The Ferrari 812 Superfast heads up Ferrari’s front-engined range of cars. Having launched in 2017, however, it’s due a replacement and we’ve caught the new car testing on the road.
We’ll unpick the typically heavy camouflage from Ferrari soon, but what is immediately noticeable is the lack of electrification stickers on the outside, suggesting the 812’s successor will use a naturally-aspirated engine and a V12 at that.
A Capital Markets Day presentation from Ferrari in 2022 revealed that the Italian car maker’s forthcoming hybrid offerings will be fitted with either V6 or V8 combustion engines, with V12 models being sold exclusively in pure ICE form.
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The model we’ve spotted here is easily identifiable as the next-generation, front-engined flagship, thanks to its proportions – which are not too dissimilar from the 812 Superfast. To the rear, a set of quad exhaust tips are on show – a staple of the V12 Ferrari grand tourer. The overall design should ape that of Ferrari’s newer products, such as the Purosangue and Roma, particularly with the headlights and front grilles.
When the 812 Superfast arrived in 2017, its 6.5-litre V12 pumped out 789bhp – a rise of 59bhp over the preceding F12. We should expect a similar bump in power for the new model, to help it take on the upcoming Aston Martin DBS. The more hardcore 812 Competizione extracted 819bhp from its V12 so something similar could be in store for this car.
Judging by previous lifespans of front-engined V12 Ferraris, the new model could arrive as soon as this year. The F12 was produced over five years (2012 to 2017) and the 812 has already been on sale for seven years.
If you could own any Ferrari, which model would you choose? Let us know in the comment…