Mighty LaFerrari

During the developmental stages of the Ferrari Enzo successor it was known by a variety of names including the F70 and the F150 Project but when the most powerful Ferrari debuted at the Geneva Motor Show – it came with a name intended to signify that this is truly the most incredible Ferrari ever built. As I said when LaFerrari debuted…this isn’t just another Ferrari – this is THE Ferrari.

LaFerrari follows in the footsteps of some truly remarkable sports cars including the GTO, the F40, the F50 and the mighty Enzo but in developing LaFerrari, the engineers wanted to build more than just a high performance supercar…so they made it an ultra high performance hybrid. The result is a supercar that is fitting of the LaFerrari name with technical specifications and details that make it one of the most remarkable vehicles in the history of the automotive industry. Not only is LaFerrari the most powerful road going Ferrari ever built but thanks to the race proven HY-KERS hybrid assist system, LaFerrari is also one of the most efficient.

LaFerrari is powered by a high revving V12 that churns out an impressive 789 horsepower and 516lb-ft of torque but with the HY-KERS hybrid assist setup, the overall output of LaFerrari sits at 950 horsepower and “greater than” 664lb-ft of torque. This power is channeled to the rear wheels via a 7-speed dual clutch automatic that helps the 2,400 pound LaFerrari rip from a stop to 62 miles per hour in “under 3 seconds” with a top speed that is promised to top 217 miles per hour. Ferrari has yet to offer exact performance figures (0-62, top speed, etc) but I would be willing to bet that they will be equal or very, very close to those posted by the Lamborghini Veneno. 499 examples of LaFerrari will be built with a selling price of $1.5 million US dollars and Sergio Marchionne has stated that they are all spoken for.

Click here for a complete look at LaFerrari including images.

A quick rundown of the vitals:
Vehicle: Lamborghini Veneno/LaFerrari (bolded)
Production numbers: 3 / 499
Price: $4.6 million / $1.5 million
Engine: 6.5L V12 / 6.3L V12 with hybrid assist
Horsepower:740 / 950
Lb-Ft of Torque:Not Available / >664
Transmission: 7-speed automated manual / 7-speed dual clutch automatic
Drive: Permanent all wheel / Rear wheel
Curb Weight: 3,190lb / 2,420lb
0-62: 2.8s / Below 3.0s
Top Speed: 221mph / >217mph
Intangibles: Full race car design / Race proven hybrid drive system

When you look at many of the statistics side by side, LaFerrari seems to have a substantial advantage with a considerably lower curb weight and around 210 more horsepower while likely also having a significant advantage in torque. However, the fact that the Lamborghini Veneno utilizes the full carbon fiber body and chassis with a state of the art all wheel drive system, allowing this heavier and less powerful vehicle to post preliminary performance figures that are better than those offer by LaFerrari indicate that the Lamborghini makes better use of the available power.

LaFerrari has gobs more power and is more efficient thanks to the HY-KERS hybrid assist system but the Lamborghini Veneno will seemingly be the quicker and faster of the two. As much as I would like to side with the stunning sharp lines and the performance advantage of the Lambo – I have to pick LaFerrari as the better of the two new Italian supercars. Add to the 950 horsepower drivetrain and the hybrid efficiency of LaFerrari a price tag that is less than a third of the Veneno while also being easier (in theory) to get with 496 more copies sold to the public – LaFerrari is deserving of the title of being the world’s greatest supercar…For now.

Between the Lamborghini Veneno and LaFerrari, which supercar do you think is deserving of being named the greatest supercar in the world? Tell us in the comments below!

2013 Lamborghini Veneno

March 4, 2013. In the year of its 50th anniversary Automobili Lamborghini is presenting an extremely exclusive model at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show. Only three unique units of the Lamborghini Veneno will be built and sold. Its design is consistently focused on optimum aerodynamics and cornering stability, giving the Veneno the real dynamic experience of a racing prototype, yet it is fully homologated for the road. With a maximum output of 552 kW / 750 hp, the Lamborghini Veneno accelerates from 0-100 km/h in just 2.8 seconds and the top speed for this street-legal racing car stands at 355 km/h. It is priced at three million Euros plus tax - and all three units have already been sold to customers.

The Lamborghini Veneno features a twelve-cylinder power unit with a displacement of 6.5 liters, an extremely fast-shifting 7-speed ISR transmission with 5 driving modes and permanent all-wheel drive, as well as a racing chassis with pushrod suspension and horizontal spring/damper units. Above all, however, the Veneno benefits from the very special expertise that Automobili Lamborghini possesses in the development and execution of carbon-fiber materials - the complete chassis is produced as a CFRP monocoque, as is the outer skin of this extreme sports car. The inside, too, features innovative, Lamborghini-patented materials such as Forged Composite and CarbonSkin.

Fully in keeping with the tradition of the brand, the name of the Veneno originates from a legendary fighting bull. Veneno is the name of one of the strongest and most aggressive fighting bulls ever. He is also famous for being one of the fastest bulls in the history of bullfighting. His name became popular in 1914, when he fatally wounded the famous torero José Sánchez Rodríguez during the bullfight in the arena Sanlúcar de Barrameda's, Andalusia, Spain. 


The Lamborghini Veneno brings the aerodynamic efficiency of a racing prototype to the road. Every detail of its form pursues a clear function - exceptional dynamics, optimum downforce with minimal drag and perfect cooling of the high-performance engine. Yet the Veneno is unmistakably a Lamborghini; it sticks firmly to the consistent design philosophy of all the super sports cars from Sant'Agata Bolognese. That includes the extreme proportions, as well as the powerfully arrow-shaped front end and the interplay between razor-sharp lines and precise surfaces.

The entire front end of the Lamborghini Veneno has been laid out for perfect airflow and downforce. The front end works as a large aerodynamic wing. Large channels guide the air to the outlets in the front hood and in front of the windshield, as well as to the front wheels. Characteristic for Lamborghini is the Y shape of the angular headlamps that reach well into the fenders as well as the scissor doors.

The division of the fenders from the car body is a reference to the world of sport prototypes and optimizes at the same time the aerodynamic flow. The side line of the Veneno is therefore dominated by enormous sills and the mighty wheel arches front and rear. Here, too, sophisticated aerodynamics ensure perfect airflow to the large openings for engine cooling and intake air.

Just like the front end, the rear of the Lamborghini Veneno has also been optimized for underbody aerodynamics and high speed cornering stability. The smooth underbody transitions into a substantial diffuser framing the four sizable exhaust pipes divided by a splitter to increase the level of downforce peak. Large openings serve to ventilate the engine bay and manage the airflow to the rear wing, with the only sealed area at the rear being reserved for the license plate. The rear lights, including brake lights, indicator lights and fog lights, pick up the Y theme as well. The engine cover sports six wedge-shaped openings, with the focus here, too, on optimum dissipation of heat from the engine. The engine cover extends into a large central "shark" fin, which improves efficiency during braking and rear-end stability, by delivering additional downforce at high yaw angles and thus increasing the high-speed cornering performance. 

The Veneno is further proof of Automobili Lamborghini's unique competence in CFRP-based lightweight design. A monocoque made from carbon-fiber reinforced polymer forms the basis of the Veneno. It is largely similar to the Aventador monocoque - as are the aluminum sub-frames front and rear - although its form has been adapted to the new design. All exterior parts are made from CFRP. The Lamborghini Veneno meets all safety and registration requirements worldwide, and naturally also incorporates a full complement of safety systems from airbags through to the adapted ESP handling system.

Carbon fiber dominates the interior of the Lamborghini Veneno, too. The carbon fiber monocoque becomes visible inside the car in the area of the central tunnel and the sills. The two lightweight bucket seats are made from Lamborghini's patented Forged Composite. The woven carbon-fiber CarbonSkin® is used to clad the entire cockpit, part of the seats and the headliner. This unique material is soaked in a very special kind of resin that stabilizes the fiber structure, while allowing the material to remain supple. Like a hi-tech fabric, this extremely fine-looking carbon-fiber matting fits perfectly to any form, and it reduces weight.

The racing personality has been transferred also to the instrument panel. It has been completely redesigned and now, thanks to an aggressive graphics and to the introduction of some additional features like the G-meter, provides all necessary information to the driver for control of the car.