A prototype that is thought to be sporting
Ferrari’s new V6 hybrid powertrain was recently spied in the midst of testing
at the company’s facility in Maranello, Italy. Our spy photographers spotted
what appeared to be this very same prototype back in February during
cold-weather testing in northern Sweden. This video from Varryx provides us
with our first opportunity to hear the powertrain, and while the idea of a modern
V6-powered Ferrari may seem sacrilegious to some, the prototype certainly
sounds the part.
Adorning the prototype are high-voltage
stickers around the exterior, an obvious indication the vehicle is using some
form of hybrid powertrain. The prototype itself is based around a 488 GTB but
its engine certainly sounds different than the twin-turbo 3.9-liter V8 of the
488, leading us to believe that it probably is a V6.
Ferrari first announced its intention to
build a family of V6 powertrains back in September 2018, although specifics
about the engine, including its displacement, aren’t yet known, but it can be
expected to be twin-turbocharged, in addition to sporting a hybrid system.
It is unconfirmed what Ferrari model will
be the first to use the new V6 hybrid. For quite some time there had been
speculation the Italian automaker would release a new-age ‘Dino’ to rival the
McLaren Sports Series, but that project has apparently been canceled.
