Why Shortsighted Criticism of the Ferrari F80 Will Fade Over Time

Opinion: The Prancing Horse’s new halo automotive has stirred up the haters, however why when it’s essentially the most highly effective, technology-packed supercar it’s ever produced? 

When Ferrari’s flagship F80 first broke cowl, the automotive’s mind-blowing stats and the hype surrounding its launch have been off the charts. This was undoubtedly going to be the very best Ferrari – EVER! 

However then, particularly after the automotive was seen and heard on observe on the Finali Mondial occasion at Imola, the narrative flipped. Social media and the automotive press bought their claws out in equal measure, and began ripping into Maranello’s newest anniversary particular, for the best way it sounded (too quiet), the best way it appeared (boxy styling, a moustache on its nostril) and whether or not its $4 million price ticket lived as much as these heady earlier expectations.

Let’s handle the three predominant criticisms of the F80, and take a wider view…

1: The engine sound isn’t loud sufficient

The truth that Ferrari used a V6 engine for the extension of its ‘Huge 5’ – the 288 GTO, F40, F50, Enzo, and LaFerrari – was all the time going to draw criticism, as a result of we’ve been spoiled by the sonorous V12s of the three most up-to-date fashions. That stated, the 288 GTO and F40 each function V8 turbos, which mirrored the Components 1 racing engine structure of the time, producing altogether totally different harmonics.

However isn’t this merely a case of Ferrari shifting with the occasions? Its Components 1 automobiles – the head of all motorsports – have been powered by V6 hybrid turbos since 2014. The F80 additionally makes use of the identical three-liter F163CF, twin-turbo, 120-degree V6 energy unit from the two-time Le Mans 24 Hours-winning 499P racing hypercar.

Ferrari was very eager to have fun this epic success, as previous to 2023 it hadn’t gained outright at Le Mans, the twice-around-the-clock French sportscar basic, since 1965! It’s a dream for a producer to win such a prestigious trial of pace and endurance, which dates again to 1923, beating the likes of Cadillac, Lamborghini, and Porsche on the A centesimal-anniversary race earlier than going back-to-back in 2024.

That race-proven V6 hybrid powerplant, boasting 1200 horsepower thanks to 3 further electrical motors, is harnessed by 1050kg of downforce (at 250km/h) from its superior aerodynamics, making it essentially the most highly effective road-going Ferrari ever created. It boasts some very good gasoline injection know-how too, which implies it could possibly ship big efficiency numbers whereas complying with more and more tighter emission controls.

Just like the 499P Le Mans winner, the F80 packs all-wheel drive and takes onboard most of the weight-saving classes discovered from the racing automotive, whereas the form of each automobiles comes from the Ferrari Styling Middle. That delivers on its said intention of ‘excessive design language that accentuates a race-bred soul’.

And this road-modified inside combustion engine – which truly produces north of 200bhp greater than the racer – revs to simply over 9,000rpm, which isn’t unhealthy for a turbo-assisted engine, coupled with a sound-absorbing MGU-H and people quiet electrical motors. Exhausts can definitely be tweaked to make them louder, however it is a sound of the high-tech occasions if you happen to like. It’s additionally value noting that Ferrari has filed a patent for an amplification system that may amplify the sound of an electrical motor and reroute it via the again of the automotive.

F1 followers have a protracted since stopped bleating about engine notes – even when they’d want V8s, V10s or V12s, there’s no going again now. Evaluate it to the Mercedes-AMG Challenge One, which has a V6 hybrid turbo engine derived from its F1 program, which exhibits how eager producers are to switch racing know-how into their street automobiles.

2: It has a black moustache throughout its nostril

They are saying that magnificence is within the eye of the beholder: Throughout the street automotive market proper now’s numerous ‘assertion’ front-end designs. And the F80 definitely stands out on this regard. I don’t learn about you, however the carbon fiber black ‘moustache’ between the headlights definitely offers it some front-facing angle! 

The nostril incorporates a entrance wing and a splitter, similar to the Le Mans racer, plus an F1-style S-duct, and a hidden triplane of aerodynamic units. That is very a lot a product of perform in addition to type – and the styling does appear like the wild-looking racing hypercars you’ll see within the World Endurance Championship. You possibly can argue this has a extra racecar-influenced design than any of the ‘Huge 5’ that went earlier than.

If the F80 has a styling challenge, it may be blamed on the path of journey for contemporary racing automotive design, with its boxy appears. As talked about earlier, each the F80 and 499P are the merchandise of the Ferrari Styling Centre, headed by Flavio Manzoni, and this look displays the intention that Ferrari’s supercars ought to ‘characterize the head of cutting-edge know-how and innovation of its period’ permitting them to grow to be ‘enshrined in common tradition’.

And people stark, considerably brutalist strains which have resulted in a quest for radical design cues are fairly the distinction to the post-millennium great thing about the Enzo, LaFerrari, F8, and the Daytona SP3.

The outcry jogs my memory of how the F50 was obtained 30 years in the past. It too was criticised for its aggressive styling – particularly with that enormous rear wing. However, let’s face it, maybe the F50’s predominant drawback was it got here so quickly after the manufacturing run of the superbly proportioned F40 ended. Discuss a troublesome act to observe!

But the F50’s rarity has proved to make it a fair smarter funding, which we’ll come to subsequent…

3: It’s manner too costly

Inform that to the 799 prospects who’ve every already reserved this automotive for $3.9 million. You possibly can argue that Lamborghini reset the bar right here with its $4 million 50^th anniversary Veneno – and that was launched over ten years in the past! Bugatti and Pagani have each launched some insane hypercars properly past that determine.

Ferrari’s worth level is, in fact, properly in extra of its earlier halo automotive, the LaFerrari, which retailed across the $1.4 million mark – though the Aperta that adopted price $2 million. Certain, the F80 is successfully double that determine, however LaFerraris are reselling at $3-5 million in the marketplace proper now – with an instance of the even rarer Aperta at the moment listed at $5.8m.

And that’s the large monetary level: the depreciation worry for Ferrari’s flagships have been eradicated over time. In line with duPont REGISTRY’s information, Enzos now price between $3-$4.5 million (not unhealthy contemplating its $650,000 launch worth).

On common, F50s price round $5 million (one topped out at $5.5m at Sotheby’s Monterey this yr) which successfully provides a zero to the retail worth in 1995. F40s (launched at $400k) have risen to round $2-4m – though, amazingly, one was listed in duPont REGISTRY journal for $250k in 1992, certainly one of many largest bargains ever given what’s occurred since?

Meantime, the 288 GTO – the basic mannequin which began all of it – has supplied a large return on its 1984 launch RRP of $85k to worth ranges of as much as $4.5m.

Beneath is a snapshot of the most recent market, together with the very best transactions for every mannequin recorded this yr…

Again to the F80: Keep in mind, an terrible lot of cutting-edge know-how has gone into this automotive. It additionally boasts an energetic suspension system that’s far more superior than these of its earlier supercars, operated by 4 motors at every nook. These give it distinctive journey stability to go together with all that downforce, which incorporates the massive moveable rear wing, and the Le Mans racer energy unit.

So, was Ferrari attempting to second guess the resale market, to make sure it didn’t starve itself of potential income by undervaluing this automotive? In line with duPont REGISTRY’s figures, a projected resale worth level for an F80 will likely be between $6-8 million, relying on market forces, so this excessive retail quantity ought to definitely be justified sooner or later.

Additionally, over time, as soon as that tiresome pearl-clutching on social media has subsided, the outcry over its sound and nostril design will seemingly vanish too, because the F80 makes it Ferrari’s ‘Huge Six’.

Picture Supply: Ferrari