CALACATTA GOLD MARBLE
HOLISTIC VISION
A dialogue between design, engineering, aerodynamics and ergonomics has inspired a narrative embodied by the F80, a limited-edition supercar that is the quintessence of Ferrari style and performance, a model that has immediately claimed its rightful place in the brand’s hall of fame
by Diego Tamone - ph. courtesy by Ferrari
Enzo Ferrari was sure of one thing – in order to achieve commercial success a road car, even if its distinguished badge and limited manufacturing run already make it an exclusive purchase, must be produced in numbers that take into account market demand – less one. This visionary marketing strategy is designed to enhance the car’s desirability and stimulate competition among prospective buyers. Over the years this has enabled many models produced by the prancing horse brand to achieve outstanding success, becoming objects of desire that were sold out even before production began, valued among other things as rock-solid investments.
For the Maranello factory it’s a tradition of success involving such types as the GTO, F40, F50 and LaFerrari, cars that feature in every selfrespecting auto auction. We saw this recently with the F80, the latest classic from the Italian factory. Made in a run of 799 examples, they were all snapped up as soon as the model was announced, despite a list price of 3.5 million euro. The reason behind this is the status achieved by this type of object, comparable in every way to contemporary works of art and often
Below, the butterfly doors lift to an angle of almost 90°. Opposite page, from top, the Short tail has a movable rear wing, a crucial element in the F80’s adaptive aerodynamics system. An aerial view emphasises the design of the upper section, with the floating bubble effect of the cockpit
destined to become part of private collections, being transformed in this way from dynamic to static objects of admiration. As a result, talking about performance may not be appropriate for cars of this calibre. Reeling off impressive figures like the total of 1,200 hp put out by its four engines (a 3-litre V6 and three electric units, two at the front and one at the back), acceleration of 0-100 in 2.15 seconds, top speed of 350 km/h, self-limited, adds nothing significant to a supercar like the Ferrari F80, because it’s taken for granted that a Ferrari reaches peaks of performance, especially if
Above, the front with its futuristic design. Left, from top, a detail of the headlights, concealed inside a sort of black screen. The six slots acting as air vents, one per cylinder
it enters the restricted elite of the brand’s “fuori categoria” models. If the F80 belongs to another category it is rather because it forms the basis for the projects that recently led to the creation of the most modern F1 single-seaters as well as the sports prototype that has dominated the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans – and because it displays an aesthetic defined by Ferrari Styling Centre, led by Flavio Manzoni, discreetly embodying the genetic heritage of the most legendary Ferrari cars. Such lines are the result of a holistic approach that’s a blend of design, engineering, aerodynamics and ergonomics. ferrari.com