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Ferrari Drivetrain Technology: Investing in the Environment

Believe it or not, sometimes performance and economy do meet with positive

By nature, Ferraris are thirsty machines, but that hasn't stopped the brand from finding out how to make them less thirsty. (Photo: Ferrari)

results. In the past, particularly during the '70s, this wasn't exactly the case. Many will recall the smothering of the muscle and pony car segments with the rise of the catalytic converter and the end of leaded gasoline. Engines might still have been big in cubic inches, but their output was small. That's the sort of thing that still sticks well in people's minds, much like the impression that diesel is a smelly, sooty fuel that's only suitable for commercial vehicles.

According to Autocar magazine, the next big step in Ferrari engine technology will be the adoption of gasoline direct injection. The brand likens this as the evolution of the fuel delivery system; for decades it used carburetors, followed by electronic fuel injection. Now it's time for fuel-saving, power-improving fuel stratification. Recently Porsche brought direct injection into its product range with the DFI system in the Cayenne, and it's expected to hit 911s, Caymans and Boxtsers at their next respective updates.

Ferrari has consulted Bosch on how to make a direct fuel injection system. It will be applied to an engine that's based off of the F430's. (Photo: Ferrari)

In an interview with Ferrari's technical director Roberto Fedeli, it was revealed that the Italian sports car maker looked to German automaker Audi for its FSI direct injection due to its widespread use in their engine lineup. Ferrari will also be using Audi's developmental partner, Bosch to get their system up and running.
Fedeli stated that the engine's block will be the same as the F430, as will its displacement at 4.3 liters, but the top-end will be different, complete with a new intake, new cylinder heads, valvetrain and throttle bodies. Furthermore, these components will be unlike anything that's currently in Ferrari's product lineup. Power is predicted to be around 450 horsepower.

Ferrari hopes that movements in this direction will help it

Ferrari's Scaglietti is a great GT car, but a new model, scaled down in size will arrive next year with this new engine. (Photo: Ferrari)

achieve a realistic goal of 14.2 oz/mile by the year 2015, which is not saintly by today's standards, but is much better than the 22.7 oz/mile its engines are pumping out now. Having a vehicle with direct injection would instantaneously give between 5- and 7-percent better fuel economy without any other significant modifications. With the creation of the so-called Mille-Chili concept, which went so far as to predict the use of hybrid drivetrain technology, it's foreseeable that Ferrari could meet the pending CO2 emissions without too much difficulty.

Insiders predict the car that will debut the engine is a brand new, front-engined grand tourer that undercuts both the 612 Scaglietti and the 599 GTB in price, power and performance. The car will also be a 2+2, with smaller rear quarters than the Scaglietti, and a fairly large trunk. Intended as a daily driver, it has been described as softer, and more comfortable. This isn't the so-called “Dino” that has been popping into the limelight every now again, but a new vehicle that would allow Ferrari to better compete with Aston's DB9 and the Bentley Continental GT Speed. Look for this new vehicle to debut by 2009.

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