Followers and owners of Ferraris are downright shocked that a V8 can ever be considered as the engine to power any Ferrari supercar. But Ferrari GT technical director Roberto Fedeli said that Ferrari is no longer interested in “power wars.” This is the first time that a V8 may appear in a Ferrari since its first supercar engine -- the F40 -- was unveiled.
Fedeli said that it is a weight thing. The design needs to follow the shape of a weight-to-power curve with more power or less weight. He said that if it is decided that the car have the same weight-to-power ratio as the FXX, then it wants to save the maximum weight and that calls for the use of an all-new V8 engine.
So, since no final decision has been made as to one engine or the other, development goes on in parallel of a V8 and V12 Enzo-style supercar. Fedeli said that the FXX will be used to test some innovations that the company has in mind for the new car.
Our take? Like when Bob Dylan started singing rock as opposed to folk songs in the 1960s which caused folk song fans to demonize him, is Ferrari opening itself to criticism by racing purists for even considering using a V8 in a supercar?