The Ferrari 12Cilindri is the ultimate expression of the marque’s greatest engine

There are two features that have come to define Ferraris ever since the first road-going model, the 125 S, rolled out of the factory gates in 1947. One is the marque’s iconic shade of ‘Rosso Corsa’ and the other is its naturally aspirated V12 engine. Enzo Ferrari was such a fan of this particular powerplant, that he even went as far as labelling every non-V12 powered Ferrari as simply a ‘derivation of the original model.’

From the 125’s humble 1.5-litre V12, that produced around 116 hp, the 12-cylinder has been the beating heart of Ferrari’s flagship cars ever since, gracing the likes of the legendary 250 GTO, the 1970s 365 GTB/4 ‘Daytona’ and now, the Dodici Cilindri, the ‘ultimate expression’ of Ferrari’s greatest asset, says the marque.

‘We consider [the 12-cylinder] so much to be the heart of the car that we named the car after it,’ says Ferrari’s design boss Flavio Manzoni at the car’s launch in Luxembourg, suggesting the 12Cilindri is more of a swansong celebration than just another V12, front-engined Ferrari. Nonetheless, developing a brand new V12 in an age when combustion engines are falling out of fashion is a bold move, even for the Modena-based marque.

‘The V12, in its naturally aspirated form, is our purest expression of the DNA of Ferrari,’ justifies Ruggero Cevolani, project leader for the Ferrari 12C's powertrain. ‘We wanted to have it because it makes the car unique; it sounds unique and it feels unique.’

With the range already encompassing everything from the V6-engined 296 and freshly announced F80 hybrid hypercar, to the pure V8-engined Roma and Roma Spider to the V8 hybrid SF90 – Ferrari’s current fastest road car – and soon, a full-electric car, Ferrari argues there was room for another V12, if only to keep its founding father’s legacy alive. ‘This is a way to have a very broad range of engines in our model range,’ says Cevolani.

Filling the V12 shaped hole in the range left when the 812 Superfast ended production earlier this year, the 12Cilindri takes over the grand tourer duties as a grown-up member of the prancing horse family. Given its role and remit, it excels at the long-distance cruising, with Ferrari adding an eight gear to the 12Cilindri’s transmission to calm things down on motorway stretches.

Despite producing 819bhp, reaching 0-60mph in 2.9 seconds and a top speed of 211mph, it’s no more challenging to pilot around town and on slow stretches than something with less than half its power output. There’s even a ‘soft button’ to loosen up the suspension on rough surfaces or stretches that require more comfortable and refined driving.

But that’s just one side of the 12Cilindri. The other is an unapologetic, screaming supercar that howls its way through the gears, up to 9250rpm, with a soundtrack that’s virtually unmatched in today’s sports and supercar market. In short, it’s blisteringly quick but, more importantly, it’s composed, using trick technology and Ferrari’s latest stability systems to ensure most drivers will be able to access and make the most of all the performance the 12Cilindri has to offer.

While a handful of 12Cilindri’s might make it out on track, it’s likely Ferrari’s new grand tourer will spend much of its time in and between urban areas, which is where its unique aesthetic will come to be judged. When the covers came off the car in Miami earlier this year, it divided opinion. Part spaceship, part nod to Ferrari’s longstanding relationship with front-engined grand tourers, Manzoni and his design team have created something that goes against the grain, both in how it looks and how it’s powered.

‘I wanted the styling centre to create something truly futuristic, an object inspired in part by science fiction and in part by what was probably the most wonderful era in car design, the era which, in the 1970s in particular, engendered a spirit of innovation fuelled by the space age,’ explains Manzoni.

Referencing wacky, wedge-shaped concept cars like the 1970 Ferrari Modulo as well as some of the classics, Manzoni and his team have blended modernism with a few references from Ferrari’s back catalogue. It’s no mistake that the 12Cilindri’s unique nose looks a lot like the leading edge of the 365GTB/4 ‘Daytona’, for example.

‘We wanted to radically transform the stylistic codes of Ferrari’s previous mid-front-engined V12s,’ says the design boss. ‘It marks a clear departure from the sculptural language of its predecessor.’

Inspired by the ingredients that informed concept cars in the 1960s and ‘70s, Ferrari’s design team treated the surface design of the 12Cilindri as two distinct shells. ‘We did this by starting with a shape made of two pure dihedral planes and then carving it as if we sliced off the excess material extending beyond the maximum width of the car,’ explains Andrea Militello, head of exterior design for Ferrari sports cars. ‘The result of this is these two theoretical lines which visually continue the design, giving its structure and clearly creating the effect of two upper and lower shells.’

Breaking up the glasshouse towards the rear is a striking delta segment, which stretches from the rear wheel arches across the roofline. Adding in some active aerodynamics to the mix, two flaps that sit either side of the rear window raise at speeds over 40 mph to create downforce. ‘[Together] it creates an all-new interpretation of the theme of the flying buttress motif for the cabin superstructure, a theme that has always had a special meaning in Ferrari tradition,’ Militello insists.

Inside, the 12Cilindri’s grand tourer character is reflected in the cabin, which is more aligned to the Purosangue SUV’s configuration than other more performance-focused Ferraris. The ‘dual cockpit’ layout gives the driver and passenger their defined own space, while there’s a surprising amount of room for luggage behind the seats and in the boot. For those looking to fill that space with something in keeping with the car, Ferrari will also sell you a set of customised cases for the 12Cilindri, with each item starting from £2,375.

Keeping up with the levels of luxury offered by rival grand tourers, such as the Bentley Continental GT or Aston Martin Vanquish, the 12Cilindri’s cabin has been treated to a range of devices to make driving it a more convenient, better connected and more comfortable place to pass the time.

Most notably, there’s a new central 10.25-inch touchscreen, which is compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, alongside optional massage seats and optional glass-panel roof, which lets in plenty of light, making the cabin feel more spacious. Like the Ferrari Purosangue, the passenger has their own, narrow 8.8-inch screen that shows revs, speed and media information.

With the drop top Spider due to arrive a little later down the line, the coupe will be first out the blocks when deliveries start in early 2025. Owners will pay a handsome price for the 12Cilindri, especially after indulging in the extensive list of extras – this is Ferrari’s most expensive series production car to date.

Regardless, it’s likely Ferrari’s latest offering will find favour with those looking to lock in the last of the V12 era cars. For now, the marque’s fabled V12 lives to breathe another day but all eyes will be on its efforts to find a suitable replacement as its electrified era looms ever closer.

Ferrari 12Cilindri, from £336,500 as a coupe and £366,500 as a convertible, Ferrari.com, @Ferrari