There’s plenty of cause to celebrate with Ferrari’s mighty naturally-aspirated V12 at the heart of the 12Cilindri Berlinetta
Chateau d’Urspelt, Luxembourg - Our Giallo Montecarlo 12Cilindri Berlinetta cuts through the early morning gloom like a golden-delicious vision, a defiant ray of light cleaving through the gathering cloud of impending electrification.
This is Ferrari's latest V12 magnum opus, the Dodici Cilindri (or 12Cilindri) for, you guessed it – 12 Cylinders.
Only in the Italian language can something so literal sound so romantic, especially when the same thing in English sounds so prosaic.
See also: We tackle New Zealand's South Island in the Ferrari Purosangue
Just think about it, Purosangue (for pure blood or thoroughbred) and LaFerrari (or TheFerrari, which was the definitive Ferrari before the F80 came along) just work perfectly as model names when you’re working your tongue hard to draw out the syllables and roll your r’s dramatically.
Not that any Ferrari needs such theatrics to entertain. Of the supercar pantheon, the Prancing Horse is probably the only brand that sees collectors / enthusiasts await each drop with bated breath, simply because you know that be it regular or limited model, it’ll be something special.
See also: An introduction to: The Year in Cars - 2024
Naturally, for the special models, the “inner circle” of clients would already have been pre-engaged by the brand itself. This means that for cars like the recently-launched F80, it’s normally too late to put your hand up by the time it goes public.
In a welcome break from modern-day trends, the 12Cilindri isn't turbocharged, electrified or hybridised in any form.
Instead, at the heart of Ferrari’s gorgeous two-seater grand tourer berlinetta is caged a howling, nat-asp 6.5-litre V12 of gnarly, elemental goodness, which full-sends a raging storm to the tune of 830hp and 678Nm.
The 12Cilindri isn’t some “me-too” creation to jump on a contrarian trend-wagon, because the mid-front-mounted nat-asp V12 has always had a special place in the history of the Prancing Horse.
For more lifestyle, arts and fashion trends, click here for Options Section
The very first Ferrari to roll-out from the hallowed gates of the factory in 1947 was powered by a nat-asp, front-mid-mounted V12.
Thus, the very latest V12 in the 12Cilindri is the natural evolution of the species that counts past prime specimens like the 812, F12, 599 and 550/575 in its tally.
Judging by the DMs we received in response to our social media posts of the 12Cilindri, its design continues to polarise opinion, especially since it is a departure from Ferrari’s familiar aesthetic language.
However, we’re also getting a growing number of respondents who are starting to warm to the car after seeing it at the showroom.
Such initial lukewarm responses come as no surprise. Every brand of note goes through the same cycle of criticism with new models, because some fans can’t progress beyond comparing backwards, much less contemplate future-proofing a design.
As time has already told, some of today’s evergreen icons were yesteryear’s whipping boys and we reckon it will be no exception with the 12Cilindri.
A Ferrari never demands your adoration or forces you to submit to its reality, simply because the only thing it identifies as is a Ferrari.
I had already liked it from the photos, but was blown away when I saw it in the flesh at the Chateau d’Urspelt in Luxembourg for the media drive. Sitting in the middle of the courtyard, the sheer aura of its presence bowls you over.
Best of all, the aesthetics are cleanly and elegantly executed, without recourse to overt aero elements or in-the-moment styling that characterises many current offerings.
Intended to recall the brand’s legendary grand tourers of the 1950s and 60s, there are hints of the classic V12-engined 365 GTB/4 “Daytona” about the 12Cilindri’s front sci-fi-inspired headlight mask and classic GT proportions and silhouette.
Two black flaps on either side of the rear screen create an aeronautically-inspired “delta” theme.
These work as active aero elements (above 60km/h, but below 300km/h), which actuate to improve downforce (they add 50kg downforce at 250km/h) when needed, based on the car’s longitudinal and lateral acceleration.
The rest of its design is grounded in geometric forms and features a beguiling fusion of past and present, as well as holds hints of elements to be found in future models.
There’s something about the car that commands one’s respect, reverence even as it sits loud and proud on its 21-inch footwear.
We like that there is a cohesive strategy to the brand’s model line-up, which is in line with its ethos of delivering a different Ferrari for different Ferraristis and for different moments.
With the hybrid petrol-electric SF90 Stradale delivering the big power smackdown, the nat-asp F140HD V12 in the 12Cilindri can be developed in a more holistic fashion to combine fun-to-drive with effortless grand touring abilities, as opposed to outright output.
The beast under the long cofango bonnet of this beauty is derived from the V12 that animates the raging 812 Competizione, albeit tweaked, tuned and tinkered-with for a more flexible power-band expected of the grand tourer.
Unlike its V12 predecessors, the 12Cilindri sees service of an 8spd dual-clutch gearbox, which has been engineered to deliver 30% faster shifts than before.
The contemporary cockpit is reminiscent of Ferrari’s current Roma and Purosangue offerings – a “dual-cockpit” that is divided into driver and passenger sections.
The cabin is taut, modern and features a balanced mix of analogue and digital, with a luggage area behind the front seats for greater touring versatility.
Ferrari has integrated a 10.25” central touchscreen display into the fascia, so it doesn't stick out like a sore thumb or as an afterthought. After all, with a car like the 12Cilindri, you just know the highlight isn’t going to be anything found on an oversized tablet.
In this climate, the ultimate flex is to showcase the purity of a nat-asp V12 for pleasure’s sake, as opposed to chasing maximum output figures that involve forced induction or hybridisation.
We like how the cockpit envelopes you like a cocoon the moment you slide into the driver’s seat. However, what’s even more remarkable is how tractable the 12Cilindri is as you ease the 4.7m sportscar out of the carpark.
It is agile and nimble with progressive and organic steering responses that never comes across as overly darty.
The wheelbase of the all-aluminium chassis is 20mm shorter than the 812’s, so there’s a tight, lightness of being to the sportscar that belies its proportions.
Ferrari’s latest V12 boasts a higher torsional rigidity than the 812 Superfast it succeeds, and at 1560kg dry, doesn’t incur any additional weight penalty. Its low-speed manners are exemplary, and with 80% of its torque available from 2500rpm, requires little effort to hustle along.
With the winding roads wet and slippery around the hotel, we switch the manettino to ‘Wet’, which helps us avoid any unintended waywardness from the get-go.
This also underscores its genuine grand touring ability, because there’s none of the nervousness and twitchiness you’d otherwise associate with a high-powered rear-drive sportscar.
Its independent four-wheel steering system makes light work of tighter corners, and the chassis inspires so much confidence you’ll find yourself diving hard into corners with more enthusiasm than apprehension… even in the wet.
It can’t rain all the time and we finally succeed in catching up with the sun and more importantly, dry roads. Out of ‘Wet’ mode and alternating between ‘Sport’ and ‘Race’, we’re able to enjoy the full grit of the 12Cilindri’s colourful rock and raunchy performance, as the V12 responds to the minute ministrations of its ‘conductor’, my right-foot.
The 812 Superfast had a mean and keen edge to its dynamic personality that we enjoyed, but if the 12Cilindri’s civility and composure is any indication, the rough edges have clearly been ironed out. It is more polished gentleman tourer than risque gentlemen's club, but it’s still an accomplished and predictable performer on the limit under real world conditions.
There’s fabulous tactile feel and proper weighting to the cabin controls that will engage the driving purists, and ease-of-use for the switchgear that are secondary to the driving.
The mighty 12Cilindri isn’t intended to mimic the hardcore, track-honed manners of the 812 Competizione, but it holds its own in terms of devastating cross-country pace.
It isn’t just mind-numbingly fast either, but delivers the sort of fluid driving thrills all enthusiasts can appreciate and enjoy, where it’s more, “how much fun did you have?” as opposed to, “how fast did you go?”
And trust us when we say you’ll want to drive and drive, that is, until you run out of fuel. But then you’ll top it up and continue to drive and drive again, because the 12Cilindri is just that sort of sportscar.
The addictive, specially-tuned symphony is nothing short of ear-gasmic and serves as a soaring, operatic soundtrack for the magnificent V12 as it races to its stratospheric 9500rpm redline.
Nothing is synthesised or composed, but rather, the aggravated, aural manifestation of the charismatic 6496cc instrument under the 12Cilindri’s bonnet.
It’s fantastic that Ferrari continues to build the stuff of every petrolhead’s dream with purebred sportscars like the 12Cilindri – that never downplays fun in favour of fast – and gives us 6496 mighty reasons why ICE is still very nice.
Ferrari 12Cilindri
Engine 6496cc, V12, nat-asp
Power 830hp at 9250rpm
Torque 678Nm at 7250rpm
Transmission 8spd dual-clutch
0-100km/h 2.9secs
Top Speed >340km/h
