Let the Glorious V12 Roar On
Nothing says Ferrari like a V12. The 12-cylinder engine has been one of the hallmarks of the top-of-the-line Prancing Horse models for a long time. The engine in a Ferrari car is an iconic feature. That’s why the company says it wants to keep the V12 in its lineup without having to mess with it.
That means no turbochargers and no hybridization. The Italian automaker wants to continue with the naturally aspirated version of the engine in its lineup. It would make sense for the company to do so. There will likely always be a certain group of folks who want a Ferrari with a V12.
When discussing hybridization with Top Gear, Ferrari technical chief Michael Leiters said that you have to downsize the gasoline engine, and the V12 is not a downsized engine.
A naturally aspirated V12 engine is not a downsized engine, and for me it doesn’t make sense as a hybrid. We will fight for the V12, of course. We will do everything we can to keep it as it is core to our brand. But a real hybridization of the V12? I don’t see it.
With that in mind, it will be interesting to see how the company moves forward with the V12. Leiters told Top Gear that he and the rest of Ferrari will have to look at emissions moving forward. That could make a V12 more difficult to produce than ever before.
