Ferrari has recently unveiled the 12Cilindri, its most powerful pure-combustion car to date, at an official event in Miami. However, I had the privilege of a deep-dive viewing of this remarkable vehicle two weeks ago at Ferrari’s sleek Centro Stile (“design center”) in Maranello.
With all respect to the 812 Superfast, the breathtaking, Delta-themed 12Cilindri crumples and tosses its predecessor’s evolutionary design. For years now, Ferrari’s classic front-engine GTs have been overshadowed by its mid-engine V8 supercars, and now the brilliant six-cylinder 296 GTB hybrid. So extending the life of Ferrari’s hallowed V12 is a good thing, but only if the GT it powers gets some love and attention as well.
Talk about an attention-getter. Even as it nods to Ferrari’s past — including a visor-like hood band that’s a cheeky callback to the 365 GTB4 Daytona — the 12Cilindri’s winning modernity seems a career mic drop (so far) for design chief Flavio Manzoni. Fans of ICE-fueled overabundance will give thanks to 12 apostles, seated for supper in red-haloed rows, below the Ferrari’s DaVinci-spec hood. Those cylinders will deliver a decidedly unholy 819 horsepower, up from 788 in the 812 Superfast, and matching the track-focused 812 Competizione. Ferrari pegs 0-62-mph (100 km/h) acceleration in 2.9 seconds, a 7.9-second rip to 124 mph, and a top speed beyond 211 mph.
The new Ferrari 12Cilindri was just officially revealed in Miami, but I got a deep-dive viewing two weeks ago at the company’s sleek Centro Stile (“design center”) in Maranello.
Between the coupe, Spider and Purosangue for garden-center runs, Ferrari will have three V12 models. Executives said that’s the culmination of a decision made four years ago to continue investing in ICE powertrains, including for loyal customers who still clamored for a V12.
“It is not up to us to impose technology,” said Enrico Galliera, chief marketing and commercial officer.
Even now, Galliera said, Ferrari “will not have the arrogance” to say these are their final, ultimate, no-foolin’ V12 models, even as the company readies a new building in Maranello (set to open in June) to house its fast-growing electric operations.
As for the 12Cilindri name, Gianmaria Fulgenzi, chief development officer, called it a “declaration of love.” Executives joked they’ll offer training sessions to help folks pronounce it correctly. For the record, it’s “DOH-di-chee Chill-IN-dree.” Or, you could just whistle.
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