Ferrari Makes it Official: A Hybrid From Big Red Will Debut at Geneva Auto Show
By John O'Dell January 29, 2010
It's official. Ferrari says it will show off its first hybrid at the 2010 Geneva Auto Show in March.
It's a version of the 599 GTB Fiorano (below, right) and we expect it will be augmented with a rear-mounted electric motor, lithium-ion battery pack and a street-going version of the kinetic energy recovery system (KERS) Ferrari developed for - but has since dropped from - its Formula 1 cars.
Various unofficial reports have estimated that it will will deliver fuel economy of about 14 miles to the gallon.
That may not seem like much, but consider consider that the car delivers 612 horsepower and that its conventional stablemate gets less than 9 mpg.
Italian enthusiast magazine Quattroruote first reported in December that the car would be unveiled to the public in Geneva, a story that we picked up and shared.
The vehicle is said use the production car's V12 engine augmented with the KERS-based hybrid system, which uses regenerative braking to charge the batteries and lets drivers tap the energy for short bursts of added speed and also permits the Ferrari's big engine to shut down at stop signs.
Ferrari first disclosed its plan to launch a hybrid to British magazine Autocar last June, though the company didn't say when it would first be viewed by the public.
Ferrari has already produced a car that can run on biofuel. The ethanol-gulping F430 debuted at the Detroit Auto Show in January of 2008.
Danny King, Contributor
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