The farewell to internal combustion engines, and especially to the iconic V12, seems to be increasingly distant for Ferrari. The Prancing Horse, despite launching its first electric car on October 9th, has always been opposed to abandoning its most iconic engine; specifically the unit that features a 12-cylinder V configuration. News in this regard comes from a new patent filed by Ferrari on a particular characterization of the pistons of a hypothetical new V12 engine.
In the Ferrari patent, a new connecting rod shared by the double piston is noted
These have the typical “pill” shape, that is, with a rectangular section with the four corners rounded (a shape called “Stadium”). This is a radical change of pace compared to the canonical pistons with circular section. To tell the truth, we are talking about a characterization that is not entirely new, already experimented by Honda between the late 70s and early 80s for engines intended for motorcycles.
The approach experimented in the Ferrari patent is different, however. The patent filed with the European Patent Office tells us that the illustrations proposed by Ferrari depict a configuration of the V12 engine with the characteristics already mentioned.
In the images of the patent filed by Ferrari, the design of a new connecting rod shared by two specular pistons, placed on opposite banks, is also noted. Specifically, there is a multi-link system that allows the connecting rod to be divided into two parts, although it is currently unclear what kind of limitations or advantages a similar scheme could bring.
The potential advantages of the solution proposed by Ferrari in this new patent would come from the adoption of cylinders with a Stadium shape, which, being able to count on a closer arrangement, require a smaller offset between the banks in order to consider a significant reduction in the volumes of the next V12s from Maranello. One could then consider a more compact engine unit, without sacrificing piston dimensions and the availability of effective displacement. Further advantages could derive from the introduction of larger valves or from the adoption of a greater number of valves per cylinder.
The idea reasoned by the Ferrari patent could be very suitable in all those applications that involve the central positioning of the engine, where proposing smaller dimensions is certainly fundamental. The same applies to the possible use of an MGU inserted between the engine and gearbox. Consequently, this type of engine could be suitable for both road use and racing sports cars.
The same advantages also apply to units positioned at the front. The patent images also allow us to notice grooves along the vertical parts of the cylinder which should guarantee the occurrence of less friction between pistons and cylinder walls, thus increasing overall efficiency and also allowing the engine to run faster.
The further step says that we will now have to understand if the patent will find application on possible new Ferrari V12 engines. Certainly, the patent suggests the fact that Ferrari continues to work actively on internal combustion engines, to push the boundaries of technology further and further when it comes to internal combustion units.
It must be said, however, that in the past Honda had to deal with some problems arising from the adoption of pistons similar to those now proposed by Ferrari. In fact, there have been multiple difficulties that the Japanese manufacturer has had to face, especially in relation to the production of cylinders and piston rings with a pseudo-oval section. However, it should be remembered that today technological development has reached very high levels, compared to the technology available at the time of the proposal formulated by Honda.