812 Superfast

Maranello replaces the superb F12 berlinetta with something even better... surely the world's greatest front-engine coupe?

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FERRARI’S devotion to the dozen has never deviated. The company was founded on V12 power, and has been faithful to the format now for 70 years. And the V12 engine remains as exotic today as it ever was.

Seven decades ago it was a path to power few dared or cared to follow. This remained the case through most of Ferrari’s long road car history. Today there are more straightforward highways to hell-raising performance than 12 cylinders and high, high revs. But, at least for its elite models, Ferrari spurns them.

Hope that this remains so. Pray to your preferred God if you think it will help. For there are few other engines on this earth quite so worthy of veneration as the latest Ferrari V12.

At the end of the 812 Superfast’s throttle travel there’s 588kW. Exactly 800 metric horsepower. So, with the exit to Fiorano’s tight Turn 6 hairpin coming into view, I squeeze the throttle until it squeezes no further. Just as I’d seen Ferrari test driver Fabrizio Toschi do during the two-lap, two-up familiarisation just minutes ago.

Ferrari’s electronic expertise these days never fails to amaze. The broad Pirelli P Zero rear tyres (315/35R20) take a bite of the bitumen and viciously spit the 812 Superfast forward. No dithering, no slithering.

The 75-percent-new V12 has a little more capacity than the 6.3-litre of the F12 berlinetta. While the cylinder bore dimension remains unchanged, it has a new crankshaft to increase stroke by 2.2mm. New pistons and rods and cams, too. And all-new cylinder heads, the first in the world into production with new high-pressure, high-precision direct injectors made by Bosch. There are new hydraulically actuated but electronically controlled F1-style variable-length intake trumpets (made in-house) hidden inside an equally new intake plenum with enlarged throttle bodies.