I've spent years around supercars. And I'll tell you something straight up. The Ferrari LaFerrari isn't just another hypercar with a fancy badge. It's the end of an era wrapped in carbon fibre and Italian rage.
Let me break down why this machine matters. And why should you care even if you'll never own one?
I’ve spent years around supercars. And I’ll tell you something straight up. The Ferrari LaFerrari isn’t just another hypercar with a fancy badge. It’s the end of an era wrapped in carbon fibre and Italian rage.
Let me break down why this machine matters. And why should you care even if you’ll never own one?
Most people get this wrong. They think it’s just a faster 458 or F12. It’s not.
The LaFerrari represents Ferrari’s first production hybrid. 963 horsepower is coming from two sources. A 6.3-litre naturally aspirated V12 screaming out 789 horses. Plus an electric motor adding 174 more.
Key specs that actually matter:
But here’s what the spec sheet doesn’t tell you. This car makes decisions faster than you can think. The electronics manage power delivery between petrol and electric in milliseconds. You just hold on.
Everyone asked this back in 2013. Ferrari building a hybrid? Sounds like selling out, right?
Wrong.
The hybrid system isn’t about being green. It’s about being faster. Pure performance engineering.
The electric motor fills in torque gaps. It eliminates turbo lag without using turbos. It keeps the throttle response instant at every single rpm.
Ferrari took their F1 knowledge. The same KERS system Sebastian Vettel was using. And they put it in a road car.
That’s not compromise. That’s innovation with purpose.
The original asking price was £1 million. But here’s the reality check. You couldn’t just buy one.
Ferrari hand-picked every single owner. You needed to already own multiple Ferraris. You needed to be part of the family. And even then, they might say no.
Current market values:
The LaFerrari Aperta is even rarer. Only 210 units produced. Each one a ticket to automotive royalty.
[Internal linking opportunity: Ferrari 458 Italia, Ferrari F12berlinetta, Ferrari SF90 Stradale]
Let me get real with you for a second. Modern supercars are all going turbocharged. Smaller engines with forced induction. More efficient, more powerful, better emissions.
But something gets lost. That linear power delivery. That scream all the way to 9,250 rpm. The naturally aspirated V12 in the LaFerrari does something turbo engines can’t replicate.
It rewards commitment. You have to keep it singing. Keep your foot buried. The power builds and builds until you’re doing illegal speeds in second gear.
This engine breathes. It roars. It feels alive in a way that turbocharged motors just don’t.
And Ferrari knew it. They knew this might be the last chance to build a V12 hybrid without forced induction. So they went absolutely mental with it.
I’ve spoken to owners. And they all say the same thing. The LaFerrari is terrifying at first.
The power delivery is so immediate. The chassis so reactive. The steering so direct.
What makes it special:
One guy told me he needed three separate sessions before he trusted it. Another said it’s the only car that still makes his hands sweat.
But here’s the beautiful part. Once you learn to dance with it. Once you understand the rhythm. It becomes an extension of you.
That’s rare. Most modern supercars isolate you. The LaFerrari connects you.
2013 gave us three hybrid hypercars. All different philosophies. All brilliant in their own way.
McLaren P1:
Porsche 918 Spyder:
Ferrari LaFerrari:
The P1 is the surgeon. The 918 is the engineer. The LaFerrari is the artist who’s had three espressos.
[Internal linking opportunity: McLaren P1, Porsche 918 Spyder]
Let’s talk about how it looks. Because you can’t ignore it.
The bodywork is pure function. Every curve channels air somewhere important. The active rear wing deploys based on speed and braking force. The front splitter creates downforce without draggy wings.
Design highlights:
Ferrari’s design team called it “extreme architecture.” I call it organized chaos. It looks like speed feels.
And it influenced every Ferrari that came after. The SF90, the 296 GTB, even the Purosangue SUV. You can trace the DNA back to this car.
Here’s what keeps me up at night. We’re never getting another car like this. Not from Ferrari. Probably not from anyone.
Emissions regulations won’t allow it. The naturally aspirated V12 is dying. Even Ferrari’s newest flagship, the SF90, uses a twin-turbo V8.
The LaFerrari marked the end of Ferrari’s commitment to naturally aspirated engines in their halo cars. Everything after uses forced induction. More power, sure. But different soul.
And only 499 people get to own this piece of history. That exclusivity isn’t just marketing. It’s preservation.
Right, let’s simplify this. Because Ferrari loves making things sound complicated.
HY-KERS stands for Hybrid Kinetic Energy Recovery System. Fancy name for: we capture energy that would normally waste.
How it actually works:
You don’t control when it deploys. The car decides based on what you’re doing. Throttle position, brake pressure, steering angle, gear selection. It’s like having an F1 strategist making decisions every millisecond.
The result? Power everywhere. No dead spots in the rev range. No waiting for turbos to spool. Just relentless, savage acceleration.
Technically, yes. Realistically, absolutely not.
The ride is firm. The visibility is terrible. The clutch is heavy. Speed bumps are your mortal enemy.
Plus, you’d need to be insane. This is a £3 million asset. Every mile reduces value. Every car park is a risk.
More reliable than you’d think. Ferrari learned from the Enzo’s early issues.
The hybrid system has proven robust. The V12 is bulletproof if maintained. The carbon tub doesn’t age.
But maintenance is mental:
You need Ferrari specialist technicians. You need factory diagnostics equipment. You need deep pockets.
Everything points to yes. Limited production. Historical significance. No direct replacement.
The Enzo cost £450,000 new. Now they trade for £2.5 million+.
The F50 was £340,000. Now £2-3 million.
The LaFerrari is following the same trajectory. With only 499 made, demand will always exceed supply. That’s economics 101.
Beyond the Holy Trinity, others tried. None succeeded quite the same way.
Aston Martin Valkyrie:
Mercedes-AMG One:
Koenigsegg Regera:
None carry the Ferrari badge. And in this world, that badge means everything.
[Internal linking opportunity: Aston Martin Valkyrie, Mercedes-AMG One]
Ferrari did what Ferrari does. They made an even rarer version.
The LaFerrari Aperta removes the roof. Adds structural reinforcement. Keeps all the performance.
Key differences:
It’s less practical than the coupé. Nowhere to store the roof panel when removed. More wind noise. Slightly heavier.
But you get that V12 scream unfiltered. And rarity that makes the standard car look common.
The innovations in the LaFerrari didn’t stay exclusive.
Tech now in other models:
Ferrari used this as a test bed. A £1 million R&D project with 499 customers paying for it. That’s genius-level business.
[Internal linking opportunity: Ferrari 812 Superfast, Ferrari 488 GTB]
Let’s be brutally honest. If you’re asking, you probably can’t.
But let’s say you’ve got £3 million burning a hole. Should you?
Yes if:
No if:
The LaFerrari rewards enthusiasts. Collectors who understand what it represents. Not just the speed or exclusivity. But the last gasp of naturally aspirated V12 hybrid excellence.
Here’s what I come back to. Cars like this don’t happen anymore.
Ferrari took everything they knew. Everything they’d learned from Formula 1. All their heritage with V12 engines. And they built one last monument.
No focus groups softened the edges. No accountants killed the dream. They made it as extreme as physics and regulations allowed.
963 horsepower from a V12 and electric motor. Only 499 chances to own one. Values climbing every year.
The Ferrari LaFerrari isn’t just a hypercar. It’s a time capsule. A reminder of when car companies still built machines that scared them.
And we’re not getting another one.
How many LaFerraris were made? Ferrari produced exactly 499 LaFerrari coupés and 210 LaFerrari Aperta convertibles, making a total of 709 units across both variants.
What does LaFerrari mean in English? LaFerrari translates to “The Ferrari” in English, signalling that this was Ferrari’s ultimate expression of performance and technology at the time.
Can you buy a new LaFerrari? No, production ended in 2018 and all units were sold exclusively to hand-picked Ferrari collectors, with the only option now being the secondary market at significantly higher prices.
What’s faster, LaFerrari or SF90? The SF90 Stradale is actually quicker in a straight line (0-62 mph in 2.5 seconds vs 2.9 seconds), but the LaFerrari offers a more visceral, engaging driving experience with its naturally aspirated V12.
How much does LaFerrari servicing cost? Annual services typically cost £5,000-8,000, with major services every three years running £15,000+, plus additional costs for tyres (£3,000 per set) and any repairs.
Why is the LaFerrari so expensive? Extreme rarity (only 499 made), hybrid V12 technology, F1-derived systems, historical significance as Ferrari’s last naturally aspirated flagship, and continuously rising collector demand all contribute to values exceeding £3 million.
The Ferrari LaFerrari remains the pinnacle of what happens when passion meets engineering without compromise.