Ferrari Trying To Hold On To V12

As rumors of the next Ferrari Enzo heat up there is speculation and even some concern over what engine is going to make it into the final version of Ferrari's next hypercar.

The V12 has always been an iconic engine for Ferrari, for both it's performance and it's sound, and as much as the signature tone of Ferrari's flat plane V8's are music to your ears, there is nothing quite like a high revving V12. However, as the government is clamping down on all manufacturers emissions, both big and small, and eco credentials are becoming more important than ever, Ferrari are having to fall in line and reconsider the viability of putting a V12 in the next Enzo.

The boss at Ferrari, Amedeo Felisa, has hinted that the new Ferrari Enzo will be powered by a direct-injection twin-turbo V8 when it is launched in 2012.

Reports have long suggested that the new Enzo would be powered by either a V8 or a twin-turbo V6. However, Felisa has ruled out a six-cylinder engine, which i think we are all happy to hear!

“There are no plans for a six-cylinder engine,” Felisa said. “Ferrari will not build a six-cylinder engine until customer attitudes towards smaller engines change".

“The perception today is that the number of cylinders equates to the possibilities of the car. That is why we are developing hybrid technology that can be applied to our V8 and V10 cars. Hybrid means we can protect the V12.

The governmental rulings over emissions states that a portion of a companies emissions must be reduced in order to bring down the overall emissions of each car the manufacturer churns out, or else big fines are heading their way. These rules are of course important for the car giants such as Volkswagen and Fiat who are churning out millions of cars each year with a whacking great C02 contribution, however, Ferrari produce so little cars in comparison and so little miles are driven in a Ferrari compared with normal cars that these emissions policies may come across as unfair in the eyes of the niche manufacturer.

"The issue of emissions for Ferrari is more a political one than a real one. Lowering emissions of every Ferrari will not save the planet, but it will cost us a lot of money" said Felisa.