Ferrari F80 makes ASEAN debut at Universo Ferrari Bangkok – 1,200 PS hypercar on display till Nov 25

Fresh from its reveal last month, the new Ferrari F80 has made its Southeast Asian debut at the ongoing Universo Ferrari Bangkok at UOB Live, Emsphere. The hybrid hypercar, the replacement for the gorgeous LaFerrari, is the latest in the bloodline of Maranello’s flagship road cars, spanning 40 years and six models.

As with all those other cars – which include the seminal GTO and the iconic F40, F50 and Enzo Ferrari – the F80 represents the pinnacle of Ferrari performance, enabled by the company’s current motorsports-derived technologies. As such, its mechanical makeup is not too dissimilar to the Le Mans-winning 499P.

Like the prototype racer, the F80 is powered by a 3.0 litre twin-turbocharged V6 (here codenamed F163CF), sharing its base architecture with the 296’s mill but adopting the Le Mans Hypercar’s crankcase, layout, timing chains, oil pump recovery circuit, bearings and even the direct injectors and their pumps.

Then you have the hybrid components borrowed from Formula 1, including the MGU-K that recuperates up to 95 PS kinetic energy under deceleration (which can then be used to provide up to 60 PS of electrical assistance), and the MGU-H that draws energy from spent exhaust gases. The latter then uses electricity to drive the turbochargers at low revs to minimise turbo lag.

Other changes include finer knock control, dynamic torque calibration for each gear (a Ferrari first), revised cam profiles, polished intake (which have also been shortened) and exhaust runners, redesigned titanium conrods, diamond-like carbon (DLC) coated piston pins and a redline that has been raised some 500 rpm to 9,000 rpm (there’s a dynamic limiter at 9,200 rpm).

All this ensures that the engine alone produces 900 PS at 8,750 rpm and 850 Nm of torque at 5,550 rpm, increases of 237 PS and 110 Nm over the 296’s six-pot. Despite this, the fitment of lightweight components mean that the engine weighs no more than the one in the 296. An eight-speed dual-clutch transmission hangs off the back of the V6 and the MGU-K.

That’s not all – the F80 also calls on dual electric motors and an 800-volt, 2.28 kWh battery to drive the front axle. Each motor produces 142 PS and 121 Nm, and combined with the whole shebang at the rear this results in an eye-watering total system output of 1,200 PS.

So equipped, the F80 is able to fling itself from zero to 100 km/h in just 2.15 seconds and to 200 km/h in 5.75 seconds, on its way to a top speed of 350 km/h. As with the 296 and SF90, the car has Hybrid, Performance and Qualify powertrain modes that alter the focus from efficiency to outright hot-lap speed.

Unlike those lesser models, the F80 is not a plug-in hybrid and can’t be driven on electric power alone, as doing so would not be “in keeping with the car’s mission.” A new feature is Boost Optimisation, active in Performance and Qualify modes, which provides an additional power boost on a circuit when it is most needed, calculating the activation points based on a single reconnaissance lap.

The powertrain, impressive as it is, is only part of the story – an arguably even more important component of the F80 is the F1-derived aerodynamics, which uses ground effect to suck the car onto the ground. The shrink-wrapped cabin, enabled by the driver sitting slightly ahead of the passenger (Ferrari calls this a “+1” layout) and the raised footwells, allows for huge channels front and rear to increase downforce.

You’ll also find bargeboards aft of the front wheels that create vortices drawing air out to the sides, generating outwash and preventing front wheel well turbulence from disturbing the underbody airflow.

Meanwhile, the tilting of the engine and gearbox some 1.3 degrees has freed up space for a massive rear diffuser that measures a record-breaking 1,800 mm long, increasing the expansion volume. Some of the underbody air is routed along the flanks and through the rear wheel wells to improve the performance of the said diffuser, which generates 285 kg of downforce.

Also important is the over-body aerodynamics, the front section being defined by a large S-duct. This draws air from the underbody and the gaping front intake to generate 150 kg of downforce all on its own. At the rear sits a giant active rear wing that can continuously adjust its angle to achieve either maximum downforce or minimum drag (the S-duct can also be stalled to do the same at the front). Overall, Ferrari is claiming up to 1,050 kg of downforce at 250 km/h, 590 kg of which is generated by the rear section.

To create a stable platform for the aero work to do its thing – including the S-duct that is sensitive to ride height changes – the F80 utilises active suspension that comprises of double wishbones (with 3D-printed upper control arms), adaptive inboard dampers and 48-volt active roll stabilisation that negates the need for anti-roll bars.

The car also benefits from a new, more precise Side Slip Control (SSC) 9.0 system, a sort of drift mode enabled through a new Ferrari Integrated Vehicle Estimator (FIVE). This creates a digital twin of the car to estimate the yaw angle and velocity of the car’s centre of mass, calculated with a precision of up to one degree and one kilometre per hour respectively.

Being a complete antithesis of the LaFerrari’s stunning voluptuous forms, the F80’s brutal angular design has certainly generated controversy, particularly at the front. This is where you’ll find a black visor joining the rectangular headlights – a design cue first seen on the 12Cilindri – as well as the large intakes that feed air into the corner and centre radiators.

Moving further aft, the upright front fenders are a nod to the F40. These house 20-inch carbon fibre wheels (21s at the rear), hiding the latest Brembo CCM-R Plus carbon ceramic brakes (cooled through ducting integrated into the frame rails) and shod with either Michelin Pilot Cup 2 or Cup 2 R tyres.

Up top, the tiny glasshouse – a whole 50 mm lower than the LaFerrari’s – is picked out in bare carbon fibre and is visually linked to the side air intakes. Designed to mimic the appearance of a NACA duct, these are split to feed air into both the intercoolers and the intake system.

The generous shoulders and rear haunches terminate at the slim quad taillights, a massive centre-exit exhaust, huge mesh-covered openings and the aforementioned wing and diffuser. The rear upper section is completely blocked off save for six vents (one for each cylinder) and prevents any sort of rear visibility; a digital rear view mirror has been fitted as a substitute.

Beyond the showy butterfly doors, Ferrari has highlighted the driver-first nature of the F80’s cabin in the literal sense – by upholstering the pilot’s seat in a contrasting hue compared to the rest of the interior. These pews (the passenger’s one is barely there) are fixed to the tub, with the steering wheel and pedals moving to meet the driver instead.

Speaking of which, the ‘wheel – still with a flat top and bottom with shift lights at the top – is smaller than the LaFerrari’s. For the first time since the Roma, the F80 marks the return of physical buttons to replace the much-maligned capacitive touch units, with Ferrari bluntly saying they are “easier to use” and are “instantly identified by touch.”

As is typical for a modern Ferrari, there’s a display for both the driver and passenger, plus a near-vertical “control panel” that’s angled towards the driver, housing the air-con controls and the “H-pattern” gear selector toggles. Behind it is a slot for your phone, replete with Qi wireless charging.

Ferrari will build 799 units of the F80, 300 more than the LaFerrari berlinetta, although officials present at the event say that this number is still well below worldwide demand. Predictably, and despite the car costing a whopping €3.6 million (RM16.8 million) before taxes or options, all have been sold.

The F80 will continue to be on display at Universe Ferrari Bangkok until November 25. The exhibit – which also includes the rest of the company’s current lineup, as well as Michael Schumacher’s seminal title-winning F1-2000, the 499P, the Daytona SP3, several prototypes and an F50 – is open to the public, with tickets priced at 590 baht (RM76) for students, 890 baht (RM114) for adults and 1,500 baht (RM193) for VIPs. If you happen to be in Bangkok this weekend, you can visit this website to get tickets.

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