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Ferrari officially teases hybrid V8 before official reveal

This is Ferrari's official teaser for the V8 hybrid debuting this week, so let the Photoshop and parsing games begin. Among what we'll call the traditional supercar makers — Ferrari, Lamborghini, and McLaren — the Maranello outfit takes the first dive into the hybrid pool, and they're going to make a show of it. The motorcycle rider who ran down the prototype a few weeks ago looks to have been correct about the rectangular taillights. The last time we saw anything other than round taillights on a production Ferrari was on the much-loved Testarossa and the much unloved 348. There's some deliberate obfuscation going on, unsurprisingly. In the teaser, the rear wing stands up extra tall in the middle. The wing on the prototype spotted last week carries across the car from fender to fender; you can trace the line it makes around the rear three-quarter underneath the camouflage. Based on where there's mesh in the camouflage paneling to let air through, our guess is that the wing does more than channel air under its middle as on the F8 Tributo. And we'll wait to see if the twin exhaust outlet truly dominate the backside like bazookas. VIP clientele have apparently been headed to Maranello as of this morning, ready to witness a three-day event for the production sports car that will sit above the 812 Superfast and below whatever succeeds the LaFerrari. Eyes in Italy say there's a large tent at the Fiorano circuit erected just for the cause. Word is that Ferrari will reveal the car online around the same time as VIP showing, with an in-the-sheetmetal showing sometime next month, perhaps at Le Mans. Ferrari hybrid supercar View 9 Photos

Ferrari FF spotted testing, may get new turbo engine

With the introduction of the turbocharged Ferrari 488 GTB at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show, the FF is about to be the oldest model in the Ferrari lineup. The Prancing Horse doesn't appear to want the 2+2 shooting brake getting too much longer in the tooth, though, if this prototype is any indication. This one wears all of its camouflage around the lower grille and hood, and the tape makes it look like Ferrari is trying to direct air to some new ducting under its bodywork. Beyond just some updated styling, these changes suggest something different is going on under the hood. One possibility stems from an earlier rumor that Ferrari's V12 models could get hybrids to be more efficient and boost power. Alternatively, other rumors suggest that the FF might get the 3.9-liter turbocharged V8 from the California T and 488 GTB to create a new, entry-level model. Ferrari has already been caught on video lapping an FF around the Fiorano test track. It looked relatively normal except for some odd exhausts poking out the rear, which weren't on display for this test car. In any case, one thing is certain: The Prancing Horse definitely has something in the works for its all-wheel drive wagon.

Ex-Ferrari chairman sounds off on IPO

Former Ferrari chairman Luca di Montezemolo preferred to put exclusivity over profits when he ran the company, and the lower volume still meant huge amounts of cash for the business. FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne has since taken over Ferrari, but that hasn't stopped di Montezemolo from voicing his opinions. "I hope that the clients will remain more important than the analyst or the investor or the financial markets," di Montezemolo said prior to his induction into the Automotive Hall of Fame in Detroit, the Detroit Free Press reported. The former chairman argued that once on the stock exchange, a company would need to maximize profits quarter after quarter to keep investors happy. Conversely, di Montezemolo said Ferrari's years of success came from an "exclusivity in terms of number of cars, exclusivity in terms of how you deal with the clients." When di Montezemolo left Ferrari last year, he and Marchionne were scuffling about the future of the brand, including the health of the Formula 1 program. With the change in leadership, the company has reversed course in some ways. Where volume was previously kept around 7,000 units annually, the carmaker has set a new goal of closer to 10,000. The paperwork was filed for the IPO, and Marchionne thinks the company could be worth over $11 billion. The actual shares are rumored to go on sale in October. Related Video: