Top Cars

The news will be taken as confirmation that Ferrari’s baby GT project, codename"F149" is moving towards production. The car is set to go on sale for similar money to the F430 Scuderia and will give the brand a direct rival to the Aston Martin DB9.

The F149 will be powered by a 4.3 liters V8 engine with smaller output than the F430. Sources say it will have all-new injection rails, new intakes, new heads, new valve trains and it will also debut a type of throttle body never before used on a car. Direct injection will increase fuel efficiency increase by up to eight per cent, and a new gearbox will give further gains.

The folding hard-top will make it a Ferrari for all seasons, with Pininfarina designers using the F149 to demonstrate new, lightweight technology with shorter folded roof sections to minimise boot length. This move has meant a close collaboration with Pininfarina, and there is speculation that a large proportion of the car could actually be built at Pininfarina’s plant rather than in Maranello.