Ferrari patents side-exit exhaust for a future front-engine supercar
A. Krivonosov
Ferrari files a patent for a side-exit exhaust that routes along the body, promising drama without weight or aero penalties. Aimed at a front-engine supercar.
Ferrari has filed a new patent for a side-exit exhaust system that could appear on one of its future sports cars. Documents first published by Motor1 reveal an unconventional layout in which the pipes run along the body and exit just behind the front doors — much like the Dodge Viper.
Unlike traditional side pipes, the setup is engineered differently: Ferrari says the design avoids penalties in weight and aerodynamics and can also dissipate some kinetic energy in a frontal impact, reducing the chance of cabin damage. On paper, that promises the theater of side pipes without their usual compromises.
The diagrams indicate that the pipes leave the engine behind the front wheels, route beneath the body, and finish behind the cabin. The patent appears aimed at a front‑engine supercar, since such a solution would make little sense with a mid‑engine layout.
Interestingly, Ferrari has explored similar ideas before: back in 2013 the brand filed for an asymmetrical exhaust that exited on one side only, but it never reached production.
The company plans to unveil 20 new models within five years, and it’s plausible that at least one of them could adopt this striking side dump — a flourish that would bring back the spirit of classic supercars, with a roaring V8 and flames flickering from the side pipes.
