Maranello – First it was the LaFerrari, and now Ferrari is continuing its recent tradition of ridiculously cheesy names with the 812 Superfast, which is a reskinned and thoroughly reworked version of the F12 Berlinetta.
On the upside, and far more importantly, the 812 still honours the longer-standing tradition of traditional V12 engines. Yet given that the California and 488 have already gone the turbo route, and the LaFerrari is a hybrid, you can consider this as something of a last hurrah for old school, hairy-chested normally aspirated potency before all supercars evolve into hybrids powered by carrot juice.
Nevermind, this engine type is going out with a bang, being the fastest and most powerful series-produced Ferrari to date (bearing in mind that the LaFerrari is not series produced). The 812’s new front-mid-mounted 6496cc V12 is good for 588kW at 8500rpm and 718Nm at 7000rpm, enough to launch it from 0-100km/h in just 2.9 seconds, says Ferrari, and on to a top speed of 340km/h. That name is accurate, if nothing else.
It might be a bit unfair to refer to this engine as old school though, as it does pack a 350 bar direct injection system and F1-style variable geometry intake tracts among many technical highlights. Power goes to the rear wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox and Ferrari’s patented Side Slip Control and Virtual Short Wheelbase 2.0 systems are in place to ensure it’s a super-hero in the bends too. Fans will however be hoping that it still feels like a Ferrari, given that it’s the first to be fitted with an electric power steering system.
As you’d expect, this prancing horse is right at the forefront of aerodynamic slippyness, featuring active flaps at the front of the underbody and a downforce-enhancing ‘by-pass’ at the rear. And boy is that tall fastback tail, inspired by the 1969 GTB4, just gorgeous to behold.
The cabin also gets a completely new, and sharper look, and although Ferrari hasn’t gone into detail on this aspect, the company does promise to offer the latest in infotainment features.
This is, after all, meant to be a comfortable car too.