Ferrari Building a Smaller, Lighter, Quicker Enzo | Autopia from Wired.com

The go-fast gurus at Ferrari are working on a successor to the jaw-dropping Enzo that could be the lightest, quickest two-seater ever to roll out of Maranello.

We told you months ago the Scuderia's next supercar would be based on the Millechili concept that embraces the "less is more" ethos. Ferrari sees lighter cars as the best way to reach its goal of increasing fuel economy 40 percent and reducing emissions 25 percent without compromising its reputation for performance. The Millechili is a guidepost to that greener future.

[From Ferrari Building a Smaller, Lighter, Quicker Enzo | Autopia from Wired.com]

The factory has been making some noise on this car for a while, but this is the first time that I see mentioned that the car is scheduled for production. If they can pull it off, it shows an interesting shift in their design philosophy.

This car is expected to be lighter than a Miata. I owned three different Miatas (Miatae?) over a five year period. I drove them hard and often, to the point I would intentionally pick longer commute routes because they would give me a more rewarding drive. The best of the three cars was the 1993 Limited Edition, a 1.8L car with about 132HP and a horribly stiff suspension. The result was a street legal go-kart. And a sore back and neck.

If that Ferrari comes anywhere close to the Miata weight class, with 660HP, it's going to be a monster. Even if it is lighter than the Lotus, its power-to-weight ratio is going to be incredible. Lotus is the benchmark for this kind of design: very light car, with just enough power to hit a particular power-to-weight ratio. Or like Peter Egan from Road & Track used to say, frames that would bend like a banana (he was referring to the Lotus Seven).

One thing that I haven't figured out yet if they will place restrictions on who gets to order these cars. In the past Ferrari has insisted on only allowing orders for their special cars from individuals that will not flip the cars immediately for a quick profit. Or anyone but Eddie Griffith.