From the 288 GTO to the LaFerrari, Ferrari’s hypercar legacy reads like a greatest hits album. So how exactly do you top that? Meet the F80.
Sensibly named to celebrate the marque’s 80th anniversary in 2027, the F80 is the next chapter in Ferrari’s storied hypercar saga.
It’s a £3.1 million masterpiece, and only 799 lucky souls will get the keys.
Big shock alert: this isn’t powered by a naturally aspirated V12 like the LaFerrari. Under that striking exterior lies a twin-turbo V6 hybrid powertrain.
Disappointed? Don’t be. This 3.0-litre V6, with its 120-degree configuration, has racing pedigree, born from the same engine that powered the 499P to back-to-back Le Mans victories.
The F80’s V6 pumps out a jaw-dropping 888bhp. Yes, 234bhp more than the 296 GTB’s V6, and it weighs the same.
Add to that an electric boost of 295bhp from three electric motors, and you’ve got a combined output of 1,183bhp. That makes it Ferrari’s most potent road car ever.
With two of those motors on the front axle, you’re getting four-wheel drive, unlike the RWD McLaren W1, which Ferrari clearly has in its crosshairs.
The third motor is attached to the engine, offering an extra 80bhp of thrust when you need it and harvesting power in regen mode. There’s no pure-electric mode here, just raw, electrified performance.
And if you’re counting, we tallied 13 electric motors total, controlling everything from the e-turbos to the active suspension.
The F80 hits 100km/h in 2.15 seconds and 200km/h in just 5.75 seconds, with a top speed of 350km/h.
It’s faster in the sprints than the RWD McLaren W1 and shares an identical top speed. Oh, and it recently set a new Fiorano lap record: 1 minute, 15.3 seconds.
That’s two seconds quicker than the SF90 XX Stradale and a blistering 4.4 seconds ahead of the LaFerrari.
But here’s the thing: Ferrari insists this isn’t just a track monster with number plates. According to Enrico Galliera, Ferrari’s chief marketing officer, the F80 is designed to be enjoyed on more than just racetracks.
We’re already daydreaming about an epic F80 road trip.
I know what you’re thinking, can a V6 hybrid really deliver the iconic Ferrari soundtrack?
Gianmaria Fulgenzi, Ferrari’s chief product development officer, thinks so. “Trust me, the iconic Ferrari soundtrack remains,” he assures.
Sure, it’s not the operatic wail of a naturally aspirated V12, but it’s got the drama. The e4WD system even lets you indulge in playful slides at the limit, thanks to Ferrari’s latest SSC 9.0 (Side Slip Control) software.
One look at the F80 and you’ll notice its aero-driven, futuristic shape. Love it or hate it, the form is all about function.
Downforce is the name of the game in the hypercar arena, and the F80 doesn’t disappoint. It produces 1,050kg of downforce at 250km/h, and it’s how it gets there that’s fascinating.
From the deployable front splitter to the massive rear diffuser, everything about the F80 is designed to cut through the air.
Even the rear wing tilts and rises like a Formula 1 car’s DRS to act as an air brake or reduce drag. The numbers speak for themselves: 460kg of downforce at the front, 590kg at the rear.
All of this is supported by an active suspension system that keeps the car glued to the ground while maintaining consistent ride height.
The carbon fibre tub, which is asymmetrical to improve aerodynamics, is five per cent lighter than that of the LaFerrari, but offers 50 per cent more torsional rigidity.
The whole car weighs 1,525kg, 125kg more than the McLaren W1, but with the added benefit of 4WD.
Then there’s the ‘Impluvium,’ a striking design feature that looks like the bodywork is being peeled away to reveal air intakes feeding the engine.
From the front, you’ll notice the ‘nostrils’, air intakes that channel cooling to the Brembo brakes.
Step inside the F80, and you’ll find a cockpit built around the driver. The squircle steering wheel with physical buttons makes a welcome return, and all the drive modes are at your fingertips - Wet, Sport, Race, CT Off, and ESC Off on the right, and Hybrid, Performance, and Qualify modes on the left.
Qualify mode lets you unleash every bit of the car’s hybrid power when you need it most.
The cockpit is narrow, with the passenger seat positioned slightly further back to optimise the driver’s control. It’s a 1+1 seating arrangement.
Ferrari even added rosso Alcantara for the driver’s seat to remind you who’s in charge.
If you didn’t manage to snag one of the 799 F80s, you’re probably feeling a tinge of regret right now.
But hey, don’t despair, there’s always the used market, though prices will likely soar.
In the meantime, we’re eagerly awaiting the showdown between Ferrari’s F80 and McLaren’s W1.
Who knows, maybe Porsche’s Mission X will join the fray, giving us the next Hypercar Holy Trinity.