AT FERRARI, WE LIKE TO SURPRISE,' SAYS 'A marketing boss Enrico Galliera at the unveiling of Maranello's latest supercar, the 12Cilindri. But how much of a surprise can this be? We know there's a V12-engined two-seat GT - the replacement for the 812 Superfast - lurking under the red silk cover before us, but as it's pulled off, there are gasps in the room. The car beneath looks like a Daytona. Not the modern Icona-series SP3, but an original, plexiglass 365 GTB/4 with its visor-style headlights and vented clamshell bonnet.
Ferrari doesn't usually do retro, and this isn't what we were expecting.
It feels like we've been predicting the death of big, naturally aspirated V12s for a decade, but noise and emissions regulations haven't swallowed them up just yet. Ferrari knows just how much customers love their 12-cylinder cars (the Purosangue is sold out for years), so it's jumping through all the necessary legislative hoops to keep them alive and in the case of the new, €395,000 (c£340,000) 12Cilindri, make them faster, more exciting and even more dramatic.
Charles Leclerc apparently thought the 12Cilindri was an Icona-series model when he first set eyes on it, and it's hard to spot any resemblance to the 812 - the new car even has a 20mm shorter wheelbase thanks to a redesigned aluminium chassis. According to Ferrari engineers, the goal has been to blend some of the aggression of the 812 Competizione with the GT qualities of the Superfast, made possible by overhauled chassis and software systems throughout the car. The 6.5-litre V12, meanwhile, now generates a Competizione-matching 819bhp and revs to an astonishing 9500rpm.
Perhaps the only thing a little underwhelming about the 12Cilindri is the name. Ferrari insists that it should be spoken as 'dodici cilindri', but we'd bet that unless you're Italian, you'll know it as the 'Ferrari twelve cylinder'. An ordinary name for what could be a truly extraordinary car.
This story is from the June 2024 edition of Evo UK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the June 2024 edition of Evo UK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
BMW M135 xDrive
The M135 has lost an and gained chassis revisions and a restyle. Is it enough to make it a benchmark hot hatch?
Audi S5
S5 by name, S4 by nature, is Audi's new mid-size petrol-powered saloon a step in the right direction?
Lamborghini Urus SE
Lambo's super-SUV gets a major mid-life overhaul, going hybrid in the process. Has it become any easier to like?
HALL evo OF FAME
The evo Hall of Fame was established to recognise the great and the good of our corner of the universe. Prepare to welcome this year's inductees
CIRCUIT DAY
After three days of assessing their behaviour on the road, it's time to head to the Circuito de Navarra to find out how our nine contenders respond when their handling limits are explored
EVO CAR OF THE YEAR 2024
Nine brilliant cars, from flyweight roadsters to bombastic supercars to a be-stickered estate(!), do battle on some of Europe's finest and most spectacular roads. Which will emerge victorious? Place your bets now.
Porsche Panamera GTS
It lacks the raw power of its hybrid rivals, but does the new GTS’s more traditional approach give it its USP?
Alpine A290 GTS
The new electric Renault 5 has won plenty of plaudits. Is the hotter Alpine version a car to win petrolheads' hearts too?
BEST BUYS BMW M CARS
THE PERFORMANCE CAR LANDSCAPE WOULD HAVE looked very different over the last five decades without BMW. Its M division, founded in 1972, has produced some of the best driver’s cars ever to hit the road, and in the process has provided a stream of benchmark models for its rivals to chase. In recent years, stricter emissions regulations, downsizing and electrification have seen some of those rival cars falter, yet by and large BMW’s M machines have remained strong. In fact, some rank among the greatest the department has made think of the eCoty-winning M2 CS and M5 CS while others are the only options worth recommending in their respective segments. Price tags have risen with performance, however, putting those latest offerings out of reach for many, but the marque’s popularity means there are numerous earlier M models available on the second-hand market for far more attainable figures. Here are four of our favourites.
TYRE 2024 TEST
Want to fit the very best tyres to your performance car? The annual evo Tyre Test identifies the cream of the current crop
