Trending Engineering: The LaFerrari- New benchmark of performance

LaFerrari at 2013 Geneva Motor show

LaFerrari (also known as the F70, and by its project name, F150) is a limited production hybrid sports car built by Ferrari. The car and its name were officially unveiled at the 2013 Geneva Auto Show. It is based on findings from testing of the Ferrari FXX and on research being conducted by the Millechili Project at the University of Modena. Association with the Millechili Project led to speculation during development that the car would weigh under 1,000 kg (2,205 lb), but a dry weight of 1,255 kg (2,767 lb) was claimed. Only 499 units will be built and each will cost more than £1 million.

Specifications

LaFerrari is the first mild hybrid from Ferrari, providing the highest power output of any Ferrari whilst decreasing fuel consumption by 40 percent.^[LaFerrari's mid rear mounted 65° V12 Internal Combustion Engine has a 6.3 litre (6262 cc) capacity producing 800 PS (588 kW, 789 bhp) @ 9,000 rpm and 700 Nm (516 lb.ft) of torque @ 6,750 rpm, supplemented by a 163 PS (120 kW; 161 bhp) KERS unit (called HY-KERS), which will provide short bursts of extra power. Unlike conventional hybrid vehicles, in which either the electric motor or theinternal combustion engine is running, the KERS system adds extra power to the combustion engine's output level for a total of 963 PS (708 kW; 950 bhp) and the total torque generated by the V12 ICE together with the electric motor being over 900 N·m (664 lb·ft). Ferrari claims CO₂ emissions of 330 g/km. The engine's bore and stroke is 94×75.2 mm with a compression ratio of 13.5:1 and a specific power output of 128 metric horsepower per litre. It is connected to a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission and the car is rear-wheel drive.

The car is equipped with carbon-ceramic Brembo discs on the front (398 mm) and rear (380 mm), with the tires measuring 265/30 R 19 and 345/30 R 20 respectively.

LaFerrari uses a carbon fibre monocoque structure developed by Ferrari's F1 technical director Rory Byrne, with a claimed 27 percent more torsional rigidity and 22 percent more beam stiffness than the Enzo. It has a double wishbone suspension in the front and a multi-link suspension in the rear.

LaFerrari has a number of electronic controls including ESC stability control, high performance ABS/EBD (anti-lock braking system/electronic brake distribution), EF1-Trac F1 electronic traction control integrated with the hybrid system, E-Diff 3 third generation electronic differential, SCM-E Frs magnetorheological damping with twin solenoids (Al-Ni tube), and active aerodynamics to enable maximum performance.

Performance

Ferrari states that the car has a top speed exceeding 350 km/h (217 mph), and that it is capable of reaching 100 km/h (62 mph) in under three seconds, 200 km/h (124 mph) in under seven seconds, and a speed of 300 km/h (186 mph) in 15 seconds. Ferrari also claim that the car has lapped its Fiorano Test Circuit in under 1 minute and 20 seconds which is faster than any other road-legal car Ferrari has ever produced.

Design

LaFerrari received no input from Pininfarina, making it the first Ferrari since the Bertone-styled 1973 Dino 308 GT4 not to have Pininfarina bodywork or other styling. This decision is a rare exception to the collaboration between Ferrari and Pininfarina that began in 1951. However, Ferrari has stated that two new models designed jointly with Pininfarina are yet to be unveiled and that there are no plans to end business relations with Pininfarina.

The body computer system is developed by Magneti Marelli Automotive Lighting.

Rear of the LaFerrari

Engine
The LaFerrari is implemented with a next generation Hybrid engine known as the HY-KERS Engine
A kinetic energy recovery system (often known simply as KERS, or kers) is an automotive system for recovering a moving vehicle's kinetic energy under braking. The recovered energy is stored in a reservoir (for example a flywheel or high voltage batteries) for later use under acceleration. Examples include complex high end systems such as the Zytek, Flybrid,^[1] Torotrak^[2]^[3] and Xtrac used in Formula One racing and simple, easily manufactured and integrated differential based systems such as the Cambridge Passenger/Commercial Vehicle Kinetic Energy Recovery System (CPC-KERS).

FIA

Formula One has stated that they support responsible solutions to the world's environmental challenges,^[7] and the FIA allowed the use of 60 kW (82 PS; 80 bhp) KERS in the regulations for the 2009 Formula One season.^[8] Teams began testing systems in 2008: energy can either be stored as mechanical energy (as in a flywheel) or as electrical energy (as in a battery or supercapacitor).

With the introduction of KERS in the 2009 season, only four teams used it at some point in the season: Ferrari, Renault, BMW and McLaren. Eventually, during the season, Renault and BMW stopped using the system. Vodafone McLaren Mercedes became the first team to win a F1 GP using a KERS equipped car when Lewis Hamilton won the Hungarian Grand Prix on July 26, 2009. Their second KERS equipped car finished fifth. At the following race, Lewis Hamilton became the first driver to take pole position with a KERS car, his team mate, Heikki Kovalainen qualifying second. This was also the first instance of an all KERS front row. On August 30, 2009, Kimi Räikkönen won the Belgian Grand Prix with his KERS equipped Ferrari. It was the first time that KERS contributed directly to a race victory, with second placed Giancarlo Fisichella claiming "Actually, I was quicker than Kimi. He only took me because of KERS at the beginning".

Although KERS was still legal in F1 in the 2010 season, all the teams had agreed not to use it. New rules for the 2011 F1 season which raised the minimum weight limit of the car and driver by 20 kg to 640 kg, along with the FOTA teams agreeing to the use of KERS devices once more, meant that KERS returned for the 2011 season. Use of KERS was still optional as in the 2009 season; and at the start of the 2011 season three teams elected not to use it.

WilliamsF1 developed their own flywheel-based KERS system but decided not to use it in their F1 cars due to packaging issues, and have instead developed their own electrical KERS system. However, they set up Williams Hybrid Power to sell their developments. In 2012 it was announced that the Audi Le Mans R18 hybrid cars would use Williams Hybrid Power.

As of 2014, the power capacity of the KERS units will increase from 60 kilowatts (80 bhp) to 120 kilowatts (160 bhp). This will be to balance the sport's move from 2.4 litre V8 engines to 1.6 litre V6 engines.