When are we going to see carbon tub Ferraris?

I know the Hyper cars all have carbon tubs. I am talking about the 488, 812, Portifino. What has Ferrari chosen to favor aluminum over carbon? Is it a cost/production issue? Are there benefits of going aluminum? And when do you think we will start to see Ferrari's "lesser" models start to use carbon tubs?

 

Whats the benefit of a Cf tub? A 4c weights more than and aluminum elise. Is an Cf aventador light.
From what I can see a cf tub means you dont need to do reinforcements for a convertable and it is just a stiff as a hard top.

Against is cost, and also felxibility. Aluminum means you can build a number of different cars off the same gberal platform, by varying length width even eguine location. Modifications and evolutiosn are easier to do too.

Besides marketing what are the real benefits of a CF tub in road car. Could be weight could be stiffness, biut so far these are not apparent.

 

I think this is something Ferrari will have to seriously re-examine given the sales success and positive reception McLaren has enjoyed with all of their cars having carbon tubs.

 

Honestly...it is all about marketing. Ferrari has to appear to have cutting edge technology and performance, even if it will never be used by it's customers.

 

Well obviously there is a benefit to CF tubs since Ferrari uses them in their hyper cars and the F1 cars. There is no way it is just for marketing reasons. Aside from stiffness and weight savings, one of the main benefits of a carbon tub is occupant safety.

 

Back in 2012 former CEO Amedeo Felisa said that
“….carbon fiber technology won't be where the automaker needs it until 2020.”

https://www.compositesworld.com/news/ferarri-ceo-not-so-fast-for-carbon-fiber

 

Carbon fibre tubs save lives.

Ferrari wont be onboard until its dragged in kicking and screaming all the way.
Always the last with technology.

 

I posted this before in another thread. According to Autocar the new modular platform will work with different materials, also carbon fibre.

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/ferrari-plans-hybrid-models-and-new-common-architecture

 

Was a rumor, That CF might not age well. Classic CF tubs would deteriorate! I don't know if true? But how well are the modern hi-tech super cars going to become classics like older Ferrari's with complicated electronics? Will there be replacement ECU's available?

 

It is certainly not true. There are many 30+year old aircraft flying around with carbon fiber parts that have no issues.

The main benefit to carbon fiber is higher specific stiffness and specific strength. That means that you can make a part lighter, or make it stiffer and stronger for the same weight. The downside is the cost and engineering time associated with it. As those come down we will see them in 'mainstream' Ferraris.

 

My guess is the 488 replacement will have it.

The 488 is built from the 458, so adding a carbon fiber tub was probably infeasible, since the 458 was a 2010 car, when none of the cars in the segment. had that tech.

The Mclaren changed that in 2012, but it's not like Ferrari can then immediately stick a carbon tub of their own into the 458/488 generation.

Cars like the F12 or portofino have a different design focus, so carbon tubs wouldn't make sense in them:

 

There is a burgeoning market for ECU docs. As far carbon fiber lasting. My March/Cosworth 87C has a CF tub that shows no signs of failure, 30 years on.

If you have driven a McLaren, the stiffness and responsiveness of the chassis are superior. Add that to the inherent safety and you have a real winner. I ride a full carbon fiber bike and the responsiveness of the way it handles is so much better than a comparable metal frame. Plus, the power to weight advantage (14 pounds), gives me an advantage. CF is the way forward.

 

Interesting, I found this article in which the author is hinting that Ferrari might had considered a carbon tub for the 458 chassis. Some problems concerning the Italian supplier ATR were part of the decision against carbon fibre back in the day.

https://www.ferraris-online.com/pages/article.php?reqart=SCM_201203_SS

 

Thank you for the very interesting link. I wonder if Ferrari's new modular architecture could support a CF tub?

 

According to the Autocar article yes.
See my earlier post #8.

 

I found this thread after posting this same question on another forum.

What are people's views now on when Ferrari will switch from aluminium to Carbon Fibre construction?

Are they simply too heavily invested in aluminium processes and equipment to do carbon on the large scale required for Ferrari V8 numbers?

Genuine question. Having owned a Ferrari in the past, and now only owning 3 full carbon cell cars, I would like to add a Ferrari to my garage again, but struggle to see me buying "old tech". Especially as I'd want a convertible, where the material differences on stiffness and handling are even more extreme.

Might it happen with the F8 Tributo's hybrid replacement? Or is there just no possibility?

 

New Ferrari modular platform provide differents kind of passenger cell materials.
One of them is carbonfibre .
I guess we should see it in may with the revealing of the new top of the range mid engine car .

 

Buy a LaFerrari. Problem solved.

Most Ferrari owners don't drive their cars where it matters, so what's the point? McLaren might have them as well but none that I know actually drives their cars either to take advantage of it. All they do is open the doors at all the car meets so the bugs and mosquitos can fly around inside. "Look at my cars Billionaire doors!"

 

Ferrari has massively invested in Aluminum technology (partnership with a local college that is world leading) and employs some of the best welders in the world. The metal foundry is on site for them, I think they'll continue with their approach for a long while before transitioning, in fact I'd almost bet a major manufacturer will go there first.

 

My thoughts almost exactly. I didn't know they partnered with a local college, but I do know they partnered with Alcoa and sink a ton of money into aluminum production. They'll have to depreciate that investment and get their money out of it first. Long story short, I wouldn't expect them to switch until they really have to.

A bit of a shame. I thought it would have been cool to see the Dino sub-brand make a comeback and introduce a production class carbon tubbed car for Ferrari

 

I have and in my opinion they are not.

 

This is not just black or white. Having made huge investments in aluminium does not hold you back to look at carbon fibre technologies. It doesn’t contradict each other. Quite the opposite they can complement each other. A perfect showcase is the LAF which features a carbon tub combined with aluminium sub frames. Then again Ferrari has quite different approached models which will require different technological solutions and material choices. While for a rear-mid-engine sports car a carbon tub makes very much sense for a four seat GT less so. At the end there will be enough possibilities for aluminium technology applications even with increasing use of carbon fibre.

 

ya... that whole f1 gearbox was so far behind...

 

but why? Just to say it is carbon?

 

Sadly not always !