How Ferrari Engines Are Made

The heart of any vehicle is the engine. Which is why each one must be crafted with care and absolute precision for the best quality and longest lifespan of your vehicle. This is also why Ferrari vehicles take around three months to build overall as this high level of care is sustained throughout the entire construction process.

So you can understand why Ferrari engine components are also cast in the in-house foundry to ensure the highest quality parts. It’s here in the foundry where, with machine assistance, aluminum is melted down in a furnace and poured into molds to form the cylinder block, cylinder heads, crankcase, and valve casings. These parts are what will eventually find their way to the Ferrari Engine Assembly Unit to make the finished product that produces that oh-so-famous roar that all Milwaukee drivers love.

Ferrari Philosophy: “Craftsmanship Assembly, Automatic Control”

Building a Ferrari engine takes an immense level of awareness that should not be automated, but that’s not to say precise and intricate work doesn’t require some assistance to make sure everything is crafted perfectly.

In addition to the automated pouring of the aluminum in the foundry, a Ferrari engine’s valve seats require an extra robotic touch. These robots, nicknamed Romeo and Juliet, fuse the valve seats that go into the engines. In this process, Romeo takes a cylinder head and gently warms it with compressed air while Juliet takes an aluminum ring and dips it into liquid nitrogen. These two parts are then joined together.

One of the biggest selling points of the Ferrari falls squarely on the shoulders of craftsmanship, which, in turn, rests almost solely on Ferrari engine construction. This remarkable human assembly line element dating back to almost 1947 is one of the many reasons Ferrari is one of the top exotic car brands today. And while you may think that after so many years, human assembly would have been phased out, the whole Ferrari engine construction process has progressed along with technology, and the human craftsmanship element still remains.

Which means you can still expect the immense skill of each professional involved in the process, as well as the precision and assurance of computers meant to measure and analyze each part and mechanism so there are no mistakes. No matter what, you can rest assured you’re receiving an engine of the highest quality in your new Ferrari.

The Ferrari Engine Assembly Unit

Here at the plant, you’ll find 32 stations at the V8 assembly line, with the engine moving from one employee to the next — each individual trained and certified in their specific aspect of engine assembly. Additionally, V12 engines are assembled separately from V8 due to their complexity, which in turn requires more attention and more employees to complete.

The process is relatively simple, at least when you talk about the overall parts that the Ferrari engine is comprised of. After all constructed parts arrive at the Ferrari Engine Assembly Unit, the engine is constructed. These engine parts consist of:

• Cylinder block
• Cylinder heads
• Valves
• Crankshaft

Then it’s onto other elements like the timing chains, the electrical system, and the casing designed to protect the engine’s distribution. After that, like any other top-tier quality piece, the engine is sent to the test bench to ensure it meets Ferrari’s standards before moving onto the assembly line to be mounted to the vehicle.

Learn More About Ferrari Engine Assembly with Continental AutoSports Ferrari

No matter if you’re a Chicago or Indianapolis driver, we want to share the exquisite Ferrari craftsmanship with you. Take a look at our Ferrari inventory or better yet, come on down to our Continental AutoSports Ferrari showroom in Hinsdale. Be sure to contact us if you have any questions on the purchase process or your lease and finance options. Bring home a Ferrari of your own today!