Naturally aspirated Ferrari 12Cilindri revs up
Ferrari has unveiled a stunning successor to its acclaimed 812 Superfast, dubbed the 12Cilindri. As the name indicates, it is powered by a V12 engine that packs no less than 610 kW. The Ferrari 12Cilindri will arrive in South Africa during Q1 of 2025!
Although the threat of EU emissions and noise legislation means that big-capacity engines such as Ferrari’s 6.5-litre V12 (F140HD) are essentially on borrowed time, well-heeled customers still adore them – the Purosangue SUV is sold out, we’re told, for years…
Perhaps because those legislative changes are looming, Ferrari has taken the unconventional route of launching the Coupe and drop-top (Spider) variants at the same time. The Ferrari 12Cilindri is further evidence that Italian even makes the most generic of names sound evocative.
Think Maserati Quattroporte (four-door)… Replace “Twelve” with the Italian “Dodici” and you have a car that sounds suitably impressive around the braai. The new Ferraris will arrive in South Africa during the first quarter of 2025, but no pricing details are available yet. In Europe, pricing begins at around the €400 000 mark (approximately R8 million before options, duties and taxes).
With styling inspired by the legendary Daytona of the late ’60s to early ’70s, the 12Cilindri is another Flavio Manzoni masterpiece. Ferrari’s press release says the goal was to create “a sober, elegant car”, but in our view, the 12Cilindri looks dramatic and beautifully resolved.
It is largely devoid of aggressive aero addenda, with most of its downforce generated by the 3 pairs of vortex generators at the front of the car’s floor, another two at the rear, and a substantial diffuser. The 12Cilindri does, however, have a hidden trick… 2 active rear wing flaps that are flush with bodywork until 60 kph, at which point they deploy as needed to boost cornering, acceleration and braking performance.
The interior of the Ferrari 12Cilindri, meanwhile, closely resembles the one you’ll find in the Ferrari Purosangue, and features an 8.8-inch screen in front of the passenger, showing speed, engine revs and more. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard.
Underpinning the 12Cilindri is an all-aluminium chassis that is around 20 mm shorter than the 812 Superfast‘s and also 15% stiffer. Interestingly, it is just shy of 40 kg heavier than its predecessor, but this has not impacted performance negatively. Ferrari claims a 0-100 kph time of 2.9 seconds for the coupe and 2.95 seconds for the 60kg-heavier Spider. Top speed is “above 340 kph” for both variants.
The naturally-aspirated 6.5-litre V12 engine, which delivers 610 kW/678 Nm and spins to a heady 9 500rpm, is mated with the 8-speed gearbox, which is also utilised in the SF90 and 296 GTB. It is said to shift 30 per cent faster than the 7-speed dual-clutch used in its predecessor.
To ensure sharper dynamics than the Superfast, the 12Cilindri features the 812 Competizione‘s rear-wheel steering system, as well as an overall suspension set-up that mimics the apex 812 variant’s. Two tyre options (Michelin Pilot Sport S5 and Goodyear Eagle F1 Supersport) are available for the 21-inch alloy wheels fitted to the Ferrari 12Cilindri.
Ferrari 12Cilindri Specifications
- POWERTRAIN
- Type: V12, 65-degree dry sump petrol
- Overall displacement: 6 496 cm3
- Bore and stroke: 94 mm x 78 mm
- Max. power output: 610 kW at 9 250 rpm
- Max. torque: 678 Nm at 7 250 rpm
- Max. revs: 9 500 rpm
- Compression ratio: 13.5:1
- WEIGHTS AND DIMENSIONS
- Length: 4733 mm
- Width: 2176 mm
- Height: 1292 mm
- Wheelbase: 2700 mm
- Front track: 1686 mm
- Rear track: 1645 mm
- Dry weight: 1560 kg
- Weight distribution: 48.4% front / 51.6% rear
- Fuel tank capacity: 92 litres
- Boot size: 270 litres
- TYRES AND WHEELS
- Front: 275/35 R21 J10.0
- Rear: 315/35 R21 J11.5
Ferrari 12Cilindri Specifications cont.
- BRAKES
- Front: 398 x 223 x 38 mm
- Rear: 360 x 233 x 32 mm
- TRANSMISSION AND GEARBOX
- 8-speed DCT
- ELECTRONIC CONTROLS
- SSC 8.0: TC, eDiff, SCM, PCV 3.0, FDE 2.0, EPS, ABS-Evo in all Manettino positions, 6D sensor, performance ABS/ABD
- PERFORMANCE (Coupe)
- Max. speed: > 340 kph
- 0-100 kph: 2.9 s
- 0-200 kph: <7.9 s
- 100-0 kph: 31.4 m
- 200-0 kph: 122.0 m
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