Ferrari F50
In the early days, almost 50 years ago, Ferrari built cars which
could be used, with only a few minor alterations, for Formula 1 or Sport events.
However, as Formula 1 cars evolved, it became impossible for
someone who was not a team driver or a collector capable of passing a series of
private tests on the track, to take the wheel of a racing Ferrari. Today Ferrari
has decided to give all its clients the possibility of experiencing this emotion
again. Ferrari's response to this technological challenge is the F50.
The F50 adopts the same constructional criteria as a Formula 1 car, putting it at the
service of our roads and their constraints.
The carbon fibre monocoque which encloses the aeronautical rubber
fuel tank, the V12 engine that acts as a bearing structure for the
gearbox-differential-rear suspension assembly, the pushrod suspension, and separate
band braking system all reproduce the basic principles of a racing car. But the
project was interpreted to bring the outstanding concept into the dimension of normal,
safe use in all situations.
The outcome of this work by Ferrari engineers is a car with a
specific power output of 109 HP/litre and a chassis that combines unbeatable
performance with pinpoint handling and total safety even in unexpected or
extraordinary circumstances.
The design is deliberately without any styling indulgence so as to
emphasise the demands for practicality and performance of the car. The surfaces
envelop the mechanicals in a single sweep from the front air intake to the rear
spoiler, volumes are kept to the minimum required by the project. Pininfarina
succeeded in designing shapes that recall the great prototypes of the years of the
World Marque Championship.
The traits that distinguish the car all have a specific technical
motivation
- Front bonnet deeply scored by the radiator air vents
- Fixed headlights, which are lighter and more aerodynamic
- The shape of the front spoiler, which is rounded at the centre to help the
passage of air under the body
- Very rounded, wraparound windscreen like those of group C prototype cars
- Large lateral air intakes to cool the engine bay, enclosed by the underbody
fairing
- Rear spoiler stretching the whole width of the car to balance the negative lift
of the underbody.
The volume is broken down into distinct surfaces:
- The two linear sides and the upper surface are linked but not integrated;
- The lateral and upper air flows were kept separate to optimise the car's
aerodynamic efficiency.
- The sides are vertical to minimize wheel arch encumbrance and feed the air intakes
more efficiently.
- The front wings are much in evidence because of the size of the wheels, but
particularly because of the low bonnet and windscreen base.
- The raised spoiler emerges from a gentle movement of the side, and completes it
naturally.
- The cabin is cozy, with a gently sloping wraparound windscreen.
This shape, due both to architectural constraints and to improved visibility and
access to the car, harks back to the closed racing car, running against the tide and
the extreme use of increasingly sloping windscreens.
The car is decorated with a hip-level black groove, which, together with the shape
of the air intakes and rear light clusters, represents an element of styling
continuity, inherited from the F40.
The body is built entirely of composite material with carbon fibre, Kevlar by Cytec Aerospace and Nomex honeycomb.
A special conversion element was designed to point up the car's sporty characteristics by creating a dual configuration, Berlinetta or Barchetta.
On the Berlinetta version the function of the integral hard top is to complement the structural elements.
On the Barchetta version the bodywork element incorporates the anchorage points for two anti-roll bars.
The engine can be seen through part of the engine cover which is transparent and contains aerodynamic air vents.
Five colours are available: red, red Barchetta, yellow, black and grey
Nurburgring.
Aerodynamics played an important role during the first draft of the project specifications for the following reasons:
- Highly advanced car in terms of performance
- Link between the internal aerodynamic components (cross-flows) and surface layer
flows
- Balance between aerodynamic loads in the dual configuration (Berlinetta and
Barchetta) because of the high performance.
The designer respected the constraints of the project, respecting and enhancing the fluid-dynamic
requirements by:
- The bonnet which has the dual function of eliminating the heat of the radiating
mass and contributing significantly to the front vertical load
- The shape of the front bumper, with an entrance that allows the air flow to hit
the underbody without separating, for a good vacuum field on the surface of the car
underbody and therefore of the vertical load on the axles. The Cz (negative lift
effect) is 0.372.
- The FX-63-137 profile of the rear wing is particularly suited to the
characteristic Reynold numbers of the car, due to the integration of the rear
vertical load.
- The shape of the element for conversion to the Barchetta configuration cancels
the reverse-flow effect to improve comfort inside the cabin.
The interior was designed with rationality, functionality, and ergonomics in
mind to ensure that the F50 could be driven in safety. Great attention went into every detail.
The composite seats are upholstered in Connolly leather and special transpiring
material. They come in two sizes, standard and large. The driving position is fully adjustable, including the pedals - the control pads adjust to the driver's shoe size.
There is also a heel rest, similar to the one used in Formula 1, to simplify fast driving.
The gear shift is the classic Ferrari unit, with grooved selector, lever, and knob all in composite.
The rearview mirror was shaped to improve visibility in both configurations.
All service controls were specially designed to guarantee ergonomic and practical use.
The climate control unit was designed for maximum thermal comfort, even when the car is open, and it operates with the environment-friendly gas R134A.
The furnishings are completed by four Connolly leather pouches and a courtesy
light that serves as a map light when necessary. For racing use the car fits
an FIA standard anti-roll bar and 4-point seat belt attachments. The straightforward, but extremely efficient dashboard adopts the system designed for F1.
Instrument control is managed entirely by an 8 bit microcomputer. The main LCD display with 130 elements measures
11.0 inches x 6.4 inches, and is transparency lit by electro-luminescent bulbs.
The major functions are the rev-counter and mileage counter. A panel of tell-tales is positioned to one
side with numerous ideograms that refer to the various alarm signals. It also includes a statistics bank which incorporates a crash record that
memorises the various use and mission profile parameters of the car. The gear engaged is calculated by matching engine
RPM to the car's speed, and is displayed on the panel.
The chassis of the F50 is made entirely of Cytec Aerospace
carbon fibre. It weighs 225 lbs, with a torsional rigidity of 25,677 lb. ft./°.
Like a racing car, the fuel tank, which is made of a rubber compound, is positioned in a protected place behind the driver, in front of the engine and rear axle assembly.
The result is in advanced driving position, with the weight divided 42% and 58% between the front and rear axles.
This influenced the design of the windscreen which is very advanced and therefore only marginally curved.
The attachment points of the suspension and engine-gearbox assembly are light alloy inserts co-polymerized to the chassis.
This means outstanding dependability in terms of resistance to fatigue. To
optimise the structure that makes up the fulcrum of the entire system, even from the safety viewpoint, finite element calculation techniques were
employed using programs which include sandwich elements and multi-ply shells, typical of laminated composite structures.
Design and testing had to tackle and solve the question of long-term stability of dimensional and structural elements.
Tests were carried out on computerised vibration benches based on the car's mission profile.
The engine acts as a support for the suspension, rear bumper and bodywork elements.
To guarantee perfect suspension operation, the engine-gearbox-differential assembly is attached to the chassis by rigid elements.
This is the first time the system has been used on a road car, enabling the engine to combine
it's propulsive function with that of a structural element.
The suspension system of the F50 is derived from Formula 1 and maintains its peculiar characteristics, proposing the technical ideas experimented on racing cars for use on normal roads.
The length of the arms was chosen to keep track and camber changes to a
minimum during wheel wobble. The front and rear suspension have wishbones and reaction arms that act on spring and damper by way of a push-rod system. The dampers were specially developed by Bilstein.
To guarantee a tendency to under steer, the front track is wider than the rear track. The
spring / damper control mechanism is linked to an electronic damper control system, managed by ECU on the basis of lateral acceleration, the steering angle, and longitudinal acceleration.
To guarantee the setup and maximum precision in wheel movement over the
ground all the joints linking the suspension to the chassis are rigid, as they are on racing cars.
On the rear axle the suspension arms are fixed to an intermediate element between the engine and the gearbox, which acts as an oil tank, as it does in Formula 1.
The length of the arms improves the contact between the wheels and the ground, considerably reducing sweep and improving
road holding. The hub carriers are made of a special hot forged aluminum
alloy which increases rigidity and significantly reduces weight.
Great care went into the definition of performance in terms of soft and hard handling.
The damping control software processes the information it receives from a series of sensors mounted in the car.
This means the best degree of damping in all conditions to optimise contact between wheel and ground, reducing the variations in ground load.
Variations due to acceleration are also controlled by the system which reduces
body shell movement to stabilise the aerodynamic efficiency and guarantee directional stability.
Damping is also varied according to speed, independently of this system, which makes for greater comfort and improves performance at higher speeds.
Electronic damping control based on speed improves comfort at low speed and behaviour at high speed.
Racing has achieved its most extraordinary progress in the field of braking.
The F50 proposes the braking effect of a racing car, with a system designed with Brembo, that is as simple as it is effective.
The braking system of the F50 has four cast iron discs, 1.3 inches thick, 14.0 inches at the front and 13.2 inches at the rear, splined directly on the aluminum hub.
The calipers are in aluminium with four larger ground cylinders like those used
in Formula 1. The braking system was sized so that it would not need servo-assistance.
The smoothness with which the system cuts in, convinced technicians that an anti-wheel lock system was not necessary.
Disc ventilation is guaranteed by a jet of air on the hubs and the air is then aspirated by the disc ventilation effect.
The special caliper of the hand brake acts on the rear discs. Cooling is guaranteed by dynamic air intakes front and rear.
Formula 1 regulations directed technical decisions towards aspirated engines.
The F50 proposes the same solution with the Ferrari 12 cylinder lay-out in a narrow
V with a nodular cast iron crankcase. The engine capacity was raised to 286.7 cu. in. to achieve a high power output while maintaining the drivability of a road car.
The crankcase is nodular cast iron with integral Nikasil-coated liners.
The crank shafts are supported by seven main bearings with tri-metallic anti-friction bearings.
The con rods are made of titanium Ti6al4V alloy for constant use and full dependability at high speed.
The pistons are made by Mahle in forged aluminum alloy to a specific design to achieve a marked squish effect.
The oil sump is of the dry type with three oil recovery pumps and one input pump; oil circuit capacity is 3.0
gallons. The outstanding performances are obtained, also thanks to the specific lubricant supplied by Agip.
The water and oil pump unit is driven by a Morse chain. The Bosch Motronic 2.7 engine management system combines electronic injection and static ignition.
The cylinder head has five radial valves per cylinder. This is an ideal solution for engines capable of high speeds that
adopt a pneumatic valve closing system. The five valves (three intake and two exhaust) can be smaller and therefore the flutter speed is raised to over 10,000 rpm.
A five valve arrangement makes it possible to achieve a high degree of permeability of the intake duets.
The valves are driven by four overhead camshafts driven by two Morse chains, one for each bank.
The power take off is achieved with a couple of helical toothed gears with output on the crankshaft.
Play take-up is by hydraulic tensioners actuated by the engine oil circuit.
The cams have a conical profile. The intake system is of the variable geometry type.
The F50 is fitted with a stainless steel exhaust system insulated and catalyzed with
six in two in one mixing junctions on each bank, with a dual entrance into the silencer built by ANSA.
A throttle valve driven by the Motronic control unit makes available two exhaust system
lengths. One length is tuned to achieve the best torque values and the
other is tuned for better performance at top speed and full load, by reducing the back pressure on the exhaust.
The onboard self-diagnosis system meets today's severest standards (California OBD1).
The Ferrari gearbox with 6 speeds plus reverse is set longitudinally.
The gears are rapid engagement short stroke type. The synchronisers are ZF twin cone.
The gearbox has a manual control with lever, selector fork and rod, and rigid shaft fitted on sliding couplings.
The knob is in composite material.
The differential is of the limited-slip type, with a differentiated lock percentage in drive and release.
The hydraulic actuated clutch is of the dry twin plate type, with self-centering thrust bearing.
A water-oil heat exchanger keeps oil temperature constant. The gearbox housing is made of magnesium alloy.
The gear ratios in the various speeds are as follows:
1st 14/39
2nd 19/38
3rd 22/35
4th 25/33
5th 28/31
6th 31/28
Reverse 17/22/43
Spec.
Mid-mounted 60 valve 4.7 litre V12 engine
Power: 513HP at 8,000rpm
Top speed: 202MPH
0 - 60MPH: 3.7 seconds
0 - 100MPH: 6.0
Top speed: 202MPH
Weight: 2712lbs
Weight distribution F / R: 42% / 58%
Length: 176.4 inches
Width: 78.2 inches
Height: 44.1 inches
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