Did you know that 30 percent of Ferrari's factory is covered in trees? No? Neither did we and we've been there. But that's what Luca di Montezemolo said today at Ferrari's press conference.
Then he addressed the big pink elephant in the room, which happened to be a very, very, very green 599. "To see a green Ferrari on the Ferrari stand is something unusual," said Montezemolo in the understatement of the show.
We've showed you some leaked photos of the 599 hybrid car already. What you don't know is how much we gnashed our teeth over whether the shots of an improbably green Ferrari were part of an elaborate hoax. They weren't.
Follow the jump for details and more photos.
Predictably, the enticingly named HY-KERS Vettura Laboratorio (experimental vehicle) is not what you'd call a production vehicle. It is a "first step of a long project." But Montezemolo says that the company's goal is to have a hybrid version of every car in the company's range in "three or four years." This is an awfully aggressive goal. By one manner or another, though, Montezemolo says he's shooting for at least a 35 percent emissions improvement in three years. Again, optimistic. Then he said: "I have never seen such a green car before." The hybrid retains the 599's V12 but adds a kinetic energy recovery system (KERS) similar to what Ferrari used briefly in Formula 1 racing. A thin lithium-ion battery pack is mounted under the floorpan on the passenger side. There's a 100-horsepower electric motor connected to the rear-mounted transaxle. Similar in concept to a conventional hybrid's regenerative brakes, the KERS system gathers kinetic energy while the car is braking and charges the battery pack. The motor, which Ferrari says weighs 88 pounds, is mounted to the seven-speed dual-clutch transaxle and, working through one of the transmission's clutches, engages one of the two primary shafts. The company says the system has the potential to reduce emissions by 35 percent.
Also -- holy crap! -- are those green calipers? Si.
felonious says:
09:00 AM, 03/ 2/10
Everyone knows a kitten dies every time you paint a hybrid car green to show how eco-friendly you are.
Why, Ferrari? Why do you hate kittens so much??
I'm so disappointed.
seppoboy says:
10:56 AM, 03/ 2/10
Because a seemingly harmless kitten may grow up to be a Jaguar
No really, they are trying to appeal to the Honda del Sol customers who are looking for something a little roomier
lmbvette says:
11:20 AM, 03/ 2/10
Calling this car green is akin to the knight in the Holy Grail saying "it's just a flesh wound".
benson2175 says:
02:45 PM, 03/ 2/10
Years from now we're gonna look back at this and have a good laugh. For now I'm just gonna shake my head and go for a good drive in my Miata.
mieden says:
04:02 PM, 03/ 2/10
I doubt this will cause laughter. This is the future, the way ahead for all automobile manufacturers...
By the way, whats a Ferrari 559?
notabigdeal says:
07:52 PM, 03/ 2/10
@mieden "By the way, what is a Ferrari 559"
Why are u here? What do you want?
jeremy_c says:
06:25 AM, 03/ 3/10
Like most people, I used to think that hybrid cars are great for the environment. Afterall they can easily get double the mileage of regular cars, right? Wrong, after talking to an engineer friend of mine, watching an episode of Top Gear and some thorough research, hybrid cars are actually the worst thing for the environment. That is because they run on huge batteries built with lithium, cadimum and nickel, the mining of which damages the earth, releases toxic gas and waste. Smelters used to process these minerals are also the worst pollutors on earth. They generate tremendous of cancer causing exhaust and the sulfuric acid, cyanide along with other toxic chemicals is used in extracting the ores. The ores are then shipped across the world to factories in less developed countries where they are made into batteries. The poor workers often have inadequate protection and cancer occurrence in them are easily triple the norm for the population. The batteries are then shipped back to North America or Europe, the biggest markets for these hybrid cars. Then when the cars are eventually scrapped, disposal of the batteries will again release more pollutants.
So you see why hybrids are not the holy grail as we had hoped. If you really want to be green, drive a sub compact or a diesel. Hybrids are nothing but marketing hype. And worst of all are the hybrid sports cars, hypocrisy at its best!
jeremy_c says:
06:25 AM, 03/ 3/10
Like most people, I used to think that hybrid cars are great for the environment. Afterall they can easily get double the mileage of regular cars, right? Wrong, after talking to an engineer friend of mine, watching an episode of Top Gear and some thorough research, hybrid cars are actually the worst thing for the environment. That is because they run on huge batteries built with lithium, cadimum and nickel, the mining of which damages the earth, releases toxic gas and waste. Smelters used to process these minerals are also the worst pollutors on earth. They generate tremendous of cancer causing exhaust and the sulfuric acid, cyanide along with other toxic chemicals is used in extracting the ores. The ores are then shipped across the world to factories in less developed countries where they are made into batteries. The poor workers often have inadequate protection and cancer occurrence in them are easily triple the norm for the population. The batteries are then shipped back to North America or Europe, the biggest markets for these hybrid cars. Then when the cars are eventually scrapped, disposal of the batteries will again release more pollutants.
So you see why hybrids are not the holy grail as we had hoped. If you really want to be green, drive a sub compact or a diesel. Hybrids are nothing but marketing hype. And worst of all are the hybrid sports cars, hypocrisy at its best!