When it comes to legendary luxury sports cars, no other brand is as iconic as Ferrari. Known for their red color, super speed, and Italian heritage, the brand is one of the most beloved automobile producers. However, the vehicles could be entering a new era. Amidst concerns for the climate and the transportation industry in particular receiving pressure to transform, major automobile companies have been looking at alternative engine solutions to stay ahead of the green revolution.
Ferrari’s historic roots reap a legacy
Ferrari’s origins can be traced back to 1929 when Enzo Ferrari, a race car driver founded the brand Scuderia Ferrari in Modena, Italy. While today the brand is known for producing the iconic red sportscars, Ferrari originally was developed as purely a racing team for Alfa Romero cars. Enzo managed these teams up until 1939. Post World War Two, Enzo went on to found Ferrari S.p.A, the company which now produces today’s vehicles.
The first Ferrari was released in 1947, the Ferrari 125 S, with a V12 engine designed by Gioachino Colombo. Ferrari joined Formula One as a racing team and has competed every year since. Current Formula One drivers for Ferrari are seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc. Ferrari’s production of road vehicles was originally a move to fund the racing team, with the soul of Ferrari lying in their racing potential and not as luxurious vehicles bought by consumers.
Ferrari may be undergoing a revolution with this new vehicle
As an icon in the sports car world, and subsequently a representation of the internal combustion engine, it seems unthinkable that Ferrari’s engines could be anything but the iconic V12 engine. However, along with other automobile brands, concerns about the climate have not fallen on deaf ears at Ferrari. The brand has slowly been introducing hybrid models into their lineup, including the Ferrari SF90 Stradale and SF90 Spider are Ferrari’s flagship plug-in hybrid supercars. As of 2025, they remain the most powerful and technologically advanced production Ferraris ever made.
Now, however, the brand is moving towards increased electrification. Ferrari recently announced that they are set to debut their first fully electric vehicle in 2026, a pushback from the previous October date of this year. Instead, the powertrain will be revealed on October 9, with the full car unveiled next year. Ferrari has stated that the new fully electric vehicle intends to account for 5% of its vehicle sales upon its release.
Despite the change, Ferrari will maintain the iconic feel of the cars:
“Driving thrills are the most important thing within our portfolio and we measure driving thrills in two ways…But there is a more scientific approach which is longitudinal acceleration, lateral acceleration, braking, gear shifting and sound. Those five elements are the most important elements we evaluate and we build together to develop our cars,” describes Emanuele Carando, Ferrari’s global marketing director to CarExpert.
Implementing modern solutions while keeping their roots
Ferrari has long prided itself on its racing heritage, and this is sure to continue to underpin all their developments, including their alternative engine solutions. This is exemplified in Ferrari’s hybrid vehicles, which were created in response to the move towards electrification, but the fact that they are the most powerful models in Ferrari’s lineup underscores their continued commitment to futuristic innovation and loyalty to brand image.
Ferrari continues to be a symbol of innovation and inspiration for the potential that automobiles hold. Last year, Ferrari patented an inverted engine design, which would be a hybrid hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle. However, tensions continue to exist between electric and hydrogen engine solutions, with many saying that hydrogen fuel-cell solutions slow the process of getting rid of the internal combustion engine by not focusing solely on the electrification of future automobile models.
