Future Ferraris: No official crossover, at least not yet


Ferrari will incorporate more hybrids into its core lineup while it considers whether to follow other luxury makes into the utility market and whether to launch an entry-level subbrand.

Portofino: Ferrari's entry-level vehicle debuted at this month's Frankfurt auto show as a 2018 model. Essentially a heavily revised version of the California T that it replaces, the hardtop convertible sheds about 160 pounds and adds 38 hp to its 3.9-liter twin-turbo V-8 for a total of 591 hp. Pricing starts around $210,000. A freshening is likely for 2022.

488: Introduced for 2016 as a 458 replacement, the 488 GTB and its Spider sibling use a 3.9-liter twin-turbocharged V-6 to make 661 hp and 561 pounds-feet of torque. A more track-focused iteration is due next year, possibly carrying the GTO moniker; look for the standard recipe of less weight and more power when this car arrives in 2018. A year or so later the 488 will get a redesign and a new name. Look for it to continue with a turbo V-8 and the likely addition of a hybrid system.

812 Superfast:​ The 812 Superfast is a thorough freshening of the F12 Berlinetta, Ferrari's front-engine V-12 grand tourer, released for the 2018 model year. The update gives the 812 the most powerful engine in a front-engine Ferrari ever: 789 hp and 530 pounds-feet of torque. It's also likely to be the last naturally aspirated V-12 model in Ferrari's history: Its successor, due in 2020, will be a hybrid and could even loop turbocharging into the mix.

Crossover: Like nearly all other exotic brands (save for McLaren), Ferrari is finding it difficult to resist the cash and volume that a utility vehicle adds. The automaker is adamant that such a vehicle won't be an SUV but that's likely more a question of semantics. If a crossover gets the green light, it would have four seats and a practical bent like the current GTC4Lusso; four doors are likely. If the vehicle reaches production, look for hybrid versions involving V-6 or V-8 powertrains and a production date no later than 2022.

GTC4Lusso:​ Freshened for 2017, the GTC4- Lusso had been the FF, a two-door, four-seat all-wheel-drive shooting brake with a front- mounted V-12 engine. In addition to the new name, the update brought revised styling and a bump in horsepower. It also brought the GTC4Lusso T, a lower-priced model with rear-wheel drive and the 3.9-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 Ferrari uses elsewhere in its lineup. If Ferrari adds a crossover, this car likely will be dropped.

Dino:​ Sergio Marchionne, chairman of Ferrari and CEO of its former parent company, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, has publicly offered support for an entry-level Dino subbrand, though support within Ferrari is mixed. If it happens, the car likely would be positioned as a more performance-oriented, midengine alternative to the GT ethos of the front-engine Portofino. Ferrari could source a twin-turbo V-6 from FCA's Maserati and Alfa Romeo brands or use the 3.9-liter turbocharged V-8 from elsewhere in FCA's lineup; the addition of a hybrid system is expected. A formal decision is set for 2018, which means production likely wouldn't start until 2020 at the earliest.

0 comments:

Post a Comment