Future of Ferrari Previewed by CEO Amedeo Felisa

Ferrari CEO Amedeo Felisa recently gave some incredible insight into the future of the Italian sports car maker. The 65 year-old touched on a few rumors, including that of an entry-level Ferrari.

“You don’t want to understand, do you? Believe me, there is no such Ferrari. We have no intention of increasing our production volume beyond what it takes to satisfy the growing demand of new markets like China and Russia,” Felisa said of a $175,000 Ferrari that some rumored to be a reborn Dino. So it seems we can cross that one off the list one last time, but it appears that Ferrari’s direction will be towards shaving weight from its cars, improving aerodynamic efficiency, and looking for a downsized powerplant for their next entry-level road car.

Currently, Ferrari is putting its finishing touches on the new 599 and is expected to have a V12 powerplant with 700-hp. That same engine is also believed to be in the replacement for the Enzo, which may be known as the F70 come this fall when it finally makes a debut. In the F70 however, the 7.3L V12 could have upwards of 800-hp and the possibility of a KERS package with a 120-hp electric motor. Over 900-hp combined could be interesting, but the idea of a zero-emissions Ferrari is even more intriguing.

Additional details on the F70 include that its weight could come close to the track-only FXX at around 2,550 lbs. Some may even expect it to be faster than the 1001-hp Bugatti Veyron.

There is also a report that a lightweight Ferrari 458 Challenge is due to hit showrooms in mid-2012. The Challenge is expected to be 150 lbs lighter with an increase of 30-hp to an even 600-hp figure.

And lastly, Felisa confirmed that Ferrari has no aspirations to do a four-door sport sedan, or a crossover. They’re leaving that up to Maserati.

[Source: Automobile Mag]