Ferrari boss confirms hybrid Enzo replacement in 2012

The main purpose of the recent business statement which served to confirm the Ferrari hybrid Enzo replacement was to announce the results for the first quarter of 2012. Ferrari pulled in revenue of $715+ million US Dollars and net profit of $54.1 million USD through the first three months of 2012 while moving 1,733 new vehicles. This accounted for year over year gains (compared to Q1 2011) of 13.2% in revenue, 17.2% in net profit and 11.5% in vehicles delivered. In addition, the company saw growth of 16% in the US, 31% in the UK, 24% in Germany and 23% in the Middle East – with the company statement giving a special nod to the US market as the company’s “most important market”. The company also saw a 10% increase in “brand activities”, which includes things like licensing and other forms of income that are not directly based on the sale of vehicles.

Ferrari attributes much of the company’s success through the first quarter of 2012 to the popularity of the new Ferrari Four, the Ferrari California, and the coupe/convertible versions of the Ferrari 458. The company also boasts that 100% of the Ferrari models sold this year have been fully customized by their new Tailor Made program, which allows each buyer to personalize every inch of the car – inside and out. These first quarter results do not include the new Ferrari F12 Berlinetta, which will begin reaching buyers from the 50 Ferrari dealerships around the globe later this year.

Toward the end of the press release addressing Ferrari’s 2012 first quarter success was the following quote by Chairman Luca di Montezemolo:
"After an extraordinary 2011, starting the year with all the economic indicators on the rise is very satisfying indeed. We have a complete new model range brimming with technological innovations, and which deliver significant reductions in fuel consumption and emissions, down by 30 per cent on average. At the end of the year, we'll also be unveiling the new Enzo, a limited series model and our first ever hybrid car."

There you have it…after months of speculation, rumors and hints…Ferrari has formally announced that the hybrid drivetrain revealed earlier this year will indeed be the powerplant tucked under the skin of the vehicle planned to serve as the halo Ferrari supercar. This “new Enzo”, as it is referred to by the company boss, has been called the F70 over the past few months and the last big piece of news on the Enzo replacement came in late April at the Beijing Motor Show in China when a Ferrari CEO confirmed that the newest version of the company’s HY-KERS hybrid drive system would indeed power the new range-topping Ferrari (click here for more on that announcement). Thanks to the announcement from chairman Montezemolo – we know that we can expect to see this new Prancing Horse around the end of the 2012 calendar year.

Few specifics are known about the new Ferrari Enzo (or the F70, if you prefer) but many expect that this car will carry a curb weight down around 2,500 pounds with a power output in the range of 920 horsepower. Should those figures be realistic when the new Enzo meets production – this new Ferrari halo hypercar could very likely challenge the Bugatti Veyron’s claim of being the fastest car on the planet. The Veyron packs a bit more power but the brawny Bugatti tips the scales at well over 4,000 pounds so in terms of power to weight ratio – the Ferrari F70 could sent the new standard for supercars around the world.

Click here for a closer look at the new Ferrari V12 hybrid drivetrain and stay tuned to TorqueNews.com for all of your top automotive news and reviews!