Rev it up
The result is exhilarating, in every sense
of the word. There are many fast cars around, and amongst them are many
Ferraris. When driving those cars, most of the time you just need to reset your
brain to the right reactive parameters – easily done in many cases. But, in
this instance, there’s an extraordinary, intoxicating potential.
Needless to say, the limits of the driver –
however high they may be – are much lower than the limits of the LaFerrari. The
acceleration of the LaFerrari is not as scary as you might expect (0-100 comes
up in less than three seconds). On the other hand, the engine (more accurately
speaking, the power unit) reacts impressively – press the accelerator to unleash
pure performance and discover instantaneous, fierce response, perfectly
translated through the double-clutch gearbox. It’s so seamless that you’re
unaware of the fact that there are two sources of energy powering the car.
The
hypercar comes with luxuries including air conditioning and satellite
navigation
When you drive fast, you have no idea of
how the sophisticated aerodynamics are working – appendages, underbody
openings, and metal joints that are madly stressed to glue this hypercar to the
ground (the aerodynamic load reaches 360kgs at 200km/h on bends and 90kgs on
straights). At Ferrari, they really wanted to create a car that could reach
speeds of 350km/h (or even more, since the top speed also depends on the
electric power available). They will never admit it officially, but the
LaFerrari can reach speeds close to 380km/h.
LaFerrari
sits on 19-inch alloys at the front, with 20-inch wheels at the rear
On the steering wheel, you’ll find the
‘manettino’ with all the traditional modes. The car takes care of all the
wizardry. However, don’t assume that the absence of setup options is a
negative. The pouring rain in which we drove the car was evidence of just how
extraordinary this combination between hardware (drive unit and carbon
chassis/body-shell) and electronics is, which a human being – imperfect by
nature – could never ensure, especially when setting off at warp speed. Put it
this way – you can’t talk simply of performance. This car is capable of taming
the thrust of its almost 1,000bhp (the same power as that of the last V12
Formula 1 race car in 1995). Even in the heavy rain, it didn’t take us long to
reach speeds of 200km/h, and by then we were already at the end of the straight
at Fiorano. I desperately braked hard, hoping not to hit the guardrail too hard
(my mind already flying to the huge cost of repair if something happens to the
car). But, then, the clever combination of carbon ceramics brakes and
aerodynamic braking, aided by the stability control system, had us back at a
standstill in a flash. The sharp turn to the right, luckily, was many meters
away. Smart, confident, precise, and instantly responsive. I felt the same when
driving in the city, and around the hairpins of the Apennines around Modena –
while local boys would stare, open-mouthed, at the red rocket flying by.
At
the heart of LaFerrari sits a 6.3-litre V12 engine alongside two electric
motors
From the point of view of dynamics, the
LaFerrari is the ultimate speed unit – perhaps the best hypercar we’ve ever
driven. Taking its high price tag and positioning into due consideration,
LaFerrari sets new standards in automotive technology. Outstanding
construction, mechanics, aerodynamics and performance make us believe that
we’ve reached more an end, rather than a beginning in the age of supercars. How
can Ferrari possibly do better than this? How can we possibly go faster than
now?
