First ever Ferrari hybrid gets NGK spark plugs
Ferrari’s first-ever hybrid sports car is to be fitted with NGK spark plugs.
The company is supplying Ferrari with spark plugs for LaFerrari, which was officially unveiled at the 2013 Geneva Auto Show.
Just 499 of these exclusive sports cars will be manufactured, each one featuring a V12 6.3-litre engine and NGK’s MR8AP8HJS spark plugs with added sensor capabilities.
According to the car manufacturer, LaFerrari, will be the most powerful of all its models producing 789bhp, supplemented by a 163bhp KERS unit, called HY-Kers, and boasting a top speed of almost 224mph. Despite this, Ferrari says fuel consumption has been decreased by 40 percent.
Tim Ward, Deputy General Manager – Sales & Marketing, NGK Spark Plugs (UK) Ltd, said: “It is a major accolade for NGK spark plugs to be fitted to Ferrari’s first-ever hybrid vehicle. Ferrari is an iconic brand with massive appeal all over the globe.
“We have enjoyed a long association with Ferrari over the years, and our racing spark plugs are used by its F1 team. This once again proves the confidence that the world’s leading vehicle manufacturers have in the technical capabilities of our products.”
NGK’s spark plug MR8AP8HJS is also fitted on the Ferrari V8 engine which powers the F458 Italia and the F12 Berlinetta’s V12 engine.
The HEX 16 spark plug comes with a long-reaching 22mm M10 thread, which was specifically designed for Ferrari engines to fit the manufacturer’s sophisticated combustion chamber design.
The MR8AP8HJS features a double-ground electrode design and a centre electrode with a laser-welded platinum ring. The use of the precious metal ensures that the electrode remains extremely resistant to hot-gas corrosion and spark erosion even under heavy load and extreme temperatures and pressures.
In addition, the spark plug acts as a sensor for the engine’s knock-detection. The centre electrode is linked to an independent control unit, which measures the ionic current between the electrodes.
This current is proportional to the degree of ionisation within the combustion chamber and this information in turn provides an accurate picture of the combustion quality. Thanks to this system, initial stages of misfiring and detonation can be detected, enabling the engine management system to adjust its settings accordingly
NGK Spark Plugs (UK) Ltd is a leading supplier of original equipment spark plugs, glow plugs and NTK Lambda sensors to the world’s leading vehicle manufacturers with the same OE-quality products being available to the UK automotive aftermarket.
For more information about the company and its products and services please visit the website at www.ngkntk.co.uk