New 1,184-hp 2026 Ferrari F80 (w/ startups)

A brand new green (Verde GB23) 2026 Ferrari F80 with Cuoio interior starting up and driving into a transporter after the 2026 Concorso Ferrari, organized by the Southwest Region of the Ferrari Club of America (FCA), on Colorado Boulevard in Old Town Pasadena. The F80 (Type F250) is equipped with a hybrid powertrain consisting of a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine and three electric motors producing a total of 1,184 horsepower. This rare example was the first F80 delivered to a U.S. customer and is one of 799 F80s being built with a starting price of over $3.7 million.

Ferrari has been the subject of much controversy in recent years and especially in this past week after the unveiling of the new electric Luce. From a strictly design-focused perspective (regardless of type of vehicle), I think the Luce's appearance is cohesive and generally well-executed (though decidedly un-Ferrari) while the 849 Testarossa's appearance is just plain odd, and while I have yet to see either in the flesh, I'm quite certain that doing so will only reinforce my existing opinions about them.

So what does this have to do with the F80? It too was highly controversial upon introduction, but thanks to the tacky looking 849 and conceptually sacrilegious Luce, it is now much less the subject of criticism that it used to be. This video offers a good look of the F80 from various angles, and to be honest, the more I look at it, the more I like it. The design isn't for everyone, but it makes a solid, cohesive statement, and controversial features like the taillight pattern and the black bar up front have all grown on me. I've compared this example to pictures of other F80s that I find less attractive, and I think much of it boils down to the choice of wheels, with silver wheels looking cheap, silver and black (exposed carbon) two-tone wheels making the whole car look tacky, and full black (exposed carbon) wheels like the ones shown here really helping enhance the car's spaceship-like design.

Now let's talk powertrain. I know a V6 is never a proper replacement for a V12, regardless of how good or powerful it is. It won't feel the same from behind the wheel, and it certainly won't sound the same. Perhaps a V8 would have helped the situation a bit, since Ferrari has already built numerous successful V8 models. Still, if you're willing to let go of the past and see this car for what it is, it really doesn't sound particularly bad compared to other modern performance cars.

When Ferrari first introduced the Enzo, it also received much criticism since it looked nothing like Ferrari's other models. But now nearly everyone would agree that the Enzo's design has aged incredibly well. And even McLaren's Senna - another highly controversial design - is now generally accepted as a cool car that makes a strong statement (though I don't think that changes the fact that it still looks odd and incohesive). So, is the F80 just a stubborn attempt by Ferrari to force its ways on its customers while tarnishing its long-established reputation (like many people are now saying about the Luce), or is it, like its direct predecessors, simply far ahead of its time? I guess only time will tell.

Do you think the F80's controversial design will, like the Enzo's, stand the test of time and become more alluring with age? Leave a comment on YouTube and let me know!