Most automakers have shied away from using V-12 engines in recent years, especially in their front-engine cars. But Ferrari isn’t like most manufacturers.
The Italian automaker revealed its newest berlinetta, the 812 Superfast, Thursday ahead of the car’s world premiere at the Geneva International Motor Show in March. The 812 Superfast is the replacement for the F12tdf and, as its name suggests, it’s the fastest front-engine car ever to wear the “Prancing Horse” badge.
It will be powered by a 6.5-liter V-12 that produces 788 horsepower, 516 foot pounds of torque and propels the 812 Superfast to 62 mph in just 2.9 seconds. Maximum torque doesn’t come until 7,000 rpm, but to ensure maximum driveability, Ferrari said 80 percent of that is available at 3,500 rpm.
“The 812 Superfast thus ushers in a new era in Ferrari 12-cylinder history, in doing so building on the invaluable legacies of the F12berlinetta and F12tdf,” Ferrari said in a press release. “It is aimed at clients demanding the most powerful and exclusive Ferrari in the range: an uncompromising sports car that will deliver exhilarating driving both on road and track yet also be comfortable enough to allow its owners to enjoy it as an all-round experience.”
Although Ferrari resisted the technology much longer than most manufacturers, the 812 Superfast will also be the first car to come from Maranello, Italy with electric power steering. Ferrari also fitted it with updated versions of its vehicle control software, which have different modes to allow for varying degrees of slip and make it easier to put all that power to the ground.
The exterior of the 812 Superfast was designed to look racy, but it also was meant to make the car fast. It includes various features, such as air bypasses on the rear wheel arches and active flaps on the underbody, that create more downforce than on the outgoing F12.
Ferrari said the 812 Superfast will be released in a new Rosso Settanta paint to commemorate the company’s 70th anniversary. If we’re being honest, though, you probably couldn’t tell the difference between Rosso Settanta, and Ferrari’s traditional Rosso Corsa, unless the two were side-by-side.
All photos via Ferrari
