The F171RHT is Ferrari’s first road-going spider to sport a 120° 6-cylinder turbo engine. The engine architecture means that the turbochargers can fit inside the “vee”. This makes it more compact, lowers its centre of gravity, reduces its mass, and gives it an extraordinarily high power output of 663 cv.

This layout has its roots deep in the Prancing Horse’s unrivalled racing experience: the first Ferrari to sport a mid-rear V6 was the 246 SP in 1961, which also won the Targa Florio that year and in 1962. 

This is the first open-top Ferrari with rear-wheel drive plug-in (PHEV) hybrid architecture, which sees the internal combustion engine integrated with a rear-mounted electric motor. The two power units communicate through the TMA actuator, which allows them to be used together or just with the electric motor. The electric motor boosts the F171RHT’s maximum power to a category-topping 830 cv, as well as increasing the car’s versatility in everyday driving (giving it a range of 25km in full-electric mode) and fun behind the wheel. 

Sound-wise, the V6 engine rewrites the rulebook by harmoniously combining the force of the turbos with the harmony of the high-frequency notes of a naturally-aspirated V12. This V6 earned itself the nickname “piccolo V12” (little V12) during the development phase because of its instantly recognisable sound.

The latter is the result of the 120° vee architecture, which guarantees a symmetrical firing order while the tuned exhaust manifolds combined with the single exhaust line amplify the pressure waves. This lends incredible purity to the orders of harmonics, further helped by a limiter that hits an impressive 8500 rpm. Also pivotal is the patented “hot tube” which has been completely redesigned for the F171RHT’s new engine bay geometry and is positioned prior to the exhaust gas treatment systems to channel the pure sound into the cabin.