The all-new Ferrari 12Cilindri.
06-05-2024 08:53 - CAR NEWS
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The Ferrari 12Cilindri is inspired by the legendary Grand Tourers of the 1950s and ‘60s, embodying the front-mounted Ferrari V12 two-seater mission with its effortless combination of elegance, versatility, and performance. The car represents the latest evolution in this bloodline and continues that unique legacy, elevating it towards new standards in performance, comfort, and design. Its silhouette exudes sportiness and class: simple yet harmonious lines feature an integrated active aerodynamic device to guarantee peerless performance, a front-hinged bonnet that exalts the view of the engine bay, and the two twin tailpipes that have become a signature of Ferrari's 12-cylinder cars.
The Ferrari 12Cilindri's engine is the latest development of the iconic V12 that laid the foundations for the Maranello legend, in this version unleashing 830 cv and with maximum revs rising to a heady 9500 rpm. The impressive power curve ensures 80% of total torque is already available at just 2500 rpm, resulting in instantaneous pick-up for maximum accelerator response and a feeling of never-ending power all the way to the red line.
The Ferrari 12Cilindri's cockpit guarantees superb comfort for both driver and passenger, even on long journeys: its feeling of airiness and space is heightened still further by a glass roof, prestigious materials and a central display in addition to one for the driver and a third ahead of the passenger.
The Ferrari 12Cilindri is aimed at driving enthusiasts, but also at those who demand new standards of performance, comfort and design: long-standing Ferraristi, loyal to the unique emotions that only the Ferrari V12 can deliver, as well as new clients dreaming of combining comfort and Italian design with exhilarating driving pleasure. The Ferrari 12Cilindri is designed for connoisseurs with a very clear vision of what Ferrari's DNA has always been, truly making it a car for the few.
The F140HD engine equipping the Ferrari 12Cilindri is the new version of the iconic naturally-aspirated Ferrari V12, the purest expression of Ferrari's soul: its peerless performance, powerful soundtrack and exclusivity make it the worthy heir to the legendary berlinetta sports cars that wrote some of the most glittering chapters in the marque's history. The engine can unleash up to 830 cv while its max revs have been increased to 9500 rpm by adopting challenging and innovative solutions. The engine features modified components and software, some of which were already adopted on the special series 812 Competizione, ensuring it tops its category in terms of performance. To allow the V12 to rev so high, the engineers worked to reduce the weight and inertia of the engine's components, adopting titanium con rods, which guarantee a saving of 40% in rotating mass compared to steel with the same mechanical resistance. A different aluminium alloy was used for the pistons, making them lighter than on previous applications. Further weight reduction was gained by the adoption of a rebalanced crankshaft which is 3% lighter. The valvetrain with sliding finger followers is derived from Ferrari's unparalleled experience in Formula 1 and was developed specifically for the V12 with the aim of reducing mass and availing of more high-performance valve profiles. The sliding finger follower, which is steel with a Diamond-Like-Carbon (DLC) coating, transmits the action of the cam to the valve using a hydraulic tappet as the pivot for its movement. The use of DLC reduces the coefficient of friction at critical points, significantly improving the mechanical efficiency of the engine. Most of the modifications focused on optimising torque delivery in all operating conditions. The result is an engine with exhilaratingly smooth, seamless response, that delivers peak power at the red line.
The Ferrari 12Cilindri sports the 8-speed DCT (Dual Clutch Transmission) that received such an unanimously rapturous welcome on other cars in the range, starting with the SF90 Stradale. Thanks in part to larger tyres on 21” rims, this solution delivers 5% shorter gear ratios in the lower gears and a 12% increase in torque at the wheels compared to previous V12 applications, all to the benefit of longitudinal performance under acceleration and gear shifting times (30% faster than the previous V12 berlinetta applications). Performance under acceleration through the gears has been significantly improved and the introduction of the 8th gear improves range in motorway driving. The eight-speed DCT thus both improves efficiency and is more engaging in all gears.
With the Ferrari 12Cilindri, Flavio Manzoni and the Ferrari Styling Centre design team set out to radically transform the stylistic codes of Ferrari's previous mid-front-engined V12s. The car in fact marks a clear departure from the sculptural language that characterised the 812 Competizione, for example, instead favouring a more sophisticated language that still retains the necessary formal design rigour to achieve a sense of stylistic unity. Clean lines dominate the car's geometry, underscoring the volumes that make up a seamlessly interconnected whole. The ultra-clean flanks sweep back along the entire car from a dihedral section. Although retaining a signature Ferrari sensuality, the wings have been sculpted with extreme geometric precision: all the lines are the result of intersections between the volumes and a more functional approach to form has been taken that echews nostalgia. The muscular rear wing is imposing, yet also perfectly controlled geometrically. On the front wing, that muscular tension extends slightly, coming to rest along the flank and further accentuating the car's monolithic aesthetic. The sculpted bonnet is extremely sleek and incorporates the front wings. Removing the cut lines from the wings gives a smooth, uninterrupted surface to the muscularity of the design, lending the entire bonnet a sense of ultra-clean fluidity, interrupted only by two vents to cool the engine bay. One of the objectives of the Ferrari 12Cilindri was to explore design languages only tangentially related to the car world. The front has thus lost certain signature elements, such as the elongated form of the headlights and the traditional grille shape, in favour of geometries and intersections innate to the car's design. The headlights are integrated into a single wraparound band from which the DRLs emerge like blades. A similar approach has been taken with the rear architecture: once again, rigour is the order of the day with the shape obtained by the subtraction of volume. Consistent with the front of the car the taillights are set into a blade that traverses the entire, concave rear section and also provides what is possibly the Ferrari 12Cilindri's real signature theme, demonstrating once again how cleverly the Ferrari Styling Centre's designers are able to meld technical and functional demands with beauty. Instead of adopting a rear spoiler, the designers have used two active flaps integrated with the rear screen, creating a signature delta theme. The overall perception is of a seamless whole, creating the idea of a very high-tech form. The development of this concept allowed the designers to treat the Ferrari 12Cilindri's cabin in a new way, tracing the frame of the surface in body colour to echo the rear screen theme and integrate organically with the rest of the cabin which itself is characterised by a black screen effect. The tail section ends in a very clean, monolithic volume in body colour as well. The lower section – in black or carbon fibre – is characterised by the prominent diffuser keels over which the body almost seems to float. This area also includes the sensors and two twin tailpipes. The latter, comprising four elements altogether, also have a completely new shape, with a metal surround to reduce the perception of their size and create a more compact look.
In the low drag position, the flaps are flush with the bodywork so that the air runs over it uninterupted, making them invisible to the flow. This configuration is retained until a speed of 60 km when downforce is not very relevant to the performance of the car, something that is also the case over 300 km/h. In between these two speeds, however, downforce plays a central role and the spoilers' movement depends on the car's longitudinal and lateral acceleration. In high downforce configuration, the Ferrari 12Cilindri generates maximum downforce and guarantees that the car is aerodynamically balanced. The underbody is designed to maximise efficient vertical load generation, also by managing the airflow out of the central radiators. The plan form and profile of the louvres in the central opening of the underbody minimise the impact of the hot air which is not highly energised. Two louvres have been created in the low-pressure area behind the front wheels which, by reducing overpressure inside the engine compartment, increase the efficiency of the radiating masses, lowering drag and increasing downforce generation.
The Ferrari 12Cilindri's engine is the latest development of the iconic V12 that laid the foundations for the Maranello legend, in this version unleashing 830 cv and with maximum revs rising to a heady 9500 rpm. The impressive power curve ensures 80% of total torque is already available at just 2500 rpm, resulting in instantaneous pick-up for maximum accelerator response and a feeling of never-ending power all the way to the red line.
The Ferrari 12Cilindri's cockpit guarantees superb comfort for both driver and passenger, even on long journeys: its feeling of airiness and space is heightened still further by a glass roof, prestigious materials and a central display in addition to one for the driver and a third ahead of the passenger.
The Ferrari 12Cilindri is aimed at driving enthusiasts, but also at those who demand new standards of performance, comfort and design: long-standing Ferraristi, loyal to the unique emotions that only the Ferrari V12 can deliver, as well as new clients dreaming of combining comfort and Italian design with exhilarating driving pleasure. The Ferrari 12Cilindri is designed for connoisseurs with a very clear vision of what Ferrari's DNA has always been, truly making it a car for the few.
The F140HD engine equipping the Ferrari 12Cilindri is the new version of the iconic naturally-aspirated Ferrari V12, the purest expression of Ferrari's soul: its peerless performance, powerful soundtrack and exclusivity make it the worthy heir to the legendary berlinetta sports cars that wrote some of the most glittering chapters in the marque's history. The engine can unleash up to 830 cv while its max revs have been increased to 9500 rpm by adopting challenging and innovative solutions. The engine features modified components and software, some of which were already adopted on the special series 812 Competizione, ensuring it tops its category in terms of performance. To allow the V12 to rev so high, the engineers worked to reduce the weight and inertia of the engine's components, adopting titanium con rods, which guarantee a saving of 40% in rotating mass compared to steel with the same mechanical resistance. A different aluminium alloy was used for the pistons, making them lighter than on previous applications. Further weight reduction was gained by the adoption of a rebalanced crankshaft which is 3% lighter. The valvetrain with sliding finger followers is derived from Ferrari's unparalleled experience in Formula 1 and was developed specifically for the V12 with the aim of reducing mass and availing of more high-performance valve profiles. The sliding finger follower, which is steel with a Diamond-Like-Carbon (DLC) coating, transmits the action of the cam to the valve using a hydraulic tappet as the pivot for its movement. The use of DLC reduces the coefficient of friction at critical points, significantly improving the mechanical efficiency of the engine. Most of the modifications focused on optimising torque delivery in all operating conditions. The result is an engine with exhilaratingly smooth, seamless response, that delivers peak power at the red line.
The Ferrari 12Cilindri sports the 8-speed DCT (Dual Clutch Transmission) that received such an unanimously rapturous welcome on other cars in the range, starting with the SF90 Stradale. Thanks in part to larger tyres on 21” rims, this solution delivers 5% shorter gear ratios in the lower gears and a 12% increase in torque at the wheels compared to previous V12 applications, all to the benefit of longitudinal performance under acceleration and gear shifting times (30% faster than the previous V12 berlinetta applications). Performance under acceleration through the gears has been significantly improved and the introduction of the 8th gear improves range in motorway driving. The eight-speed DCT thus both improves efficiency and is more engaging in all gears.
With the Ferrari 12Cilindri, Flavio Manzoni and the Ferrari Styling Centre design team set out to radically transform the stylistic codes of Ferrari's previous mid-front-engined V12s. The car in fact marks a clear departure from the sculptural language that characterised the 812 Competizione, for example, instead favouring a more sophisticated language that still retains the necessary formal design rigour to achieve a sense of stylistic unity. Clean lines dominate the car's geometry, underscoring the volumes that make up a seamlessly interconnected whole. The ultra-clean flanks sweep back along the entire car from a dihedral section. Although retaining a signature Ferrari sensuality, the wings have been sculpted with extreme geometric precision: all the lines are the result of intersections between the volumes and a more functional approach to form has been taken that echews nostalgia. The muscular rear wing is imposing, yet also perfectly controlled geometrically. On the front wing, that muscular tension extends slightly, coming to rest along the flank and further accentuating the car's monolithic aesthetic. The sculpted bonnet is extremely sleek and incorporates the front wings. Removing the cut lines from the wings gives a smooth, uninterrupted surface to the muscularity of the design, lending the entire bonnet a sense of ultra-clean fluidity, interrupted only by two vents to cool the engine bay. One of the objectives of the Ferrari 12Cilindri was to explore design languages only tangentially related to the car world. The front has thus lost certain signature elements, such as the elongated form of the headlights and the traditional grille shape, in favour of geometries and intersections innate to the car's design. The headlights are integrated into a single wraparound band from which the DRLs emerge like blades. A similar approach has been taken with the rear architecture: once again, rigour is the order of the day with the shape obtained by the subtraction of volume. Consistent with the front of the car the taillights are set into a blade that traverses the entire, concave rear section and also provides what is possibly the Ferrari 12Cilindri's real signature theme, demonstrating once again how cleverly the Ferrari Styling Centre's designers are able to meld technical and functional demands with beauty. Instead of adopting a rear spoiler, the designers have used two active flaps integrated with the rear screen, creating a signature delta theme. The overall perception is of a seamless whole, creating the idea of a very high-tech form. The development of this concept allowed the designers to treat the Ferrari 12Cilindri's cabin in a new way, tracing the frame of the surface in body colour to echo the rear screen theme and integrate organically with the rest of the cabin which itself is characterised by a black screen effect. The tail section ends in a very clean, monolithic volume in body colour as well. The lower section – in black or carbon fibre – is characterised by the prominent diffuser keels over which the body almost seems to float. This area also includes the sensors and two twin tailpipes. The latter, comprising four elements altogether, also have a completely new shape, with a metal surround to reduce the perception of their size and create a more compact look.
In the low drag position, the flaps are flush with the bodywork so that the air runs over it uninterupted, making them invisible to the flow. This configuration is retained until a speed of 60 km when downforce is not very relevant to the performance of the car, something that is also the case over 300 km/h. In between these two speeds, however, downforce plays a central role and the spoilers' movement depends on the car's longitudinal and lateral acceleration. In high downforce configuration, the Ferrari 12Cilindri generates maximum downforce and guarantees that the car is aerodynamically balanced. The underbody is designed to maximise efficient vertical load generation, also by managing the airflow out of the central radiators. The plan form and profile of the louvres in the central opening of the underbody minimise the impact of the hot air which is not highly energised. Two louvres have been created in the low-pressure area behind the front wheels which, by reducing overpressure inside the engine compartment, increase the efficiency of the radiating masses, lowering drag and increasing downforce generation.