Super And Fast

If ever there was a car that did its name justice the newest V12 Ferrari is it.

- Sirish Chandran

IT’S HALF PAST FIVE IN THE EVENING AS THE sun continues to mercilessly beat down on every car guy’s mecca. We’ve spent the day assaulting the hills of Modena, found roads so glorious we nearly ran out of fuel chasing our tail, and grew hoarse proclaiming everything from the engine to the gearbox to be best of the best in the world. Our ears are ringing, hands trembling. And the best has been saved for last.

Fiorano in a Ferrari is what children reading car magazines dream of. It’s what grown men dream of. This is why you become an automotive journalist, to one day test a Ferrari at Fiorano. The place is hallowed ground, dripping in history and soaked in folklore. It’s hard to be objective when your red test car is idling in Piazza Michael Schumacher under the shade of the cottage Enzo Ferrari lived in. Even harder when in the middle of filming you’re offered a quick wander through Il Commendatore’s old digs, shuffling through the study overflowing with what is now priceless memorabilia, the dining room that hosted the greatest of F1 greats of yesteryears, leafing through data sheets from every F1 race ever and Instagramming the old telephone over which updates were relayed from races around the world. You’re asked to maintain respectfully hushed tones even though the house is empty, as if you’re in a place of worship. Which you are! And out on track there’s a V12 making sounds 200 per cent hornier than today’s Formula 1 cars.

That car is the 812 Superfast and as far as names go it is the most cheesy name to adorn a road car. It’s like Land Rover christening the next Defender 'Enjoysgettingabitmuddy', or the Prius being called 'Totallyackinginemotion'. I could go on but truth be told, Superfast is an absolutely appropriate name for what truly is the pinnacle of V12 road cars.