SHARP Drives: The Ferrari 12Cilindri Is Destined for GOAT Status
At some point during a three hour drive of the Ferrari 12Cilindri through the rolling hills and forests of Luxembourg, it dawned on us that this car is special. Not just special in the way all Ferraris are special, but special in a transcendent, timeless, triumphant sense. The 12Cilindri could very well be destined for GOAT status. Yes, it’s really that good. Here’s why.
What Is the 12Cilindri, Exactly?
It’s right there in the name. The Ferrari 12Cilindri — pronounced DOD-EE-CHUH CHIL-IN-DREE — translates as Twelve Cylinder. (Everyone at Ferrari says the car’s name should be spoken in the original Italian.) However you pronounce it, this is a two-seat coupe that replaces the 812 Superfast in Ferrari’s lineup. The Italian firm has also already unveiled a convertible version — the 12Clindri Spider — with a folding hard top.
And What’s So Special About Another V12 Ferrari?
For one thing, this may be the last front-engine Ferrari powered by a pure V12 engine, an engine unassisted by turbochargers and/or a hybrid-electric system. Let that idea sink it for a moment. Many industry watchers (including us) thought the old 812 Superfast would be the last pure V12 Ferrari. Even Ferrari’s arch rival Lamborghini has added a hybrid system to its latest V12 flagship. So, the 12Cilindri came as a very pleasant surprise, but we still suspect the days of cars like this are numbered.
For another thing, having that pure V12 engine under the hood makes the 12Cilindri the latest in a long line of front-engine, rear-drive V12 Ferraris dating back to the brand’s very first car in 1947. In that sense, this car is a direct descendant of that machine and of Enzo Ferrari’s original vision.
Give Me the Numbers
The 6.5-litre V12 makes 819 horsepower at a sky-high 9,250 rpm, which is the same as the limited-edition 812 Competizione. Peak torque of 500 lb-ft arrives at 7,250 rpm, but three quarters of that peak figure is available from just 2,500 rpm. As a result, the car is quite happy to loaf along in a high gear and ride a way of torque for easy overtakes. On the flip side, this is an engine that loves to rev. Much has been done to lighten the engine internals and rotating parts, in order to improve efficiency and up the redline to a screaming 9,500 rpm. Almost nobody is making naturally-aspirated V12 engines like this anymore, and it’s a marvel of modern mechanical engineering. Put it up there on a pedestal with any tourbillion or perpetual calendar mechanical watch — no, actually, scratch that — because it doesn’t matter how clever or nicely detailed a watch is it’ll never make your eyes go wide and the hair on your neck stand up like the raw acceleration and noise of this V12.
As for acceleration, the 12Cilindri is officially rated for 0-100 km/h in 2.9 seconds, 0-200 km/h in “less than” 7.9 seconds and a top speed of over 340 km/h.
If you think this car is about the numbers, you couldn’t be more wrong.
What’s the 12Cilindri Like to Drive?
In a word: glorious. The 12Cilnidri somehow contains a multitude of opposing qualities — flattering yet thrilling, agile but never nervous, comfortable yet precise, usable but never boring — and wraps them all up in a harmonious package. The 12Cilindri has a vast array of computer-controlled systems working behind the scenes to constantly optimize traction, suspension, torque output, steering and more; that much isn’t unique, but what is unique is the way all these systems disappear when you drive. It feels intuitive and analog. Sure, the chassis has supernatural grip and agility, but it never seems artificial.
Compared to the 812, the 12Cilindri is certainly more agile. A 20-millimetre shorter wheelbase helps a lot, as does a new rear-wheel steering system (first seen on the 812 Competizione) that allows each rear-wheel to adopt different steering angles. Ferrari engineers we spoke to said this helps in rapid direction changes, allowing for faster transitions snaking through a series of S-bends.
On Luxembourg’s wet and narrow country roads, this preposterously rapid rip-roaring V12 Ferrari somehow feels nearly as small and agile as a Lotus Elise or a Miata. Your eyes can scarcely believe it, because the view out the windshield is of an impossibly long clamshell hood — cofango, in Ferrari-speak — that looks as if it stretches away to the horizon.
You’d think the wet, greasy, leaf-strewn roads of rural Luxembourg would present a major challenge for a rear-drive car with 819 horsepower. You’d expect it to be a bit like trying to ride a wild horse on ice. Corner after corner, however, the Ferrari’s immense grip and traction defied expectations allowing us to build confidence and slingshot out of turns whilst enjoying the full symphony of the V12’s extensive rev range. The traction control system didn’t cut in as often as you’d think coming out of corners while being greedy with the throttle. Switch the (wonderfully tactile) manettino dial from “Wet” to “Sport” mode and get even more cavalier with the throttle and you’ll find the car will kick its tail out faster than you can blurt out an Italian expletive, but the stability control system saves the slide in an instant. Far from being terrifying, 819 horsepower simply becomes exhilarating.
And then there’s the sound. It really gets going above 5,000 rpm and builds to a skull-filling multi-layered crescendo by around 9,000 rpm. It’s not as loud or as scintillating a noise as the old 812 Superfast, likely on account of the need to meet the latest emissions standards. Huge catalytic converters muffle the noise more than they used to. Nevertheless, sitting in the driver’s seat, planting your foot and listening to Ferrari’s 6.5-litre V12 go about its business is still one of the life’s great experiences. Highly recommended.
GOAT Status Achieved?
SHARP Drives: The Ferrari 12Cilindri Is Destined for GOAT Status
SHARP Drives: The Ferrari 12Cilindri Is Destined for GOAT Status
SHARP Drives: The Ferrari 12Cilindri Is Destined for GOAT Status
SHARP Drives: The Ferrari 12Cilindri Is Destined for GOAT Status
SHARP Drives: The Ferrari 12Cilindri Is Destined for GOAT Status
SHARP Drives: The Ferrari 12Cilindri Is Destined for GOAT Status
SHARP Drives: The Ferrari 12Cilindri Is Destined for GOAT Status
SHARP Drives: The Ferrari 12Cilindri Is Destined for GOAT Status
Given that this could be the last of its kind, how spectacular it is to drive, how glorious it sounds, how usable it is day-to-day, and how entertaining it is to look at — yes — we’d say the 12Cilindri is probably on track to become the greatest front-engine GT car in Ferrari history. (It’s certainly the best-looking one since the 550 Maranello, in our eyes.) Would we like a gated manual gearbox and little more noise from the V12? Yes. Do we love the occasionally finicky touch-sensitive buttons on the steering wheel? No, but none of these issues are dealbreakers.
Besides, who cares about horsepower and 0-100 km/h times when a car makes you feel this good? If you ask us, the 12Cilindri offers the ultimate modern Ferrari experience.
How Much Is the 12Cilindri in Canada, and How Do I Get One?
The 12Cilindri coupe starts $554,439 in Canada. In the U.S., deliveries start in the first quarter of 2025, and we’d expect cars will start to land in Canada around the same time
