To further reduce weight and maintain rigidity, the seats were fixed in place with their structure being part of the chassis – to adjust the driving position, the pedals move back and forth instead.

Multiple electronic control systems (powered by 21 onboard computers) monitor while driving and adjust to ensure maximum performance: Electronic Stability Control, Anti-lock Braking System/Electronic Brake Distribution, EF1-Trac F1 Traction Control, E-Diff 3 electronic differential, and SCM-E Frs magnetorheological damping. The car also features active aerodynamics – the front and rear diffusers can move to increase air expansion and downforce, while the rear spoiler emerges only when required so as not to “impede the sleek design of the tail”.

After two years of development to produce the ultimate road-legal Ferrari, LaFerrari sold out to preferred customers before its release in 2014. The 500th unit was produced in 2016 and sold at auction, raising over US$7 million to benefit the people of Italy affected by the August 2016 Earthquake.