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Ferrari recalling 85 LaFerraris under two separate campaigns [UPDATE]

Of the recalls we see on a regular basis, million-dollar exotic supercars don't often pop up. But that's exactly what we have on our hands today as Ferrari North America and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have issued a pair of recalls for all 85 examples of the flagship LaFerrari hybrid hypercar in the United States. The first of the recall campaigns revolves around the headrests, which "may not absorb the required amount of energy" and therefore fail to comply with the federal safety requirements. The issue involves the larger L32 seat supplied by Lear, fitted as standard for the passenger and optional for the driver's seat. Addressing the issue will require dealers to replace the headrests. The second recall involves the Tire Pressure Monitoring System, which – in the event of a puncture – will display the wrong message. Instead of telling the driver not to proceed on the punctured tire, as apparently required under federal regulations, the system would (as currently programmed) tell the driver to keep driving, but not above 50 miles per hour. Ferrari dealers will need to update the software to fix the problem. These recalls do not represent the first time Ferrari has called in the hybrid hypercar over a potential safety issue. This past March, owners were offered the opportunity to have the fuel tanks replaced. However, unlike these latest campaigns that are being handled in coordination with the NHTSA, Ferrari insisted that the previous fuel tank issue did not constitute a recall. UPDATE: Ferrari North America confirms that no accidents or injuries have been reported to have resulted from either of these issues, which will be addressed in other markets as well - including Canada, where a further 11 units are affected. In order to fix the seat issue, "a small insert will be added to the back of the (large size only) seat headrest." Rectifying both issues "will take approximately an hour of service." Related Video: RECALL Subject : Headrest Impact Energy Absorbtion/FMVSS 202a Report Receipt Date: MAY 22, 2015 NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V305000 Component(s): SEATS Potential Number of Units Affected: 85 Manufacturer: Ferrari North America, Inc. SUMMARY: Ferrari North America, Inc. (FNA) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 LaFerrari vehicles manufactured May 15, 2014, to March 4, 2015. The affected vehicles have L32 seats as standard equipment for the passenger seat and as optional equipment for the driver seat.

Are supercars becoming less special?

There's little doubt that we are currently enjoying the golden age of automotive performance. Dozens of different models on sale today make over 500 horsepower, and seven boast output in excess of 700 hp. Not long ago, that kind of capability was exclusive to supercars – vehicles whose rarity, performance focus, and requisite expense made them aspirational objects of desire to us mortals. But more than that, supercars have historically offered a unique driving experience, one which was bespoke to a particular model and could not be replicated elsewhere. But in recent years, even the low-volume players have been forced to find the efficiencies and economies of scale that formerly hadn't been a concern for them, and in turn the concept of the supercar as a unique entity unto itself is fading fast. The blame doesn't fall on one particular manufacturer nor a specific production technique. Instead, it's a confluence of different factors that are chipping away at the distinction of these vehicles. It's not all bad news – Lamborghini's platform sharing with Audi for the Gallardo and the R8 yielded a raging bull that was more reliable and easier to live with on a day-to-day basis, and as a result it went on to become the best-selling Lambo in the company's history. But it also came at the cost of some of the Italian's exclusivity when eerily familiar sights and sounds suddenly became available wearing an Audi badge. Even low-volume players have been forced to find economies of scale. Much of this comes out of necessity, of course. Aston Martin's recent deal with Mercedes-AMG points toward German hardware going under the hood and into the cabin of the upcoming DB11, and it's safe to assume that this was not a decision made lightly by the Brits, as the brand has built a reputation for the bespoke craftsmanship of its vehicles. There's little doubt that the DB11 will be a fine automobile, but the move does jeopardize some of the characteristic "specialness" that Astons are known for. Yet the world is certainly better off with new Aston Martins spliced with DNA from Mercedes-AMG rather than no new Astons at all, and the costs of developing cutting-edge drivetrains and user interfaces is a burden that's becoming increasingly difficult for smaller manufacturers to bear. Even Ferrari is poised to make some dramatic changes in the way it designs cars.

Ecclestone wonders if F1's upcoming turbo V6s should get augmented sound [w/videos]

While every team on the Formula One grid is worried about making a good showing in this year's championship at the same time as they develop a brand-new car for next year's championship, Bernie Ecclestone and F1 circuit promoters have a different concern: how next year's cars will sound. The current cars use 2.4-liter, naturally-aspirated V8s that can reach 18,000 revolutions per minute and employ dual exhaust, next year's engine formula calls for 1.4-liter turbocharged V6s that are capped at 15,000 rpm and are constrained to a single exhaust outlet. Ecclestone and promoters like Ron Walker believe the new engines sound like lawnmowers and that the less thrilling audio will keep people from coming to races. If Walker's Australian Grand Prix really is shelling out almost $57 million to hold the race, every ticket counts. As a fix, according to a report in Autoweek, Ecclestone "suggests that the only way to guarantee [a good sound] may be to artificially adjust the tone of the V6s."
However, neither the manufacturers nor the governing body of F1, the FIA, think there will be a problem. Ecclestone fears that if the manufacturers "don't get it right" they'll simply leave the sport, but the only three carmakers and engine builders left next year, Renault (its 2014 "power unit" is pictured), Mercedes-Benz and Ferrari are so embedded that it would stretch belief to think they'd leave the table over an audio hiccup - if said hiccup even occurs. And frankly, these issues always precede changes to engine formulas, as they did when the formula switched from V10 to V8; fans, though, are probably less focused on the engines and more on the mandated standardization of the sport and the spec-series overtones that have come with it.
No one knows yet what next year's engines will sound like, but we've assembled a few videos below to help us all start guessing. The first is an engine check on an Eighties-era John Player Special Renault with a 1.5-liter V6 turbo, after that is Ayrton Senna qualifying in 1986 in the Lotus 98T that also had a 1.5-liter V6 turbo, then you'll find a short with a manufactured range of potential V6 engine notes, and then the sound of turbocharged V6 Indycars testing last year at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Any, or none of them, could be Formula One's future.