It’s not a common configuration, but sometimes you just need to push the envelope.
That was the thought of Ferrari engineers when they dabbled with the idea of designing the new F80 with just one seat.
In a recent interview with Ferrari marketing head Enrico Galliera, Top Gear unveiled the development behind the F80, a supercar Forbes describes as Ferrari’s “fiercest ever.”
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So why not share the excitement with a passenger? Galliera told Top Gear the automaker wanted “really extreme proportions, so a very narrow cabin, shoulders as wide as possible, a wide track and so on.”
In the end, he added that the design team was able to achieve this effect without giving up the passenger space, enabling the F80 to include a slightly set back seat referred to as a “+1” – as in, the driver gets a fully dedicated racing seat whereas their companion gets some padding and a seatbelt. The cockpit, then, still offers a narrow, aerod ynamic feel of a hypercar with the ability to bring a friend along for the ride.
But even without the notable layout, this vehicle’s big defining feature, says Ferrari, is a brand-new, specific platform consisting of a concentration of innovations.
They say they’ve used the “‘proven champion’ in the V6 turbo at the heart of Ferrari’s Le Mans-winning 499P” and even though this was selected over the brand’s V12, Ferrari says it brings the “iconic soundtrack” of a supercar’s engine.
The complex hybrid powertrain offers 1,184 hp, at a price tag of $4 million – evidently not too high for buyers. With 799 of these to be produced, Ferrari says they’re already all sold out.
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