- Ferrari’s design places the longer edge of the piston from the outer side of the engine block to the inner vee. This innovative design can make room for a shorter engine, leaving space for hybrid elements without substantially lengthening the powertrain
Even as the auto sector has turned towards electrification, Ferrari is showing that innovation in internal combustion engines is very much ongoing. The Italian company has applied for a patent for an unusual piston design that receives an oval-shaped head. As opposed to the conventional circular pistons, these new “stadium-shaped” pistons have a rectangular shape with rounded short sides.
Ferrari’s design places the longer edge of the piston from the outer side of the engine block to the inner vee. This innovative design can make room for a shorter engine, leaving space for hybrid elements without substantially lengthening the powertrain. Also, the revised piston shape can offer improvements in the size of the valves or even the number of valves per cylinder, which could enhance performance and efficiency.
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Perhaps the even more interesting bit of the Ferrari patent is the design of the connecting rods. In place of giving each piston an independent rod to connect to the crankshaft, such as in any normal engine configuration, the rods are actually rod-linked.
In this instance, the bearing cap of one rod is formed by the base of the rod of the adjacent piston, allowing for movement with a flexible joint. That could be a mechanically more efficient and durable way.
Potential application in future V12 models
Although Ferrari’s patent does not reveal the specific engine configuration, one of the technical drawings is of a V12 layout. This has caused some to speculate that Ferrari could be looking at a hybrid V12 for its next-generation hypercars.
The F80 hypercar, unveiled recently, which had some fans in dismay using a V6, demonstrated Ferrari’s dedication to Formula 1 and Le Mans-sourced technology. Still, a more compact V12 might enable the brand to achieve a hybrid powertrain without penalties in weight or size.
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In addition, the current Ferrari 12Cilindri and Purosangue front-engined V12 models do not yet feature hybrid power. Given the automotive industry has continued to lean heavily on electrification, it is believed this engine technology could help integrate hybrid systems into these models and keep Ferrari’s key performance characteristics.
Ferrari is not the very first to have a go at unconventional piston shape. By the late 1970s, even Honda’s NR500 race bike had true oval pistons enabling eight valves per cylinder.
Unfortunately, sealing problems prevented it from making any headway. With its uprighting design and unique connecting rod arrangement, Ferrari’s system could very well solve headaches encountered by its predecessors and thus provide an avenue for hybrid V12 performance to flourish.
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First Published Date: 16 Mar 2025, 09:50 AM IST
