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Ferrari's 12 Cilindri is a V12 GT super sportscar that draws on the past but looks to the future. Classic Daytona cues mix with sci-fi looks and a glorious normally aspirated 12 cylinder soundtrack. It's as desirable a Ferrari as we can remember.
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Driving experience
In a sportscar world full of forced induction turbocharged engines, it's refreshing to see that a naturally aspirated 12 cylinder powerplant can not only sound emotive but also be torquey too - and very, very fast. This 819bhp 12 Cilindri isn't actually any quicker (according to the main stats) than its 789bhp 812 Superfast predecessor, but it probably would be with 4WD. As it is, there's a limit to just how much torque the rear tyres can transmit to the tarmac. 62mph flashes by in 2.9s and 124mph can be crested in only 7.9s as the horizon scrolls towards you on fast forward.
Aware that away from the track, there'll be hardly any opportunity for an owner to drive like this, Ferrari has modified the torque output in 3rd and 4th gears between 2,000 and 5,000rpm so the car can feel more responsive in the kind of press-on driving you'll be engaging in most. A clever 'Aspirated Torque Shaping' feature helps here too. Lots of careful engineering also aids performance; like the lightning responses of the paddleshift dual clutch transmission, which has eight ratios (replacing the 812 model's seven-speeder). As does the way the new lightweight aluminium chassis is particularly stiff around the suspension towers and the A and B-pillars.
The big 6.5-litre engine has been tucked so far back under the enormous bonnet that it's behind the front axle line, so that weight distribution can be biased 52% towards the rear. The sheer size of that bonnet will take some getting used to when manoeuvring or on narrower roads.
There are lots of tech tricks too, to make the car feel more agile than its size suggests it should be. Like 'Virtual Short Wheelbase 3.0' and 'Side Slip Control 8.0', made possible by 6D yaw rate sensors which better aid rotation out of corners. There's also the expected electronically controlled limited slip differential, along with active rear steering, variable stability control, slip control and a by-wire braking system. Magnetorheological adaptive dampers are controlled by Ferrari's usual mannetino dial and as usual with the brand, they can be configured with a useful 'Bumpy road' setting for secondary routes.
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Design and build
The 12 Cilindri looks futuristic yet emotively retro. You'll either love it or hate it for that. As you'll instantly see if you know the brand, its shape draws heavily from Ferraris of the '50s and '60s, which Maranello thinks was its golden stylistic era, most notably the 365 GTB and the 4 Daytona - though in some other ways it's like nothing from the brand's back catalogue; the absence of round lights and tail pipes at the rear for instance. There's a black glass roof and in each rear three-quarter, there are active aerodynamic flaps, which rise at a certain speed or acceleration G and apparently add an extra 50kg of negative lift at 155mph.
Inside the two-seat cabin, it's very lovely of course, lavished with fine leather, cool metal and carbon fibre. There's much the same dual cockpit layout as you'll find in a Roma or Purosangue. Plus there's a large digital instrument screen, a 10.25-inch central monitor and a passenger information display. Most customers will want to add the large tinted panoramic roof. And the steering column has fixed paddles and drive modes are operated from the wheel. The only drive function you operate via the central touchscreen is the nose lift. There's a reasonable amount of oddments storage. While out back, you get a 270-litre boot that ideally you'd use with the optional bespoke luggage set.
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Market and model
You'd expect the asking price to be a lottery-winning level and of course it is. At the time of launch, Ferrari was asking £336,500 for this car. It's probably risen above that level by the time you read this. And any potential owner who merely wants to pay the list price probably won't have their order accepted. You'll need to tick quite a few of the expensive boxes for Maranello's sales team to give you a second glance, so rare and in demand will this car be.
Standard equipment includes a passenger-side display, an air quality sensor, a wireless 'phone charger, an anti-theft SVR system and the 'MyFerrari Connect' app, allowing you to interact with the car via your smartphone. You also get a suspension lifter that lifts the nose over speed humps. And Adaptive Front Headlights.
Must-have options include the glass panoramic roof and the bespoke luggage set. And of course there are any number of possible extra-cost interior trimming choices, including a light lime green upholstery finish. There are three types of available seat - 'Standard', 'Racing' and 'Special'. And you can add power adjustment and ventilated massaging to the front seats (no, it's not standard). There are titanium exhaust pipes if you don't want the black ceramic-coated ones.
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Cost of ownership
Not for Ferrari the Plug-in Hybrid electrification that Lamborghini has lately adopted for its rival Revuelto V12 supercar. So you'll need deep pockets to run your 12 Cilindri. The official combined cycle fuel figure is around 17mpg on the combined cycle but if you regularly get anywhere near that, we'd have to wonder why you'd chosen to buy this car in the first place and would suggest that it deserves a better home. You know where we are. The quoted CO2 reading is a smoky 353g/km.
Ferrari's warranty is only three years, but it does cover you for an unlimited mileage. Servicing will be expensive because parts are very pricey. And if you're tempted to go showboating on track days, remember that tyre replacement costs will be huge. All of which will be forgiven when the time comes to sell; expect exceptionally good residuals; after all, who wouldn't want a well looked after 12 Cilindri?
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Summary
The 12 Cilindri is less wild a sports car than its 812 Superfast predecessor but all-round, there's little doubt that it's a much better one. That Maranello still feels able to make a V12 GT in this electrified era is cause for celebration and that the finished sports car is as good as the 12 Cilindri is a very pleasant surprise.
No one can make a V12 quite like Ferrari and this car arguably showcases this emotive powerplant with more style, charisma and panache than any of its illustrious predecessors. Even if it doesn't turn out to be the last of a very famous line, it has the makings of a future classic.
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