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Ferrari to introduce a V8 hybrid supercar this year

Ferrari is bringing a new mid-engine V8 supercar to the market this year — but with a hybrid drivetrain this time. Last year, then-Ferrari CEO Sergio Marchionne told Auto Express that a hybrid V8 was coming, and Automotive News is now reporting that a hybrid supercar will debut later this year. According to Automotive News, the new Ferrari won't be displayed at the Geneva Motor Show next month, but it will have an unveiling event of its own later on. It will sit above the 488 Pista, as it will have more power. Automotive News quotes Ferrari CEO Louis Camilleri as having confirmed the car on an earnings call in late January, saying that it will be more profitable than for example the 812 Superfast and that deliveries will start a year from now. The hybrid V8 supercar marks a step ahead for Ferrari, as it means hybrid tech will no longer be reserved to limited-edition specialties like the KERS-boosted LaFerrari, but that the technology will feature in a "regular lifecycle" model. Camilleri also stated that 60 percent of the Ferrari lineup will have a hybrid variant by 2022; this means that there will be pure gasoline variants for petrolheads shunning electric assist, but that Ferrari can also move ahead with the times. The electrified technology that Ferrari is developing is also expected to trickle to Maserati's upcoming Alfieri model that replaces its GranTurismo; that car will also be made in Ferrari's hometown of Modena. Related Video:

Sergio Marchionne wants Alfa Romeo back in F1

It's been decades since Alfa Romeo has competed in Formula One. But if Sergio Marchionne gets his way, it could make a comeback soon. Now we know what you might be thinking: Alfa Romeo and Ferrari are both part of the same Fiat Chrysler Automobiles group, so why would Marchionne want two brands competing against each other in such a costly racing series? Because technically speaking, Ferrari is no longer part of FCA, that's why. They share mostly the same owners and are run by the same person (Marchionne), but the Prancing Horse marque recently split off from its former parent company and floated its own shares on the stock market. That makes it a separate entity, and also means that FCA no longer has a direct link to F1. But its chief executive clearly thinks the investment is worthwhile. Marchionne has been known to state grandiose plans, but he's also been known to carry through on many of them. So the next question is, if the plan goes through, just how Alfa Romeo might participate in F1? Some automakers (like Mercedes) field their own teams, others (like Honda) compete as engine suppliers, and still others (like Infiniti) as branding partners. Alfa could go either route, but Marchionne told Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport that "Alfa Romeo is able to make itself a chassis, and it is able to make engines." Of course, that doesn't mean that it necessarily will. It could outsource a chassis from a constructor like Dallara, which is located near the same Varano circuit that Alfa uses regularly. It could also source an engine from its former sister company: Marchionne floated the possibility of starting a separate engine program in Maranello for Red Bull when it was hunting for a new engine partner, and could ostensibly do the same for Alfa Romeo. "In order to re-establish itself as a sport brand, Alfa Romeo can and must consider the possibility of return to race in Formula 1," said Marchionne. "How? Probably in a collaboration with Ferrari." Alfa Romeo first competed in F1 in the early 1950s, winning the world championship two years running in 1950 with Giuseppe Farina (scion of Pininfarina) and 1951 with Juan Manuel Fangio. It then dropped out, only to resurface as a full constructor team between 1979 and 1985, with limited results. It also supplied engines to an array of teams in the 1960s, '70s, and '80s.

Take a peek inside the cockpit of the Ferrari SF90 Stradale

The Ferrari SF90 Stradale has just been revealed, and the most important thing to know is that it's Ferrari's most powerful production car yet with 986 horsepower. The next most important thing to know is that it's a plug-in hybrid with a turbocharged V8. The powertrain features Ferrari's most powerful V8 yet making 769 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque on its own. It also has three electric motors with two at the front and one in the back, and combined they can provide up to 217 horsepower. This also means that the SF90 Stradale is all-wheel-drive. Getting power from the internal combustion powertrain to the wheels is an 8-speed dual-clutch transmission that shifts 100 milliseconds faster than the transmission in the 488 Pista, but it also weighs about 22 pounds less than Ferrari's existing 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. This is due in part to not needing a reverse gear, since reverse is handled by the front motors. In total, the SF90 weighs in at 3,461 pounds. And at 155 mph, the aerodynamics add 860 pounds of downforce. When everything is deployed on pavement, it hits 62 mph in just 2.5 seconds. And for Ferraristi, it lapped the Fiorano test track in 1 minute and 19 seconds. Of course being a plug-in hybrid, it does have a full electric range. It's a bit short at 15.5 miles. Then again, this isn't entirely about fuel economy; the electric motors allows for torque vectoring, and provide extra traction on launch and help fill in any throttle lag from the gas engine. Ferrari SF90 Stradale interior View 3 Photos The interior is high-tech, too. The instrument cluster is a huge 16-inch display. The steering wheel now features touch pads for controlling the instrument cluster, too. You won't see Ferrari's traditional manual transmission selector between the seats. Shifting duties are handled by paddles mounted to the steering wheel. It's also worth noting that this is the first Ferrari that features a head-up display. Want one? Deliveries are scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2020.