A 4x4 Hybrid Ferrari?

Before images of a Scaglietti with mud tyres and raised gas shocks spring forth, it looks as though the all-wheel drive hybrid technology under consideration is all about performance...

By Gareth Dean

Rumours of Ferrari’s intention to field a 4x4 have been doing the rounds for a good couple of years, so when the company recently submitted patent applications for an all-wheel drive hybrid drivetrain the rumour-mongers became excited once again...but to no avail. This system is more about the pin-sharp handling for which the Modena firm’s wares are famed rather than mud-plugging.

A number of variations of the four-wheel drive hybrid system have been put forward with the idea being to separate the roles of the engine and the electric motor. Basically, the petrol engine powers one pair of wheels while the electric motor can be brought in to power the others. The designs include a set up that shows the wheels being driven by a standard differential, as well as another that illustrates the use of electric motors located in the wheel hubs. In all cases, the engine powers a generator which feeds an on-board battery that, in turn, drives the wheels. Ferrari has conceived the design to be applicable to both front- and rear-engined models.

Rather than placing the emphasis on lowering fuel consumption, Ferrari’s system focuses on improving vehicle handling characteristics. According to Ferrari, this set up forms a sort of “part-time” four-wheel drive system that side steps the complexity, additional weight, and frictional losses an equivalent mechanical system would endure.

The application states that, “The four-wheel drive that can be engaged enables the driver of the automobile to decide whether to use the rear drive or the four-wheel drive; in this way, the driver can use the rear drive in optimal conditions of adherence and can use the four- wheel drive in poor conditions of adherence”.

There is also talk of an on-board rain and temperature sensor being integrated into the system to automatically activate four-wheel drive running in bad weather. Similarly, feedback from the car’s chassis electronics could also bring the system into play when the driver is pushing the car hard.

Although no firm mention was made of Environmental benefits, there is a strong possibility that Ferrari’s engineers may couple this drivetrain with a start-stop system in order to reduce fuel consumption and emissions. This system could also be utilized in urban driving, allowing the car to pull away from a standing start using the electric motor and engaging the petrol engine at speeds over 16 km/h.

It’s an interesting concept that may alleviate some of the anti-performance sentiment that hybrid technology has been lumbered with. Although the idea of Ferrari whirring away from standstill while the engine sits idle would take some getting used to…