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The first official images of Ferrari’s latest limited-edition special series have been published in the build-up to its world première, which will be broadcast live on the Maranello marque’s social media channels on May 5 at 14:30 CEST.
The new model is the ultimate expression of Ferrari’s concept of an extreme front-engined berlinetta, honing the characteristics of the critically-acclaimed 812 Superfast to a level never seen before. The result is a car that encapsulates and epitomises the company’s 70-plus years of experience on the world’s circuits, drawing on its thoroughbred sports car DNA to deliver a perfect marriage of performance, form, and function. Aimed at Ferrari’s most passionate collectors and connoisseurs, it features numerous uncompromising engineering solutions to guarantee peerless driving pleasure.
As is the case with all Ferrari’s cars, the most striking feature lies at its very heart: in this instance the latest evolution of Maranello’s legendary 65° V12 engine, which reaches the highest output of any Ferrari road-car engine – 830 cv – and revs to 9,500 rpm, again the highest of any Ferrari ICE. The use of state-of-the-art materials, the redesign of many of the engine’s key components, a new valve timing mechanism and a new exhaust system are just some of the technical solutions that allow the most noble of Ferrari engines to deliver performance levels that are unprecedented in the V12 segment.
The pure yet brutal power unleashed by the powertrain is paired with class-leading vehicle dynamics controls to ensure that the performance can be fully exploited and to guarantee maximum fun behind the wheel. Most distinctive of these solutions is the adoption of independent steering on all four wheels. This extends the feeling of agility and precision when cornering as well as providing unparalleled responsiveness to steering inputs. Another noteworthy engineering achievement is the development work undertaken to reduce the car’s overall weight compared to the 812 Superfast. This was achieved in particular by extensive use of carbon fibre, both on the exterior and in the cockpit. Lastly, the new model premieres version 7.0 of the renowned Side Slip Control vehicle dynamics system.
One of the most striking aspects of this new model is how in-depth aerodynamic research has altered the car’s lines. Working in close synergy with the Ferrari Styling Centre, the aerodynamicists have adopted solutions that are extreme in form featuring profiles that are unprecedented for a road-legal car. The aerodynamic redesign of the whole car was aimed at maximising downforce levels: from the new front air intakes, rear diffuser and exhaust configuration to the patented design of the rear screen – which now hosts vortex generators – every modification is a faithful expression of Ferrari’s core belief that form must always follow function.
From a design point of view, this new special series has a strong personality all of its own that differentiates it significantly from the 812 Superfast on which it is based: this was achieved by choosing styling themes that further enhance the architectural design and dynamism of the 812 Superfast, pushing its sporty vocation to new extremes.
One example of this is the decision to replace the glass rear screen with a single-piece aluminium structure. The vortex generators it sports improve the car’s aerodynamic efficiency, but the design solution chosen, which is fully integrated with the roof, simultaneously creates a backbone effect that underscores the car’s sculptural forms.
Together with the carbon-fibre blade that traverses the bonnet, this motif changes the overall perception of the car’s volumes: the bonnet seems shorter, emphasising the width of the car, and the tail now has a more powerful, fastback look, thus making it appear more compact and competition-like despite it sharing the 812 Superfast’s silhouette, proportions and formal balance. Even the rear spoiler now looks more imposing: it is higher but the specific design treatment used also makes the tail look very wide, almost horizontal.
The interior architecture very much reflects that of the 812 Superfast, retaining the main dash and door panel interfaces and volumes, including the signature diapason motif. Along with other elements of the interior, the door panel has been redesigned to reduce weight and, combined with the introduction of the H-gate theme on the tunnel, this lends the cockpit a sportier, more modern edge that reflects the car’s racing spirit.