Ferrari’s all-wheel-drive upgrade option can now give your prancing horse even greater traction. The “insertable 4×4″ upgrade can be equipped in both Ferrari’s mid-engine and front-engine vehicles and will only be activated if the computer senses a loss of traction. However, Ferrari drivers can choose between traditional rear-wheel- and the four-wheel-drive when and where they want.
The new system functions much like a conventional gearbox, however, a secondary clutch is joined to the crankshaft, which will only be engaged when the system detects a slide or excessive wheel-spin. When it does, power will be sent to the front wheels to right the vehicle. According to the article, the system works very well, however the all-wheel-drive system can only be active for a short amount of time at high speeds, as mechanisms in the system are prone to overheating.
When it comes to outright traction, all-wheel-drive is clearly the dominating drive train, however, with the additional weight and complexity of the system, we hope that Ferrari is willing to take the inevitable flack that will come from their core clientele of drive train traditionalists.