GENEVA MOTOR SHOW: LaFerrari is fastest Prancing Horse ever

Ferrari has staged the hotly anticipated global premiere of its belated Enzo successor - ‘LaFerrari’, which means ‘The Ferrari’ in Italian.

Befitting a limited-edition model at the top of the Maranello maker’s supercar range, LaFerrari is the fastest, most powerful and most expensive Ferrari ever.

It also happens to be Ferrari’s first hybrid, with a 588kW 6.3-litre naturally aspirated V12 combining with a 120kW electric motor in a HY-KERS petrol-electric drive system to deliver total output of no less than 708kW, or some 963hp.

The 65-degree 6262cc engine is a development of the 545kW/690Nm V12 found in the F12 Berlinetta and the 486kW/683Nm unit that powers the all-wheel drive FF grand tourer.

Running 13.5:1 compression, it develops peak power at no less than 9000rpm (with a rev limit of 9250rpm) and maximum torque of 700Nm at 6750rpm.

That’s enough to rocket LaFerrari to 100km/h in less than three seconds, to 200km/h in less than seven seconds, to 300km/h in less than 15 seconds and to a top speed in excess of 350km/h, says Ferrari.

Naturally, LaFerrari eclipses the 3.1-second claimed 0-100km/h time of the F12, which was previously Ferrari’s quickest, fastest and most powerful model.

What’s more, Ferrari says it has lapped its own Fiorano test track near Maranello in less than 1:20 – five seconds faster than the Enzo and three seconds quicker than the F12.

At the same time, its hybrid system reduces fuel consumption from about 14.9 to 14.0L/100km and CO2 emissions from 350 to 330g/km. It also undercuts the emissions of its closest rival in Lamborghini’s Aventador LP700-4 (398g/km).

LaFerrari runs the same seven-speed dual-clutch automated manual transmission as the 4.3-litre V8 California convertible, the 4.5-litre V8 458 Italia coupe and Spyder, and the FF.

True to Ferrari form, no kerb weight figure has been given, but the famed Italian brand says weight distribution is 41/59 per cent front/rear and LaFerrari’s all-carbonfibre chassis is said to reduce mass to as little as 1100kg.

Compared to the F12, torsional rigidity is claimed to be up by 27 per cent and beam stiffness increased by 22 per cent “whilst cutting weight”.

Dimensions, if it matters, are listed at 4702mm long, 1992mm wide and just 1116mm high, riding on a 2650mm wheelbase.

Suspension is via double wishbones up front, a multi-link arrangement at the rear and SCM-E magnetorheological adaptive damping, and the 19-inch front and 20-inch rear wheels wear 265/30 and enormous 345/30 Pirelli P-Zero rubber respectively.

Massive Brembo carbon-ceramic brake discs measure 398mm up front and 380mm out back, and of course LaFerrari comes with a full suite of driver safety aids including EF1-Trac electronic traction control, electronic stability control, a high-performance anti-lock braking system, electronic brake balance and third-generation electronic differential (E-Diff 3).

Codenamed F150, the newest Ferrari was developed for three years alongside the Enzo-based FXX research vehicle and the company says the human-machine interface of the car’s interior was inspired by its single-seat F138 Formula One cars.

The driving position is claimed to be similar to that of a single-seater and was designed in consultation with Scuderia Ferrari drivers Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa, who were integral in LaFerrari’s development.

LaFerrari’s hybrid system comprises two electric motors - one powering the rear wheels and the other for ancillary systems – powered by a floor-mounted 60kg battery pack that is recharged by regenerative braking.

Ferrari says the HY-KERS system is designed “so that in future applications a car can be driven using exclusively electric power for a few kilometres and, during development testing, a full-electric version of LaFerrari achieved just 220 g/km of C02 emissions on the combined cycle”.

In a departure from the majority of Pininfarina-designed Ferraris since 1951, LaFerrari was designed by an in-house team led by Flavio Manzoni. Aesthetic links to Ferrari’s F1 car are obvious, including a low front wing attached by a single central beam, and the rear-end is reminiscent of 1960s Ferrari Le Mans racers.

A suite of active aerodynamics includes diffusers, an air-guiding vane on the front underbody and a rear spoiler, all of which generate downforce without compromising drag coefficient.

Like the Enzo, 400 of which were built between 2002 and 2004, LaFerrari will be a limited-edition model produced exclusively in left-hand drive guise, guaranteeing its status as a collector’s item.

In this case, just 499 LaFerraris will be produced to satisfy stronger demand in growth Ferrari markets including Asia and especially China.

Although Ferrari has not revealed an official price, European reports say the pre-tax price will be about 1 million euros ($A1.27m), bringing its after tax price to an estimated 1.21 million euros ($A1.54m) in Italy.

Ferrari set a new price benchmark when it announced a price of $691,100 last October for the F12, which has attracted an 18-month wait before first examples arrive here in mid-2013.

When it was launched in 2002, the Enzo's starting price was 665,000 euros ($A850,000) after tax in Italy, but Enzos are rarely sold at auction these days for less than 1 million euros.

Despite its price and the fact it cannot be registered here, seven well-heeled Australian Ferrari fans have expressing interest in buying LaFerrari, although Fiat-Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne last month said the new Ferrari model is already a sell-out.

Ferrari’s President Luca di Montezemolo explained the reason behind LaFerrari’s unexpected name.

“We chose to call this model LaFerrari because it is the maximum expression of what defines our company – excellence.

“Excellence in terms of technological innovation, performance, visionary styling and the sheer thrill of driving.

“Aimed at our collectors, this is a truly extraordinary car which encompasses advanced solutions that, in the future, will find their way onto the rest of the range, and it represents the benchmark for the entire automotive industry.

“LaFerrari is the finest expression of our company’s unique, unparalleled engineering and design know-how, including that acquired in Formula One.”