Ferrari to run with a promising braking system in 10 years’ time
Ferrari recently gave a glimpse about the future of the black stallion-labeled Italian muscle car maker. It was not about electric Ferraris – just a regenerative braking system, advanced turbocharged engines, massive weight reductions and bio-fuels.
The performance that made Ferrari world-renowned is about to get another upgrade – or should we say a reduction – with the promise of lighter vehicles (as advised by Colin Chapman 60 years ago) and better fuel efficiency.
The guinea pig? The special 1000-kg (365kg lighter than the production car) Enzo-based car – the FXX Millechili. This “lightening” standard figures to be the standard for future Ferraris. Ferrari realized that had the Enzo weighed 1000kg its 650bhp would have been as effective as 800bhp.
Lighter cars will require less power, and also therefore smaller brakes and lighter suspension components. Handling is also likely to be tweaked. Transmissions will be smaller and lighter, because they will not need to cope with quite as much power.
Engines will be downsized, with smaller capacities, direct injection and turbochargers all playing a part. Future Ferraris will also have the ability to run on E80 bioethanol fuel. The plan is to reduce average CO2 emissions across the range from 400g/km down to 250.
Ferrari is also planning to utilize a regenerative braking power. Unlike in current cars, however, this would not be used to charge the batteries or work in place of the alternator. Instead, it would power a small motor attached to the transmission, with the aim of keeping it spinning, enabling smoother gear changes.
Ferrari is currently working with Imperial College London on an advanced active aerodynamics system that involves using air pumps to push air over and under the car. This mechanism will smoothen airflow and cut drag.
All of these changes are expected to happen over the next decade, so expect the Ferrari of 2017 to be a very different beast to today’s machines.