With the unveiling of the 458 Speciale, Ferrari has once again shown that naturally-aspirated is the way to go by having 597-horsepower and 540Nm of torque coming out from the 4.5-liter V8 engine. But that does not mean that they are not interested in force-feeding the output, like how we see on the F40 which is fitted with twin turbos. So is it possible that we might see the return of turbocharged Ferraris somewhere in the near future?
A report from Motor Trend suggests that it could probably happen, especially with the stricter emissions and fuel consumption regulations. Also being a factor is the recent announcement in Formula One where the current 2.4-liter NA V8 will be changed to a 1.6-liter turbocharged V6 unit.
As said by Ferrari CEO Amedeo Felisa, half of the automaker’s R&D budget for the next five years would be spent on emissions and efficiency measures. This also includes in the field of hybrid technology, which is seen on their Enzo replacement, the LaFerrari.
Of course, turbocharging does come with its pros and cons, and critics will surely be pointing out the troubles of turbo lag and a not-so enticing exhaust note. But we might soon see a turbocharged Ferrari in the California replacement and somewhere in the future, the replacement for the 458 Italia.
Now Ferrari has been producing turbocharged power plants, but those are destined for Maserati. The V6 and V8 which come with a displacement of 3.0-liter and 3.8-liter churn out between 325 and 523 horsepower. Surely they could come out with something that is far more impressive for their own wild Prancing Horses.
