Click above to view the Ferrari Millechili in our hi-res gallery

While some could rightly wonder what in the world a Ferrari supercar could do to be green, the fact that the Italian manufacturer of super high performance prancing horses cars is interested in cleaning up its act at all probably deserves a measure of commendation. After all, historic rivals Porsche and Lamborghini have proven to be rather stubborn when it comes to changing their ways.

Remember the Ferrari MilleChile concept we showed you last year? Current rumors predict that a vehicle using many of the ideas originally introduced on that cardboard cut-out will make it to production. Green aspects such as direct injection for the rumored V10 engine and lightweight carbon-fiber construction seem likely. Of course, those two aspects would have a desirable effect on performance as well, so we're sure there is more than just green ambitions at play with these rumors.

[Source: Car and Driver via Autoblog]

Remember when we showed you Ferrari's last concept car, the Millechili? Although made of cardboard, the car did offer some very interesting features in an effort to boost Ferrari's green-street-cred. They already have plenty of normal street-cred, as they say, so they decided to go a different route with their new carbon fiber-to-be concept. For one thing, the car was smaller and offered some simple things like non-adjustable seats and low rolling-resistance tires for increased efficiency. On a more technically sophisticated note, the engine was to use direct injection and the drivetrain is a bit of a different type of hybrid which incorporates an electric motor and high-output, low-capacity batteries and an electric motor to take up the motive forces while the car is being shifted.

Autoblog managed to get some more details on the possible production version of the car. No mention is made of any of the eco-friendly high-tech stuff, but the car does seem to remain smaller than what they currently offer. The engine is rumored to be a twin-turbo V8, which should weigh less than their V12 designs. Direct injection seems rather obvious to me, so that very well may be a reality. What I am really wondering, though, is whether the innovative hybrid system will ever see the light of day. Another intriguing possibility which has gone unmentioned is an adaptation of the impending F1 hybrid system which uses a flywheel for storing energy. Also, will the car be E85 capable?

Related:

• The Ferrari Mille Chili eco-concept - picture and details inside!

[Source: Autoblog]

UPDATE: We wanted to make sure that all of our readers are aware that this is just a concept. There is no chance that this vehicle is going to go into production. In fact, the concept is made of paper and wood... which is leaving many a sour taste in their mouths. I'll be honest here... it doesn't bother me at all. In fact, I think it is great. Hear me out... This concept proves that Ferrari, and all of the other high performance vehicle manufacturers know that they are going to need new technology to meet new stringent standards. They are not ready yet, but they are trying to get started. Remember... nobody owns a Tesla Roadster (with the Whitestar sedan just a twinkle in our collective eyes) or Chevy Volt yet either... I'll be sure to do a Devils Advocate post on this one too. That one will be easy!


This morning we brought news that Ferrari was going to unveil an eco-conscious supercar concept, but no details or pictures were yet available. Now, we can officially rectify that problem. To my eye, the vehicle looks like a mini Enzo, which is pretty much what the guys from CAR online think too. Presumably, that would be because the Enzo already featured excellent aerodynamics, plus, it is instantly recognizable as a Ferrari. The Mille Chili concept ups the ante a bit further with it's active aerodynamics - openings in the underbody of the vehicle which can change in size or shape in order to improve airflow or reduce the speed of the vehicle. The powertrain apparently showcases a new type of hybrid powertrain. The main purpose of the system mimics that which is in plans for F1 cars. An electric motor provides small bursts of power, 60kW worth (over 60 horsepower), which is used while the vehicle's gearbox is being shifted. The more important figure would be torque, because that is really what an electric motor is great for, but that is not yet known. While it does not seem that the vehicle would be capable of powering itself for any length of time on electricity alone, a noteworthy increase in efficiency could be realized with a system such as this one, which is also capable of recapturing energy which would normally be lost to friction and heat.

Continue reading for more details about the Ferrari eco-concept!

[Source: car magazine online]