The Ferrari 12 Cilindri Berlinetta and Spider prove the naturally-aspirated V12 is far from being down and out for the count.
Every Ferrari drop is special and the 12Cilindri two-seater Berlinetta (and Spider) is no exception.
With its languorous flair for the dramatic, it’s hard to beat the romance of the Italian language when it comes to car model names.
For instance, the Ferrari “the Ferrari” sounds awkward in English, but as the Ferrari LaFerrari in Italian, an operatic sense of drama and high-octane adventure is instantly conjured up, with bonus points added for rolling your “Rs” and drawing out the syllables till you run out of breath.
See also: Driving the Ferrari Daytona 365 GTB/4 at Fiorano
However we should qualify that running out of breath is something you won’t have to expect from Ferrari’s naturally-aspirated magnum opus, the 12Cilindri (say dodici cilindri) – or if you prefer it in English, “Ferrari 12Cylinders” – but we’ll stick to the Italian, thankyouverymuch!
The launch of the 12Cilindri in Miami celebrates the 70th anniversary of the arrival of the Prancing Horse to the American market – if we had to guess, I'd reckon these will start from at least $2m before COE and options to be road registered in Singapore.
See also: A visit to the Ferrari Classiche department
More crucially, it represents the latest evolution of the front-engined naturally-aspirated V12 bloodline (succeeding the 812 Superfast, 812 GTS and 812 Competizione / Competizione A of recent times), a storied lineage that has been thrilling enthusiasts since 1947.
We love the salaciousness of such an act of sedition, especially given the world’s current preoccupation with electrified vehicles.
Taking turbochargers / superchargers and hybridised powertrains out of the purity of the V12 equation, we appreciate the feelsome, engineering marvel of a naturally-aspirated V12, which nourishes the soul of even the most jaded petrolhead… and that’s before it howls to the upper registers of the rev counter when you drive it in anger.
Being the fastest or more ferocious is not the point of this exercise, but giving petrolheads the feels and tingles is...
See also: Ferrari Purosangue brings V12 sound to Milford Sound in the South Island of New Zealand
True to Ferrari form, it makes no excuses for the magnificent V12 at the heart of the 12Cilindri.
This means it isn’t just vocal, but is also every bit as angsty and as aggro as you’d expect it to be, so you’ll feel all of the 6.5-litre’s 830hp and 678Nm (the 812 Competizione has a similar 830hp but just pips the 12Cilindri with 692Nm).
The “F140HD” V12 is an evolution of the beast found at the hearts of the special series 812 Competizione and 812 Competizione A with lightweight, low-friction internals to enable its high-revving shenanigans.
In the 12Cilindri, it has been engineered to a similarly stratospheric 9500rpm redline, but is now matched to an 8-speed dual-clutch DCT gearbox – as opposed to the 7-speed transmission found in the 812 Superfast, 812 GTS and 812 Competizione.
On-paper, the 12Cilindri’s performance is as devastating as its most recent 812 brethren, so that’s a top speed in excess of 340km/h, 0-100km/h in 2.9secs and 0-200km/h in under 7.9secs.
In some ways, one could even consider the 12Cilindri Berlinetta (and its Spider counterpart) to be a more civilised and comfortable version of the hardcore 812 Competizione and 812 Competizione A special series models.
However, as we all know, these vital statistics only serve to occupy the pub bores, because the beauty in any Ferrari isn’t just in its jaw-dropping looks, but also in how it drives.
The Ferrari 12Cilindri’s dynamics are underpinned by the latest 8.0 iteration of its impressive Side Slip Control (or SSC 8.0) system, which learns and works with the ABS Evo brake-by-wire system to optimise the car’s performance on all grip surfaces.
The Ferrari 12Cilindri features the same four-wheel independent steering (4WS) that made its debut on the 812 Competizione, which has been tuned to deliver even more precise and incisive responses through intelligent yaw management.
Its design language is a big departure from that of the 812 Competizione and the V12s from before, with hints of the iconic V12-engined 365 GTB/4 “Daytona” about the front profile’s wedge-shape and “black mask”, as well as elements of the Purosangue in the lights and haunches.
The 12Cilindri’s aero elements are elegantly integrated into the aesthetics, with a 25mm nolder on the boot-lid and two active aero flaps integrated with the rear screen, which can be deployed in either Low Drag or High Downforce configurations.
With its Passenger Display, the cabin is sectioned like the Purosangue we recently drove in the South Island of New Zealand, but adds a central touchscreen for you to fiddle with.
Like the mighty V12 itself, a Ferrari never goes out of style – even the classics age gracefully like fine wine as witnessed during our recent visit to the Ferrari Classiche department in Maranello.
There’s always something timelessly elegant about every Ferrari that transcends generations, which is a stark contrast to many of the “in-the-moment” offerings from the Prancing Horse’s contemporaries.
