LaFerrari Aperta, The joy of extreme open-top driving
Ferrari’s unique core values have been raised to a whole new level in the car launched to mark the 70th anniversary of the foundation of the company. Share
Designed for Ferrari’s most passionate clients, the LaFerrari Aperta is the new limited-edition special series model, and just a few examples – all of them already accounted for – of this spider version of the acclaimed LaFerrari supercar will be built. The intensive development work carried out by Ferrari’s technicians targeted the car’s chassis and aerodynamics and has produced a roadster that delivers the same performance, torsional rigidity, beam stiffness and drag coefficient characteristics as the coupé.
The Aperta retains the LaFerrari’s hybrid powertrain comprising an 800 cv 6,262 cc V12 (specific power output 128 cv/l, compression ratio 13.5:1) coupled with a 120 kW electric motor, for a total power output of 963 cv. The dynamic control systems integrated with the active aerodynamics remain unchanged.
The LaFerrari Aperta’s styling retains the essential characteristics of the coupé. It is a futuristic and absolutely extreme car that seamlessly marries form and function whilst still retaining clear links to classic Ferrari styling cues.
The only significant difference is the door rotation system: when fully open, the Aperta’s doors are now at slightly different angle than in the coupé version.
Chassis & Bodyshell
Because the car does not have a roof, Ferrari’s technicians had to focus all their ingenuity on the lower section which had to be reinforced because it is subject to different stresses caused by force lines which, in the coupé, converge in the upper part.
Thanks to a series of targeted modifications designed to reinforce that area to cope with the new stresses, allow the LaFerrari Aperta deliver the same torsional rigidity figure as the LaFerrari, thus putting the Aperta at the top of supercar category in terms of dynamic performance.
Vehicle Dynamics
Like the coupé version, the LaFerrari Aperta’s active aerodynamics and hybrid system are integrated and constantly interacting with the car’s other dynamic control systems, resulting in unprecedented performance and unparalleled exhilaration.
Proprietary Ferrari algorithms guarantee optimal integration of the electric motor and V12 engine and thereby optimising dynamic behaviour. When the car is cornering, the HY-KERS keeps the V12’s revs up to ensure quicker response times to the accelerator pedal when exiting.
The Brembo brakes, which integrate with the energy recovery system, have lighter callipers with a specific design designed to guarantee perfect heat dissipation from the new carbon-ceramic discs.
Aerodynamics
Their goal with the LaFerrari Aperta’s design was to achieve the same drag figure as the LaFerrari, even when driving without the hard top in place.
In terms of open-top aerodynamic comfort, an innovative integrated system was developed. The high-speed air flow that would otherwise enter the cabin from top of the windscreen is captured by an angled wind-stop fixed to the parcel shelf.
The wind-stop is angled to channel the flow through spaces in the car’s interior structure before exiting at a slower speed behind the passenger seats. This delivers a level of interior comfort in line with other convertibles in the Ferrari range without increasing drag.
