As soon as Ferrari’s newest beast, the 12Cilindri dropped in Mumbai last week, we made a beeline to get a first preview. A nod to Ferrari’s unmistakable V12 engine, the 12Cilindri—(pronounced do-dee-chi chi-lin-dree, Italian for twelve cylinders), the nifty sports car is as modern as it is rooted in Ferrari’s halcyon inspiration of the Grand Turismo culture of the ‘50s and ‘60s.
The exceptional curves and jaw-dropping silhouette are standard fare with this kind of sports car, but there are a couple of firsts that we love. Fans of the old Daytona will be thrilled to notice a nod in there, in the form of the clean black stripe at the front, despite a visibly changed design language for this Ferrari.
Interestingly, this is the first Ferrari sports car with soft closing doors. It is also the first Ferrari to get non-staggered wheels and these massive 21-inch wheels are truly impressive at first glance. Aerodynamics-wise, we love the active aero-spoilers at the back, which, straight out of a sci-fi movie, deploy at high speeds and during strong braking to create drag.
Under the hood, a 6.5 litre naturally-aspirated V12 engine, paired to an 8-speed DCT, that pushes out immense power, as you would expect. A gentle tap on the accelerator could promise you a whopping 830 horsepower of maximum power and a torque of 678 nm. The spec sheet indicates a maximum speed of 340 kmph (where’s the nearest race track?). The 0-100kmph sprint in 2.9 seconds, would mean a significant G-force pinning you down into the sporty, hand-stitched seats.
Another first, I discovered is that the 12Cilindri becomes the first Ferrari, offering three screens in the front, if at all you choose the passenger screen optional. Being in the driver or passenger seat is as experiential as it gets, allowing both to interact with the iconic prancing horse machine in multiple ways. This could be through the centre console for the driver, with rather retro ‘switches’ between automatic-manual-reverse or the launch control switch for days when you feel particularly cheeky. Or, interacting with the car's functions through the 10.25inch central touchscreen. The 15.6inch driver display with its futuristic and exhaustive suite of driving and vehicle dynamic information deserves an entire episode to itself. Design-wise, the cabin is largely dominated by a sporty black feel, with the leather steering wheel as the pièce de résistance.
I have to make a mention of the more expansive glass sunroof that instantly gives me a more immersive, 360-degree driving experience— could be on Mumbai’s breezy Sea Link or the palm-fringed coastal roads of Amalfi, while listening to an operatic aria on the 18-speaker Burmester system.
As the Italians say for customisation options—su misura—there are countless ways to customise your Ferrari—but more on that ‘Tailormade’ service later.
Bellissimo!
