Footage of a partially-camouflaged Ferrari testing at the automaker’s home track in Maranello recently surfaced on YouTube, and oddly enough, it’s making headlines for doing the exact opposite of what Ferraris are known for: engine noise. The lack of it in this case.
This video shows the exact moment when what looks like a Ferrari 488 makes its way around Turn 2 of the iconic race track, before making a full stop right before the kink (Turn 1) that leads to the pits. After a brief pause, the Ferrari accelerates and speeds down the track without making a single sound. The lack of tire noise tells me that the driver didn’t exactly perform a launch sequence in the quest for scorching acceleration, but it’s easy to tell that it wasn’t a granny-style start either.
Could this be an upcoming hybrid version of the 488 GTB or is Ferrari simply performing powertrain testing in its newest mid-engine platform? According to previous reports, all Ferrari models will start being propelled by hybrid powertrains by 2019, and let’s not forget the upcoming Prancing Horse SUV, which would be the perfect platform to roll out a hybrid powerplant.
Ferrari’s range-topping hypercar, the LaFerrari, and its Formula 1 championship contender, the SF71H, both feature hybrid powertrains with high-performance kinetic energy recovery systems, otherwise known as KERS. As electrification technology improves, it will surely trickle down to the “lesser” models, and that’s probably what we’re witnessing in this video.
Should Ferrari go hybrid? Let us know what you think in the comments section.