I’ve always believed supercars peaked at some point between the 1980s and 1990s. Cars like the Ferrari F40 and F50, Porsche 959, and the McLaren F1 are technical exercises that not only pushed the limits two or three decades ago, but are still relevant today from a performance standpoint.
But that was then. Supercars from that era still have a special place in my heart, but their successors take performance to a level that would otherwise be unimaginable. Just look at the LaFerrari — it’s a striking masterpiece that happens to sound absolutely ferocious. It really is the Ferrari. And finally, thanks to Autocar, we know what it’s like to drive.
As a refresher, the LaFerrari is powered by a 6.2-litre V12 engine rated at 790 brake horsepower and 715 lb.-ft. of torque. As if that somehow isn’t enough, the LaFerrari has a Formula One-inspired hybrid Kinetic Energy Recovery System (HY-KERS), which conveniently bumps up brake horsepower to an astounding 950. All of that is fed to the rear wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
So, how does it drive? Autocar‘s Steve Stutcliffe summarizes it well: “Too often in life, you can look forward to things so much that when they actually happen, they can’t help but be an anticlimax. Driving the LaFerrari at Fiorano, however, is not likely to ever be one of those occasions.”
If you’re one for fierce-sounding exhaust notes and powersliding supercars, watch the full video below:
