- Ferrari’s hardcore 12Cilindri prototype has canards and a much bigger ducktail spoiler.
- 12Cilindri makes 819 hp stock, but this one is likely to exceed 850 hp and sound better.
- Ferrari’s simulated manual could add three pedals without sacrificing auto convenience.
Ferrari’s 12Cilindri already has 12 cylinders, 819 hp (830 PS) and enough naturally aspirated noise to make EV drivers question their life choices. But Maranello clearly thinks there’s room for more madness, because our spies have caught what appears to be a hotter, harder 12Cilindri testing near Ferrari’s home turf.
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At first glance, you might wonder what all the fuss is about. There’s no enormous fixed wing on foot-high pylons or a collection of gaping vents. But look closer and some important differences emerge.
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The front bumper now wears canards on either side to help manage airflow and generate additional downforce on the front axle. More obvious is the substantially larger ducktail spoiler at the rear, which gives the 12Cilindri a noticeably more aggressive profile without making it look like it’s escaped from a GT3 paddock.
Ferrari has plenty of form here. The 599 GTO, F12tdf and 812 Competizione all took their V12 donors and turned everything up several notches, adding sharper chassis setups, extra aero and more powerful engines.
Expect At Least 30 HP More
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The 12Cilindri hardly needs rescuing from mediocrity. Its naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12 already delivers 819 hp (830 PS), at a screaming 9,250 rpm, alongside 500 lb-ft (678 Nm) of torque at a sky-high 7,250 rpm. There’s no turbocharging and no hybrid assistance muddying the recipe either.
How much more could Ferrari extract? The 812 Competizione gained 30 hp (30 PS) over the regular 812 Superfast, while extensive engine revisions let its V12 rev even higher. Apply similar thinking here and something in the region of 850 hp (862 PS) and a redline close to 10,000rpm certainly doesn’t sound outrageous.
Three Pedals On The Table
Ferrari 12Cilindri Manuale
But extra horsepower might not be the upgrade that gets enthusiasts reaching for their wallets. Ferrari recently developed a brilliant simulated manual setup for the limited-edition (1,499-unit) 12Cilindri Manuale. It retains the regular car’s eight-speed dual-clutch transmission underneath, but adds a clutch pedal and a gorgeous gated shifter to recreate the interaction of an old-school Ferrari manual.
And there’s a strong chance the hardcore car could get it too. Drivers would have the novelty of working three pedals and rowing through six manually selected ratios when the mood strikes, while retaining the ability to switch back to automatic operation when traffic inevitably ruins the fantasy.