If you’re looking for proof that you can’t stop progress, Ferrari has it. The Italian brand has reportedly closed the order book for its F8 Tributo, meaning it no longer sells a mid-engine sports car without hybrid help.
While the 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8 lives on in the front-engine Portofino and Roma coupes, the F8 Tributo is seemingly the last in a long-line of mid-engine hero models for the Prancing Horse, dating all the way back to the 308 of the 1970s.
The F8 Tributo was first revealed at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show, replacing the 488 GTB. It’s likely to continue production into 2023 but with all build slots already accounted for it will be phased out at that time.
While Ferrari has never called it a direct replacement for the F8, the 296 GTB effectively does replace it in the range. It’s powered by an all-new hybrid powertrain that combines a 487kW 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 engine (the first production Ferrari V6 since the 1960s) with a 122kW electric motor.
In total the 296 GTB powertrain out-muscles the F8 Tributo – making 610kW compared to 530kW – so fans of performance need not worry that Ferrari is going soft.
There’s also the brand’s flagship supercar, the SF90 Stradale, which pairs the F8’s twin-turbo V8 with a hybrid system to make 722kW.
But the bottom line is, either way, if you want a mid-engine Ferrari sports car you’ll have to buy a hybrid.
It’s a major change for the brand but it’s only the beginning of the story, with Ferrari set to launch an all-electric supercar by 2025. Details around this new battery-powered machine are limited but leaked patent images suggest it will use a mid-mounted battery pack and electric motors on each axle.
The new Ferrari will go up against an increasing number of electric supercars including the already revealed Rimac Nevera and Lotus Evija.
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