Spied: Ferrari's new supercar

Has Ferrari started work on the revolutionary ‘Eco’ Enzo supercar? Autocar’s spies say that this test mule is the first concrete evidence of the Enzo replacement that’s expected to be unveiled in 2010.

Sources say that the test car is likely to be testing the new ‘green’ powerpack, which will be downsized from the Enzo’s 627bhp V12.

Depending on the degree to which Ferrari engineers are downsizing the new Enzo, the new motor will be either a direct-injection twin-turbo V8 or a direct-injection twin-turbo V6.

The transmission is a new much more compact design, which could include a mini-hybrid system that can store waste energy and then pump it back into the drivetrain to improve acceleration without increasing fuel use.

In summer 2007, at the company’s 60th anniversary, Ferrari revealed plans to make its future models smaller, light and more fuel-efficient.

It also displayed a scale model prototype dubbed the FXX Millechilli, a scaled-down version of the Enzo, which weighed just 1000kg, 365kg less than the donor car.

Aside from a lighter chassis, Ferrari is also looking at a complete re-think of the cabin, using a fixed driver position and mounting many controls on the steering wheels itself. This design could shave 90kg off the weight of the car, sources say.

It’s expected the Eco Enzo will be also be a flagship for Ferrari’s new-generation aerodynamic technology, including ‘active aerodynamics’ that pump air out through the body to influence the way airflows over and under the skin.

Hilton Holloway