Any information of subcontractors for the F149

Until now Ferrari has been using mainly inhouse designed/manufactured engines/gearboxes. However using Alcoa for aluminium chassis technology, american magnetic chockabsorbers for the 599.

Seeing the spec of the 149, direct injection, dual clutch gearbox, it sounds timewise in synch with other car manufacturers. Audi has in April introduced 7 speed dry dual clutch gearbox capable of 560 Nm. Porsche is introdution in 2009 dual clutch gearbox. Both to my knowledge supplied from Getrag.

Is Ferrari following the same path with the F149?

 

My apologies if this post is to long or in the wrong section, but I do have some thoughts I would like to share.

You can question why to be interested in subcontractors for the new F149. The interest is two-fold. 1. How a company like Ferrari copes with the challenge of providing state-of-the art refined luxury products in the very small production numbers that despite high unit price provides for a rather limited budget for development. 2. How far is Ferrari in eliminating one of the trills in owning Ferrari: Do you dare to buy a Ferrari for the risk of running into huge repair bills. Admitted, the last is mostly a myth but fueled with historical unreliable products before LDMs time, the problem that cars not being driven regularly notoriously demolish and varying knowledge to Ferraris in the workshops.

Let me start from another point of view. What is it that gives people the passion for Ferrari or the step to acquire ownership? Reading the forums the passion is very diverse there are the gearheads running the 3x8, 355, TRs etc. Persons for which money is no limt buying 2, 3 or more new Ferraris every year. Some are starting to use the Ferraris as daily drivers, -the 599 and 612 offers this possibility, while at the same time provide the sound, and precise nimble unique Ferrari feeling, which is difficult to explain. There are the persons for which the heritage and the history is the key. I’m very impressed in seeing Napolis digging into the history of he’s new old P3/4, studying old pictures of casting lines on gearboxes to establish the configuration of an old racecar. This is true passion, and very interesting reading to get a feeling of how racing and the Ferrari company was run in the 60s. I believe though that in common the Ferrari passion is very much driven by the history of the company and a cleaver positioning of the company linked to racing in LDMs time taking into account the needs to provide cars that can be used on the road by a wide range of customers.

When expanding the market like Ferrari is these days with the F149 and the competition stepping up with a number of alternatives, then requirements to usability and reliability further sharpens.

Modern Ferraris share very little with racing cars in technology used. Sure the immense racing experience at Ferrari means there is lots of know-how in the company to provide the unique Ferrari feeling in the cars delivered to the customers. There is a story on the F1 gearboxes linking the streetcars to racing. E-dif in the 430 is to some degree derived from F1, at least in the product positioning the marketing department of Ferrari is communicating. But here comes also the real challenge for Ferrari. When special technology is needed to position the product, what is the consequence? The risk it is unreliable if not derived from components produced in high volume is high. When configuring products being produced in numbers as low as below 1000 cars a year for some models, the budget to develop the product and test it before releasing it to the market is very limited. There are countless issues over the years illustrating this: 355 headers, sodium filled valves causing engine breakdowns in 355/456, window sealing on 456s, shrinking leather on dashboards, overheating of fuel in the fuel lines in the 550.

From the 355 onwards issues seems more reduced, however still issue with breakdown of FI hydraulic pumps in 360s due to weak or not thoroughly tested system and clutch wear. The F1 gear change system is in conceptual design not really suited for street use. In a formula 1 race car neither smoothness nor clutch wear is a design requirement. The performance and gear change times in the 430 scud are thoroughly impressive and represents the results of 10 years refinement since the introduction in the 355. But when the system at the same time need to provide smooth gear changes for street use in town traffic, clutch wear is unavoidable. Slippage in the clutch is the only means in the system to provide the smoothness.

Be sure the dual clutch in the F149 will provide fantastic gear changes. As stated on Fifth gear and Topgear, the Wolkswagen DSG system is the most convincing paddle shift system in streetcars of today. And here comes the interesting point. Is Ferrari adapting gearboxes from same sources as Audi now and Porsche in 2009 so we get a trouble free solution thoroughly tested or is it based on in-house development with the associated risk? My guess is same source.

For other key components like engines Ferrari is getting scale of production together with Maserati and thereby reliability on the V8s. The chains instead of belts are minimizing engine maintenance. Shock absorber is the Delphi magnetic design produced in volumes for Chevrolet, Audi and Ferrari. Aluminium chassis based on Alcoa technology also adapted by other car maufacturer. Brakes from Brembo where the CCM seems reliable and produced in decent volumes for Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche, Audi and a few pieces for Aston Martin. Only fault reported is few incidents where the carbon ceramic surface is separating from the base disk.

When having a reliable engine, gearbox and brakes; long lasting chock-absorbers and reliable chassis/electronics, then there is not much left on a car for breakdown and expensive repair bills.

So, that dual-clutch gearbox, is it sourced from outside or?

 

Some googling indicates the supplier of the DCT in the F149 to be Oerlikon Graziano based in Turin Italy:

Quote from www.oerlikon.com

"
Only the absolute best in product design, development, and manufacture is the requirement of our customers in this market segment. Oerlikon Graziano transaxles are standard fitment in cars produced by Aston Martin, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, Alfa Romeo, etc. and the most recently announced new cars to feature our transaxles are the Audi R8, the Alfa Romeo 8C, and the Aston Martin DBS.

Products and solutions
Transaxles - Oerlikon Graziano is the world's leading designer and producer of manual and automatic transaxle systems for high performance cars. These are six speed units, designed for either front engine rear transaxle configurations, or mid-engine configurations. They are customized to the particular requirements of the individual car.
Sub-assemblies - consisting of PTU (power transfer units), RDA (rear drive axle), and RDM (rear drive module), for AWD (all wheel drive) and other special applications. Customers include VW and GM with PTU applications, Alfa Romeo with AWD applications, Aston Martin DB9 automatic with an RDM, and Maserati Quattroporte automatic, with an RDA. A new application in angle drives is the final drive unit for the Triumph Rocket III motor bike.

Technology and Innovation
The objectives are to present new ideas and new developments to our OE customers, which will enhance the overall performance of their cars. Probably the most important new development is the Seven Speed Triple Shaft Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT), which is currently being developed for some new high-performance cars.
The DCT unit is extremely short, and designed to fit virtually within the wheel/tire envelope in its two primary configurations - mid engine transaxle, and front engine rear transaxle. The same technology could also be applied to a front engine and in-line gearbox layout.

We are also developing an eLSD (electronic limited slip differential), and advanced transmission systems such as this and the DCT require sophisticated control systems. In order to be able to offer customers a full "turn-key" service in transmission design and manufacturing, Oerlikon Graziano is now furthering its capabilities in these advanced technologies, in particular in the area of electronics and controls. "

 

Oerlikon is the supplier of gearboxes to all current F-cars (360, 575, 430, 612, Enzo) acc. to this pdf
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