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Ferrari 12Cilindri Has a Sinuous Shape and a Powerful 819-HP V-12

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7 months ago

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Ferrari 12Cilindri Has a Sinuous Shape and a Powerful 819-HP V-12

  • Ferrari has revealed a new V-12-engined two-seater, the 12Cilindri.
  • The car is coming later this year with a price expected to be in the low $400,000s.
  • An open-air 12Cilindri Spider will follow in late 2024.

Ferrari’s new front-engined flagship, coming this summer, is perfectly proportioned and refreshingly different, yet 100 percent true to the brand and oozing Italianità through every pore of its lavishly appointed interior. The striking two-seater was designed in-house by maestro Flavio Manzoni and his team, and it is such an obvious tribute to the legendary 365GTB/4 that it should be badged Daytona—which won’t happen, because Ferrari already wasted that coveted name on the limited-edition mid-engined Daytona SP3.

preview for Ferrari 12Cilindri Revealed!

But the essential element of the new car is the engine. The car’s name, “12Cilindri,” says it all. Perhaps the last of its kind, the tweaked normally aspirated 6.5-liter V-12 is an evolution of the milestone F140HD unit fitted to the Icona series, the outgoing 812GTS, and the Purosangue. Redlining at 9500 rpm, the compact dry-sump V-12 delivers 819 horsepower at 9250 rpm and a maximum torque of 500 pound-feet at 7250 rpm.

Perhaps even more impressive than these numbers is the goose-pimple soundtrack we sampled at the pre-launch in Maranello, home of Ferrari and still the marque’s only production facility.

“A State-of-the-Art Muscle Car”

Covered in traditional red crinkle paint and fed by a massive carbon-fiber intake apparatus, the beautifully finished engine has been tuned for even quicker responses and improved drivability. Among the features are trick variable-geometry intake ducts, reduced-friction low-mass valvetrain and rotating assemblies, and a new software strategy dubbed Aspirated Torque Shaping (ATS), which electronically massages the twist action in third and fourth gear for more bottom-end to midrange urge. As a result, 80 percent of the maximum grunt is available from a modest 2500 rpm.

To spread the output more evenly over the broad rev range, the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission fitted to the 812 Competizione has been replaced by a closer-ratio, faster-shifting eight-speed unit. At a claimed minimum dry weight of 3439 pounds for the coupe model, the neo-Daytona is said to be 161 pounds heavier than its predecessor, but, at a quoted 2.9 seconds to 62 mph, it still beats it by one tenth of a second. The zero-to-124-mph acceleration time is “under 7.9 seconds.”

“We started work on this car four years ago when everyone was talking about electrification and nothing else,” said chief marketing and commercial officer Enrico Galliera. Although Ferrari will launch a completely electrified vehicle next year, he explained, “the 12Cilindri is the exact opposite—it doesn’t even feature a hybrid system. Instead, the product planners’ main source of inspiration was the rich heritage, outstanding performance, and amazing presence of the Ferrari GTs from the ’60s and ’70s, which defined the DNA of our brand. Think of the 12Cilindri as a state-of-the-art muscle car with style and manners.”

To further improve the handling, the R&D department shortened the wheelbase by 0.8 inch compared to the 812 Superfast. Torsional rigidity is up 15 percent, and there is standard rear-wheel steering to enhance both maneuverability and stability. Magnetorheological dampers are another familiar feature, as is the 48:52 front-to-rear weight distribution.

Tech Onboard

While there are no fancy chassis-related innovations like the Multimatic active dampers pioneered by the Purosangue, or switchable anti-roll bars, Ferrari did upgrade the network of electronic aids, which help control the car at the limit and sweeten the handling. For example, the eighth iteration of Side Slip Control virtually closes the gap between grip estimation, recognition, and action. The upgraded brake-by-wire ABS Evo system boasts 15.7-inch front and 14.2-inch rear carbon-ceramic rotors, as well as a claimed 103-foot stopping distance from 62 mph. The Virtual Short Wheelbase 3.0 system is even faster-acting for improved turn-in agility and high-speed stability. Wheel size goes up one inch to 21, with bespoke Michelin Pilot Sport S5 or Goodyear F1 Eagle SuperSport summer tires, sized 275/35ZR-21 in front and 315/35ZR-21 at the rear. The fuel tank holds an unchanged 24.3 gallons, but trunk volume is down from 11 cubic feet to 10.

The new active-aero setup is claimed to combine minimum drag with maximum downforce, depending on the driving situation. The key attraction is the rear air management assembly. The top spoiler, which consists of a fixed centerpiece and a pair of simultaneously acting dynamic lateral winglets, is supported by a large full-width diffuser. A network of ducts and louvers, some of which open and close selectively, channel cooling air to the brakes, radiators, oil coolers, and engine bay. Assisted by two sets of complex vortex generators integrated in the floorpan and a pair of wheelhouse breathers, the front spoiler and the rear air deflectors create the full ground-effect whammy above 100 mph, with a 110-pound peak of rear downforce at 155 mph. Press on, and at 186 mph the black box will lock all aero variables in low-drag mode so that the 12Cilindri can storm on to its top speed of “over 211 mph.”

No Fake Retro

The design is clean, modern, and emphatically contemporary, consciously avoiding false retro touches. Among the most salient signature styling themes are the contrasting “delta screen” rear window, the sporty visor-effect wraparound greenhouse, and the black panel that connects the headlights for that anecdotal Daytona wow effect. Other eye-catchers: a huge front-hinged, single-piece clamshell engine cover; a razorback rear end with a pair of unexpectedly rectangular taillights; low-drag wheels milled from four solid blocks of aluminum; and double-edged, full-length lateral character lines, which rise all the way from the front indicators to the voluptuously flared rear wings.

“The 12Cilindri strikes a compelling mix of classic GT elements and the new cool,” says a proud Flavio Manzoni. “The round taillamps are gone, and so are the upright headlights and the familiar grille. Instead, we introduced fresh codes such as two sets of contrasting horizontal blade elements—the one up front softly rounded and flush-fitting, its counterpart in the back concave and sharp-edged. Together, they emphasize the car ́s unmistakable stance which is seamless and elegant, or butch and muscular, depending on the viewing angle.”

The 812 replacement adopts the cocoon-effect double-cockpit layout first seen in the Roma and the Purosangue. Head- and legroom are allegedly unchanged and thus not worth writing home about. Just about the only remaining analog parts to be found in the totally revised high-tech multi-screen cockpit are the manettino drive-mode selector attached to the steering wheel and the H-pattern cancelletto gear selector borrowed from the SF90. Even the start-stop button is now of the touchy-feely digital kind. Driver and passenger get their own displays which are connected by a large central 10.3-inch touchscreen accessible to both occupants.

2024 ferrari 12cilindri

Ferrari

The berlinetta coupe is fitted with a large tinted glass roof, which adds a touch of airiness to the cabin. Customers craving a breeze of real ozone should check out the spider, which looks notably less busy and feisty than the previous effort. Stowed beneath a solid panel, its canvas top will open or close in 14 seconds.

In Europe, the coupe lists at the equivalent of about $417,000 before options. The spider adds a claimed 132 pounds of mass and a 10 percent premium to the tally, bringing the price to around $465,000. A worthwhile addition to the vanity game is the Atelier treatment, which offers a wider choice of fuoriserie trim and paint options than you can get using the standard configurator. Those with even more extravagant tastes and bank accounts to match can still consult the Tailor Made division to discuss a truly personalized one-off.

The 12Cilindri is due out later this year, and the open-air model should arrive at dealers in the fourth quarter.

Headshot of Georg Kacher

Although I was born the only son of an ornithologist and a postal clerk, it was clear from the beginning that birdwatching and stamp collecting were not my thing. Had I known that God wanted me to grow to 6’8″, I also would have ruled out anything to do with cars, which are to blame for a couple of slipped discs, a torn ligament, and that stupid stooped posture behind the wheel. While working as a keeper in the Aberdeen Zoo, smuggling cheap cigarettes from Yugoslavia to Germany, and an embarrassing interlude with an amateur drama group also failed to yield fulfillment, driving and writing about cars became a much better option. And it still is now, many years later, as I approach my 70th birthday. I love every aspect of my job except long-haul travel on lousy airlines, and I hope it shows.

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