If you’re wondering why Ferrari recently flooded its official Instagram page with more than a dozen pictures of the ocean, then you’re not alone. In fact, we’re just as puzzled. The iconic Italian marque even uploaded a short video on YouTube as a teaser for its upcoming project, which surely is not meant for the roads. The 46-second video includes a lot of visuals of open waters, clearly suggesting it’s going to be a watercraft of some kind. But exactly what is Ferrari working on? Well, your guess is as good as mine. However, the video very briefly shows what appears to be the blade of a hydrofoil, hinting that the automaker might be readying a racing yacht with attributes we usually attach to Ferrari’s high-performance automobiles.
The hydrofoil is an underwater fin with a wing-like surface that is designed to lift the vessel it is attached to above the surface of the water it is moving through. It significantly reduces drag by lifting the hull clear of the water, which helps the vessel attain higher speeds without expending more horsepower. As mentioned before, we have absolutely no information on the Ferrari watercraft, including its size, powertrain details, or even the design. The best we can do is speculate.
“We audaciously redefine the limits of possible. Conquering racetracks and roads all over the Earth,” reads the script along the video. “A hunger to set benchmarks and break records. Our sights fixed on new horizons. Taking the race where we never have before.” This suggests Ferrari might be developing a vessel meant to go very fast.
Could it be powered by the automaker’s glorious 6.5-liter V12, which can produce upwards of 800 horsepower? We won’t be surprised if it features the hybrid powertrain from the Ferrari 296 GTB. Nevertheless, we are quite confident that the mystery watercraft will be one hell of a machine.
Ferrari isn’t the only manufacturer of high-performance automobiles to delve into the world of yachts. Manufacturers like Bentley, Porsche, Lamborghini, and Mercedes-AMG have all lent their branding to high-end watercraft. In fact, it’s not even Ferrari’s first time engaging in maritime projects. Back in the 1950s, Enzo Ferrari supplied Achille Castoldi with a 4.5-lite V12 from the 375 F1 car. A speed boat fitted with the V12 engine managed to set a record of 150.49mph on Lake Iseo in Italy. In the 90s, Ferrari collaborated with Italian company Riva to build 30 examples of the Riva Ferrari 32 speedboat. Interestingly, the two Italian bands are still official partners, suggesting Riva might be involved in the latest project.
Tecnomar for Lamborghini 63 – a hypercar for the seas
Ferrari’s biggest rival, Lamborghini, collaborated with shipyard The Italian Sea Group to introduce the Tecnomar for Lamborghini 63 yacht back in 2020. As the name suggests, it pays tribute to the Italian automaker’s foundation year of 1963. The design of the high-performance vessel is inspired by the Lamborghini Sián FKP 37 – the Italian manufacturer’s first production hybrid car with 807HP and 217mph top speed. Built from lightweight carbon fiber, the yacht weighs in at just 24 tons, which is quite impressive for a vessel that is 63 feet long. It is powered by a pair of MAN 2,000hp V12 engines that can propel the vessel to a top speed of 60 knots. The Tecnomar for Lamborghini 63 was launched with a starting price of $3.4 million, and production was limited to only 63 units. It’ll be interesting to see if Ferrari’s upcoming racing yacht is in direct competition with the Lamborghini 63.
Note – Pictured is the Lazzarini GranTurismo Mediterranea, used for representation only.
