Prancing at 40 km/h in the Ferrari 12Cilindri

There's something surreal about driving a V12-powered Ferrari at no more than 40 kilometers per hour.

- Words and photos by MANNY N. DE LOS REYES

Maranello's finest, after all, was made to scream its spine-tingling V12 symphony at over 9,000 rpm—not growl softly like you're passing through a church zone.

But I was driving this breathtakingly expensive (starts at P43.9 million) and ultra-rare (the first and so far the only one of its kind in the Philippines) 12Cilindri—Ferrari's newest front-engine V12 grand tourer—inside the scenic grounds of Anvaya Cove Beach and Nature Club in Morong, Bataan. So we had no choice but to abide by the club's 40-km/h speed limit. My consolation? The average speed in Metro Manila roads is 25 km/h—with a bunch of cars and motorcycles (with kamote drivers and riders) around you. So cruising at 40 in picturesque, traffic-free Anvaya was actually a soothing experience.

And yet, as I glided through sweeping curves with the engine purring, I discovered a different kind of thrill.

First, the sound. Even restrained, the 6.5-liter V12 hums with an aristocratic growl—more basso profundo than roaring lion, but always reminding you of the fury that lurks a few centimeters deeper in the throttle. At these speeds, every pulse of the 12Cilindri (pronounced "dodeechee cheeleendree") is intimate, like hearing a powerful opera singer whisper.