Speed King: Ferrari's 812 Superfast Is, Well, You Know…
Vehicle names are often lies. Take LTD, for example. Demon? No proof of possession, at least none that can be recognized by the Catholic Church.
Ferrari, on the other hand, has introduced a new Geneva-bound model that aptly sums up its purpose through its name: Superfast. Yes, the Ferrarri 812 Superfast is, unsurprisingly, just that.
As a successor to the F12 Berlinetta, the 812 Superfast needs to do things in a gutsier manner than the model that came before. It’s also the 70th anniversary of the first Ferrari-badged car, so it only made sense for the prancing pony to make this model its fastest and most powerful production offering to date.
Avoiding any form of forced induction, the 812 Superfast’s 5.5-liter V12 makes 790 horsepower and 530 lb-ft of torque. Yes, it’s a screamer, making peak power at a lofty 8,500 rpm. Maximum torque arrives at 7,000 rpm, though a driver can still capture 80 percent of that figure at engine speeds half that.
What is all of this caged energy good for? According to Ferrari, zero to 62 miles per hour should fly by in 2.9 seconds, with a top speed of somewhere above 211 mph as a target should anyone want to pursue it.
Weight distribution on this front-engined ride, which weighs less than 2,400 pounds when dry, falls 53 percent to the rear, 47 percent up front. A seven-speed dual-clutch transmission sends power to the rear wheels. Electric power steering makes its brand debut, and Ferrari promises an updated version of Slide Slip Control to preserve the Superfast after the happy customer peels out of the lot.
Price? There is no price, at least not yet. Ferrari will have all the details on this ultra-lux performer at its official unveiling next month at the Geneva Motor Show.
As for the name, not only is is applicable — it’s also historical. The moniker originated on a version of the 410 Superamerica that appeared in 1956. Later, the 1964-1966 500 Superfast carried the name to prominence.
[Images: Ferrari]
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I dunno, it looks like it was sculpted by cold, expensive computers rather than warm human hands like the Ferraris of yore. (probably because it was).
Now that we're well over 50 years into the era of the mid-engine supercar — I count from the 1966 Lamborghini Miura — I'm finding it hard to warm up to the proportions of these cab backward designs. Ferrari, with its need to accommodate the length of a V12 engine, has a bit more excuse than Corvette with its short V8, but even so the front seems too long and the rear overhang oddly short. Pretty sure I wouldn't kick an 812 out of bed though...