Ferrari sees its future cars as much lighter and smaller than today's models, more high-tech and aerodynamically efficient, yet no less spacious. The Millechilli concept is meant to show what's possible. See pictures of the Ferrari 612 Scaglietti.
2010 Ferrari Millechilli Details
One U.S. source says Ferrari plans to build the Millechilli for sale, starting in 2010, with a turbocharged V10 making over 600 horsepower and a $300,000 price tag. It's a nice idea, but not likely, we think, mainly because the basic Enzo styling is going on six years old.
A more-credible scenario--backed by sightings of test prototypes--is a new "entry-level" Ferrari in the spirit of the much-loved V6 Dino from the late 1960s and early 1970s. Though Maranello denies it plans any such thing, spy photographers have glimpsed test "mules" with shortened Ferrari 599GTB Fiorano bodies, suggesting something new is actually in the works. One British report says that something is a front-engine replacement for the mid-engine F430, known in-house as project F142. It will be another two-seater, but will have a two-piece power-folding hard top, thus obviating the need for separate coupe and convertible models. In line with Ferrari's new "think small" philosophy, F142 is rumored to have a smaller V8 than the F430, but will pack more power thanks to a turbocharger and adoption of direct fuel injection. Also expected are a racing-style "pushrod" suspension, a so-called "ballistic" valvetrain said to maximize high-rpm power, and a system that allegedly uses braking energy to compensate for momentary torque loss during upshifts. Like the Ferrari it replaces, the F142 should be available with a straight six-speed manual transmission and Ferrari's "F1" automated manual.
Best of all, we won't have long to wait for this leaner but meaner street-legal Ferrari. The F142 may not be a driveable Millechilli, but it shapes up as an exciting kickoff for Ferrari's next 60 years.
A Notable Feature of the 2010 Ferrari Millechilli
"Racing improves the breed" is not just a fine old truism at Ferrari. More than most automakers, this company is famous for road cars that incorporate lessons learned at the racetrack, a link that looms large the Ferrari mystique. The Millechilli is no different except in the amount of racing-derived technology it employs. A weight-saving all-aluminum inner structure isn't news anymore, but the concept does envision a lightweight transmission case made of pricey titanium, plus carbon-ceramic brakes, copious carbon-fiber body panels, and track-tested chassis-control software. And despite the "baby Enzo" appearance, Ferrari has made some subtle aerodynamic enhancements, including small "tunnels" that direct air in such a way as to reduce rear-end drag and lift, this to optimize high-speed stability. As noted, the Millechilli is a "pushmobile" with no interior, but Ferrari says a production model would have few power assists, plus fixed seats, a fixed-steering-wheel hub, and manual adjustment for the steering-wheel rim and the foot pedals--all for the sake of that 1000 kilo target.
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