Racing Green: Ferrari Prances To Different Tune

Ferrari, the Italian manufacturer whose prancing horse logo usually adorns a flame-red veneer, has shifted to a more environmental gear.



The high-performance sportscar manufacturer unveiled its new hybrid at the Geneva Motor Show.

Painted bright green, the Hy-Kers prototype could hardly have signalled a bolder change of direction for the company.

The technology, based on the same regenerative brake system used in its Formula One cars, is set to reduce emissions by 35%.

Ferrari hopes to move from the experimental stage to having hybrid options available for all its models within three to four years.

In unveiling the Hy-Kers, Ferrari formally indicated it is lining up with the electrification of the motor industry - a broader trend signposted by any number of brands on display in Geneva.

The change is more pronounced - and the need more pressing - for high-end carmakers like Ferrari.

They find themselves having to fit a more sober mood in the wake of the economic crisis, as pressure over carbon emissions translates into taxation and inner-city driving restrictions in some countries.

German luxury marque Porsche showcased a 911 GT3 with a hybrid petrol-electric engine, a day after merger partner VW vowed to lead the market in electric cars by 2018.

Carlos de Silva, an analyst at IHS Global Insight, said the Geneva show would be "marked by the colour green and the ecologically responsible".

"Even on the stands of Porsche or Ferrari, they must demonstrate that they are coherent with the times," he added.

Source: news.sky.com