Hold your rearing horse, Ferrari; you can add hybrid powertrains to your riotous cars all you want. But, please, don’t make V6 models.
What you see above is a patent rendering for what is believed to be the replacement for the Ferrari California convertible. How can you tell it’s a convertible? The cut lines in the roof are the biggest hint of a hardtop, folding unit.
It’s widely believed that this new Ferrari will be front-engined and feature a hybrid powertrain. That isn’t the shocking bit, though. No, what’s really got my blood boiling is that it’s a V6 engine under that well-sculpted hood.
Which V6 could it be? If Autocar is to believed, it’ll be the 3.8-liter twin-turbo six-pot motor that drives the new Maserati Quattroporte. Under the hood of a Maserati, this engine makes 483 horsepower and 375 pound-feet of torque. In the hands of the Ferrari boys, though, it’ll make 523 hp and 523 lb-ft. Not so bad, I guess.
Six-cylinders are fine for your BMW M4s and your Jaguar F-Types. I just feel, though, that Ferrari should stick to engines divisible by four.
I get it, though. Ferrari has to meet economy standards across the globe and a V6 hybrid would do quite nicely. I’m just not going to be happy about it. I mean, that is, until I drive it. Then I’ll love it and eat crow. ‘Til then, though, I’ll be shaking my fist at Ferrari.
Photo credits: Autocar
