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Ferrari Strides on All Fours with New FF

Photo Credit: Ferrari North Europe via Newspress


Resisting the market trend that has inspired other sports car builders to redefine their business with unconventional products (ie. the Porsche Panamera and the recently announced Cygnet microcar from Aston Martin), Ferrari's 62-year history rests strongly on their commitment to building pure sports cars. As Ferrari remains focused on their time-tested formula of building high-performance machines, the iconic Italian sports car producer opting against the word “redefine” has led dedication to “refine” through engineering and design.
Photo Credit: Ferrari North Europe via Newspress

Quite literally driven by the mastery of their race car construction, road cars of Ferrari have been perfected by Formula 1-style gearboxes. Delivering lightning-fast automated manual shifts years before the dual-clutch transmission was introduced by other manufacturers, Ferrari vehicles are always built to reward the driver with a nirvana-like experience behind the wheel. With power to the road transferred through rear wheel drive tires, an upcoming concept car at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show gives future Ferrari motorist a possibility of seeing all four wheels prancing under Italian engine power.

An four-wheel drive, four-seater grand touring sports car design, the Ferrari FF vividly displays the Italian sports car company's relationship and mutual respect with designer Pininfarina in divine form. Sporting a front end with a low residing air dam, the Ferrari FF grille's long horizontal sweep reflects to the 458 Italia. A side silhouette of a long hood sails towards an aggressively raked front windshield on the Ferrari FF concept sports car before drawing up to the most unusual roof. Truly European, the efforts to make this Ferrari a true 4-seater causes a higher rear roof line. Accomplishing this, Pininfarina has styled the Ferrari FF rear window into a 'sportback' angle. While the rear roof dip appears sharp from the side, the Ferrari FF's view from the rear accurately shows off a supercar appearance.

Photo Credit: Ferrari North Europe via Newspress

Grappling the ground, the Ferrari FF shows off the company's execution of four-wheel drive technology. Weighing half of much as conventional four-wheel drive system, Ferrari's 4RM technology is funneled through the FF concept's electronic dynamic control reacting quickly to changing road conditions. Already demonstrated by the Ferrari's 599GTB and the new 458 Italia, the Ferrari FF concept sports car's magnetorheological damping system is set to provide optimal comfort. Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes offers performance-rated stopping power to the 3,946 pound vehicle.

A full four-passenger interior, the styling of the Ferrari FF cabin has yet to be revealed but some very interesting specifications paints an entirely new reality for sports car living. Benefit of the rear roof line, the Ferrari FF avails 14.1 cubic feet of cargo space to four occupants ride in the Italian sports car. Compared to the 2+2 passenger Ferrari 612 Scaglietti, the Ferrari FF immediately presents an improvement of 5.3 cubic feet. With rear seat folding capability, the Ferrari FF concept can be doubled for near utility vehicle space.

This latest Ferrari engine is rated at 660 CV (equating to over 650 horsepower) and 683 NM (725 pounds-feet) of torque production set at a high RPM range. Powered by a 6.3 liter V-12 gasoline engine, the Ferrari FF processes acceleration of 3.5 seconds in 0 to 100 kilometer per hour runs. Propelled by the 4RM technology, the Ferrari FF soars to a top speed of 335 kilometers per hour (over 208 miles per hour).

The FF concept is the second vehicle to be shown by Ferrari with the company's new HELE system. Standing for “High Emotion Low Emissions”, the smart electronic management system carefully moderates all electrical devices such as the engine fan, air conditioning and fuel pump to achieve cleaner tailpipe emissions. Said to produce 360 g/km of carbon dioxide, the Ferrari FF is measured at 110 g/km cleaner than the current 612 Scaglietti. The technology of HELE was first brought to light at the latest Paris Motor Show on a Ferrari California.

Photo Credit: Ferrari North Europe via Newspress

While many recent creations from the Maranello home of Ferrari depicts a forward look into futuristic supercar motoring with vehicles such as the HY-KERS Concept, the FF has received one valued trait; a production promise. Set to replace the 612 Scaglietti, 800 examples of the Ferrari FF will be marketed with a $300,000 US price tag.

Information Source: Ferrari North Europe via Newspress.uk
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