Talk of a modern Ferrari powered by a V-6 dates back more than a decade but former CEO Louis Camilleri in 2018 finally confirmed it was happening. All he was willing to say at the time was that the car would be a hybrid and make its debut before 2022 was out.
We now have spy shots and video of a prototype which confirms the car as a mid-engine model.
The new Ferrari is code-named the F171, and it's thought to be coming with a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V-6. The engine is expected to have a wide 120-degree vee angle to keep the center of gravity low.
The F171 won't be a replacement for the F8 but a slightly more attainable mid-engine offering to target the recently revealed McLaren Artura, which also features a twin-turbo V-6. The F171 should also feature a single electric motor helping the engine drive the rear wheels, the same setup as the Artura.
The electric motor will likely primarily fill in torque at low revs and boost power at the top end, though it may also be capable of powering the car on its own for short distances. This is also the case for the Artura which, according to McLaren, can cover about 19 miles on electric power alone.
Peak output should be around 700 hp, with around 590 hp coming from the V-6. In the case of the Artura, you're looking at 671 peak hp, with 577 hp coming from its V-6.
McLaren Artura
The platform is likely the new multi-material mid-engine architecture that debuted in the SF90 Stradale, which makes sense as Ferrari previously used makeshift SF90 Stradale bodies for several test mules spotted in and around Maranello in recent months. The platform includes carbon-fiber and various alloys in addition to the usual aluminum to help get weight down. There have been reports that Ferrari has borrowed the fully carbon platform of the Maserati MC20, though if this is the case Ferrari isn't likely to admit it.
We should know more soon as the reveal of the F171 is expected to happen late this year or early next.
The car isn't the only new Prancing Horse currently in the works. Ferrari is also out testing the Purosangue crossover and a successor to the LaFerrari.
