Ferrari F12 berlinetta drive review

The Ferrari F12 berlinetta is powered by a 6.3-liter V12.

The Ferrari F12 berlinetta is nothing less than Italy's Chevrolet Corvette: similar layout, similar mission, but wearing--with considerable justification--a top-rank designer-label price tag. Ferrari would probably prefer it to be described simply as the replacement for the 599. Either way, the F12 berlinetta is the most evolved, most powerful version of Ferrari's classic front-V12 and rear-drive sports-car format ever created.

The engine is a development of the 6.3-liter V12 introduced last year in the four-seat, all-wheel-drive FF, whipped harder to deliver more power. Maximum outputs are stunning: 731 hp at 8,250 rpm and 509 lb-ft of torque at 6,000 rpm. That's 60 hp more than the 6.0-liter V12 of the 599 GTO.

The F12 berlinetta has a rear-mounted seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, designed to deliver that power and torque without the hiccups of the 599's single-clutch six-speed transaxle. The seven-speed unit is an evolution of a component introduced in the FF. Ratios have been changed for F12 berlinetta duty.

The cockpit of the Ferrari F12 berlinetta.

With an all-aluminum chassis tightly wrapped in aluminum panels, the F12 berlinetta is 150 pounds lighter than the 599. It's also slightly more compact. Although more than two inches lower and almost an inch narrower than the 599, the F12 berlinetta still has ample room for two tall passengers and a practical amount of luggage. Careful aero tuning endows it with a drag coefficient a whisker below 0.30.

Active front-brake cooling flaps, which open only when the front discs are hot, boost aero efficiency. Curved channels carved into the hood lead to the distinctive fender "aero bridge" feature. With the rear "blown spoiler," which tailors air pressure around the car's tail by connecting the rear wheel wells to mesh-covered vents on either side of the luggage compartment liftback, the aero bridge creates stabilizing, high-speed downforce.

Although the F12 berlinetta laps the Fiorano circuit quicker than any other road-going Ferrari ever produced, the company's engineers aimed to make its elite athlete's ability accessible rather than intimidating. That's a seemingly impossible objective to reconcile, but with improved hardware--such as the latest generation of magnetically variable dampers--plus more processor power and better software for its multitude of electronically controlled systems, they believe they've done the near impossible.

The Ferrari F12 berlinetta has aluminum pedals.

What is it like to drive?

Simply brilliant. It says something profound that 731 hp feels about right in the F12 berlinetta. Throttle response is instantly gratifying all the way from idle to the wailing 8,700-rpm cutout. But the V12 begins to sound musical only from 3,000 rpm, and there's a marked increase in tempo and intensity at 6,000 rpm. Although it's one of the world's most awesome engines, it doesn't dominate the F12 as you might expect. It's just one superb part of an incredibly harmonious whole.

Except for some jerkiness at low speeds and small throttle openings, the dual-clutch transmission is near flawless. With race mode selected on the steering wheel manettino, shifts are instantaneous. It doesn't matter whether the driver chooses auto mode for the transmission or uses the elegant aluminum paddles to shift manually, there's no perceptible pause in acceleration as gears are changed.

There's plenty of carbon fiber in the Ferrari F12 berlinetta.

With standard Brembo carbon-ceramic brake discs and massive calipers, the F12 has stopping power more than equal to its engine. And thanks partly to the car's rearward weight bias--the front/rear split is 46/54 percent-maximum-effort braking stability is excellent. Low-speed grabbiness makes the Ferrari's brakes difficult to modulate accurately in city driving, but this is their only shortcoming.

The F12 berlinetta's steering is direct, with just two turns lock-to-lock, and is beyond criticism. It creates an almost supernaturally intimate bond between the driver's fingers and the tire-contact patch. There's seemingly zero delay between wheel input and car reaction and a constant stream of informative feedback.

The wheel of the Ferrari F12 berlinetta.

With front-end grip that's out of this world, superfast electronics taking care of rear-end traction and great inherent chassis balance, the F12 berlinetta's racetrack limits are quite approachable.

But it's also a car that doesn't grumble when dealing with the real world. Ride comfort for a car of such performance is marvelous. Sound levels are reasonable, the beautifully crafted cabin is spacious, and there's 11.3 cubic feet of space for luggage beneath the liftback.

Do I want it?

Of course you do. The F12 berlinetta practically defines "desirable." It updates Ferrari's most traditional road-car formula in so many ways and makes its predecessor appear a little slow and unsophisticated. The F12 berlinetta is due to launch in the United States next spring, five months or so after European deliveries begin. Based on the higher-than-599 price already announced for Europe, it is likely to cost $300,000. 

A rear view of the Ferrari F12 berlinetta.

2013 FERRARI F12

ON SALE: Spring 2013

BASE PRICE: $300,000 (est)

DRIVETRAIN: 6.3-liter, 731-hp, 509-lb-ft V12; RWD, seven-speed dual-clutch transmission

CURB WEIGHT: 3,594 lb

0-62 MPH: 3.1 sec (mfr)

FUEL ECONOMY (EPA): 16 mpg (est) 

The weight in the Ferrari F12 berlinetta is biased toward the rear, 46/54 percent.