10 Things That Made The Ferrari FXX K The Ultimate Track Weapon

As supercars have continued to develop over the years into the fastest, most thrilling vehicles on the road, the manufacturers behind these machines never waste an opportunity to build an even faster, more extreme version of their car, free of the restrictions and rules they must adhere to when building a car for the road. One of these manufacturers is Ferrari, one of the most iconic brands in the entire automotive industry.

When the Ferrari Enzo was released back in 2002, the FXX soon followed in 2005 being a track-only, blisteringly fast driving machine designed by Ferrari's Corse Clienti division. Another 'XX' model was introduced with the 599XX in 2011, but it wasn't until 2013 that the Enzo's replacement, the Ferrari LaFerrari was unveiled, with the company following the same direction of building a track-only version of the car. What followed was the fittingly named FXX K, continuing the long-lasting legacy of the FXX and creating its own. Here's why the Ferrari FXX K was the ultimate track weapon.

Like the original FXX, being based on the Enzo, the FXX K's DNA is that of one of the most influential cars of the 21st Century. Part of the supercar holy trinity, the LaFerrari was not just known for its beautifully designed bodywork, but for the one-of-a-kind driving experience the car still manages to provide today.

One of the key elements of the LaFerrari was its hybrid powertrain, allowing for the electric power to take Ferrari's flagship car to a whole new level of performance. The FXX K takes the same monstrous V-12 used in the LaFerrari along with its electric motors, with the FXX K having 85 more horsepower. Referring back to the LaFerrari's bodywork, the FXX K takes a unique style and simply builds off of it, making it wider, more aggressive, and perhaps even more beautiful in its pursuit of increased downforce and raw power.

When talking about the ultimate track weapon, it's not just the outside of the car that needs to look the part, it's also the interior that plays a huge role in providing the experience only this type of car can offer. While the LaFerrari isn't quite as luxurious as other Ferrari models, the FXX K takes things once again to a new level, stripping out anything that isn't required to make the car as fast as possible.

Despite retaining a few sections of Alcantara on the top of the dash and bottom of the seats, the FXX K's interior is primarily carbon fiber, with exposed carbon on the wheel, dash, and center console. The center console is also one of the most striking features of the car itself, being a racecar-esque console without any fancy styling but just the buttons and switches for each feature of the car. With no foot well carpet or amenities, Ferrari made sure to save weight wherever they could inside the FXX K.

One of the key elements that led to the FXX K being so mighty fast was the car's incredibly intricate aerodynamics, with each section of the car designed to work in harmony to keep the FXX K stuck to the tarmac. The company's unmatched experience in aerodynamics by being the oldest team in the aero-focused world of Formula 1 clearly assisted in the FXX K's design.

The FXX K features a wonderfully complex front splitter that sits 30mm closer to the ground than the tamer LaFerrari's front end, along with sharp end plates and fins to direct as much air as possible along the side of the car. The air then travels through the long curves along the side of the car and over the rear wheels, with the rear being equally stunning with even bigger vertical fins. The FXX K even has a low-drag mode, which manages to generate another 30 percent of downforce.

A common theme among the top-end supercar track cars like the FXX K is how hard it is to get your hands on one of them. Due to how extreme and detailed the car is, Ferrari only produced 42 units of the FXX K. The track car also cost $3 million, which made it difficult to purchase one back in 2015. Today, however, the price of an FXX K can reach up to $4.3 million.

The same followed for the FXX K's even faster version with the FXX K Evo, with only 40 of these cars being made. The FFX K however is still just as desired among Ferrari fans and even more so for some, being the first model to embody the spirit of the old FXX that has such a special place in Ferrari's legacy.

Another way that Ferrari infuses Formula 1 elements within the FXX K is through the different available modes for the car. Due to it being track-only, the car has two main modes when driving on-track. The first is Qualify, for maximum performance on a single lap, toning the power down slightly for optimal long runs. This means that no matter how you want to drive the car, each setting will fine-tune every aspect of the FXX K to provide the driving experience that only Corse Clienti can deliver.

As well as the two primary driving modes, the FXX K also utilizes the hybrid powertrain to further heighten the car's abilities. Fast Charge is the setting that allows the battery to charge as fast as possible, with Manual Boost deploying all the charged energy to maximize both top speed and cornering speed.

The LaFerrari, McLaren P1, and the Porsche 918 were seen as one of the biggest steps forward in the supercar/hypercar scene, being the first hybrid production cars of their kind. With blistering speeds and all-round performance greatly assisted by the hybrid powertrain, the same can be said for the FXX K, taking the electric power to create one of the first track-focused supercars with a hybrid powertrain.

Being one of the first track-focused hybrids of the FXX K's capabilities made it that much more desirable. With Formula 1 introducing hybrid powertrains not long before the release of the FXX K, the idea of experiencing the same benefits in a car you could buy and drive whenever you wanted to make the FXX K just as groundbreaking as the LaFerrari in terms of pushing the industry forward.

It wasn't just the hybrid powertrain that set apart the FXX K from other track cars, it was also to use of multiple different technologies, a lot of which was derived from the Formula 1 cars of its time. The most notable F1-inspired tech is KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System) which was introduced to F1 in 2009, It focuses on recovering the energy the car produces under braking and re-delivering it to maximize performance. The 'K' in the name of the vehicle represents this very system.

As well as KERS, the FXX K also features more F1-based technology, such as racing ABS brakes and F1-level traction control. Using the very best available tech for such vital elements ends up making a massive, welcoming impact on the way the car instantly responds to any input, being able to handle just about any corner you throw at it at any speed. Another piece of tech that keeps the car on rails is the side-slip control system, keeping the car stable through each corner.

When cars such as the FXX K are designed, handling corners and providing maximum acceleration are the main areas that are focused on, and rightly so. Being able to confidently attack corners and launch back out the other side is fundamental for a track car. However, the FXX K doesn't sacrifice any top speed compared to the standard LaFerrari.

The FXX K retains the top speed of the LaFerrari, reaching 218 MPH through its V-12. Being able to provide such an impressive top speed while simultaneously providing staggering amounts of downforce is another reason for the FXX K being the ultimate track weapon. No matter where you are on any track, the FXX K will never fail to deliver the utmost amount of thrill.

Going back to the exterior design of the car, the extremely detailed, intricate aerodynamic designs make for what is still one of the most jaw-dropping Ferraris to look at to this day. Being built off of the elegant LaFerrari, a car full of smooth curves, and adding all the aero necessary for a track car, the FXX K finds the perfect balance between grace and boldness.

Ferrari is a manufacturer known for its unmatched elegance in the supercar scene, making the FXX K so much more extreme than the majority of its prior cars, with the main exception being the 599XX, which led to another unexpected breath of fresh air after the LaFerrari took the Italian legend to a new realm.

Besides the visuals and performance of a supercar, it's the roar the engine makes that can truly set it apart from the competition. The 6.3-liter V-12 without a doubt one of the best-sounding engines to feature in a Ferrari to date, with the high pitch scream making your hair raise every time you push the throttle pedal.

As well as the sound, the V-12 hybrid can't help but produce the immense power and torque that complete the car, working perfectly in sync with the aerodynamics of the car to make it Ferrari's biggest achievement at the time of release. The FXX K was the car that proved just how bright the future is for both track-focused supercars and Ferrari themselves, something that we're seeing the wonderful effects of in supercars around the world today.