As heated as the supercar arms race can get, the battle amongst the more affordable performance cars can get just as cutthroat. Porsche has entrenched itself in this slot, and with cars like the Mercedes AMG GT and McLaren 570S gunning for it, that grip is looking more tenuous. If the latest rumor is true, Ferrari might jump in the mix and knock it clean off.
According to a tweet by Motor Trend writer Jonny Lieberman, Ferrari has a twin-turbo six-cylinder car in the works for 2019. Priced around $180,000, roughly $20,000 less than the California T’s starting price.
HOT SCOOP: Ferrari has a TT V6 car coming, aimed at Porsche Turbo S, AMG GT, and McLaren 570S. $180K, 2019 #ferrari #dino #dinolives #NYIAS
— Jonny Lieberman (@mt_loverman) April 5, 2015
This has been a rumor that’s been kicking around for some time, but talk of an “entry level” Ferrari seems to make a lot more sense these days. First off, Ferrari tends to stick to the method of producing superior race cars and basing road cars from that technology. Formula 1 is currently running with turbocharged V6 engines, so it makes sense that Ferrari might bring this into a production car of some kind.
Secondly, as mentioned above, many sports car manufacturers have been introducing performance models that remain at a premium price, but at more attainable than the $300K supercar watermark. Also, Ferrari was subjected to many internal shakeups recently: CEO Luca Di Montezemolo stepped down after 23 years as chairman of the brand while the CEO of Ferrari’s parent company, FCA, assumed the role.
It’s been known that FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne feels Ferrari was not tapping its full potential in a bid to remain prestigious and exclusive. Perhaps commissioning a more attainable Ferrari was his first move in doing so.
In any case, We’ll have to see if any other leaks or rumors come along to solidify this claim. 2019 is a long way to go, and while we’re waiting for Ferrari to do something, other car companies will be securing their positions in the meantime.