Ferrari F70 (new Enzo) 2012 debut confirmed

Ferrari F70 - the new Enzo - 2012 debut

Back in February we were able to report on what we can almost certainly expect from the new Ferrari Enzo (which will probably go back to the F40/F50 model designation as the F70), perhaps most importantly that it will have a hybrid powertrain and be revealed this year.

That has now been confirmed by Ferrari boss Luca di Montezemolo as he reported on Ferrari’s sales performance. He said that Ferrari will be unveiling the new Enzo (his words), a limited series model and our first hybrid, by the end of the year.

It’s pretty clear from our report in February – and Ferrari’s reveal of their 2012 HY-KERS hybrid system at Geneva – that the new F70 will be getting the same V12 as the new F12 with the wick turned up to 800bhp and an extra 120bhp boost from its hybrid system.

With up to 920bhp available and a weight expected to be similar to the Enzo based FXX – 1156kg – performance should be exceptional, with a 0-62mph the equal of the Veyron, even if Ferrari don’t feel the need to match it on top speed.

We’ve expected the F70 to debut at Paris 2012 in September for a while, but it’s possible Ferrari has other plans with the ‘by the end of the year’ statement from Montezemolo.

But whenever the exact reveal is, it’s going to be well in to 2013 at the earliest before any customer cars arrive – as far as we can tell Ferrari has not yet taken deposits or issued paperwork to F70 buyers, although they have certainly been discussing the F70 with their ‘Special’ clients.

On a less exciting – although still very important – subject, Montezemolo reported Ferrari’s sales for the first quarter of 2012 which showed revenues up by 13.2 per cent to €556 million and sales of 1,733 cars – an increase of 11.5 per cent.

Those figures don’t include the new F12 Berlinetta – deliveries don’t start until later this year – and are despite a huge drop in Ferrari sales in its home market as wealthy Italians run scared of the tax man’s sudden interest in where they got the money to run a supercar.