The Ferrari F12 Berlinetta is the fastest road model ever
offered by the Italian supercar builder and that begins with the most powerful
V12 engine ever offered in a road car. The new 6.3L engine churns out a
stunning 740 horsepower and 509lb-ft of torque with all of that power being
funneled to the rear wheels via a new 7-speed dual clutch gearbox. This amazing
drivetrain allows the new F12 Berlinetta to rip from 0-62 miles per hour in
just 3.1 seconds and reaching 104 miles per hour takes the F12 just 8.5
seconds. Showing that it is far more than just a car with great acceleration,
Ferrari’s internal testing found that the new F12 can lap their Fiorano test
circuit in just 1 minute and 23 seconds – making the new Ferrari the quickest
road vehicle to ever around that track.
The performance capabilities of the new Ferrari F12 Berlinetta
are way more than just a 740 horsepower V12 and that begins with the
lightweight construction. Scaglietti designed an ultra light chassis and body
with 12 different alloys, using both new materials and new assembly techniques
to bring about a curb weight of just 3,362 pounds. That is 154 pounds lighter
than the Ferrari 599 while also offering a 20% increase in chassis rigidity.
In addition to being lighter than its predecessor, the Ferrari
F12 Berlinetta has an engine and drivers compartment that are set lower in the
vehicle which allows for a lower center of gravity thus improved handling. The
wheelbase is shorter than the 599 and with the design of the drivetrain, the
F12 Berlinetta offers what the company calls an ideal 54% weight ratio over the
rear end.
The lightweight body of the Ferrari F12 Berlinetta also offers
incredible aerodynamic properties, with a coefficient of drag of just 0.299
while the physical design offers 76% more downforce at high speed for improved
stability over the previous Ferrari 599. The sleek greenhouse is set back on
the chassis with a long bonnet that works to channel air out over the sides of
the car where it merges with the “wake” of air from the wheel wells to decrease
drag – a system the Italian automaker calls the Aero Bridge. The F12 also
features a unique active brake cooling system that uses a system of shutters on
the front fascia to cool the brake system when the vehicle detects that the
braking components are getting too hot. When the brakes are not running hot,
these shutters (located on the lower, outside corners of the front fascia)
close to improve aerodynamics.
The Ferrari F12 Berlinetta will make its formal public debut at
the 2012 Geneva Motor Show but in the meantime, feast your eyes on the gallery
on the right – offering the first official pictures of the fastest Ferrari ever
built for road use.
If you’re the type of man who
likes to spend the same on your car as a semi-detached in the Cotswolds, then
2012 could leave you feeling a little light. Behold, and feel free to ogle, the
seven hottest new cars which, let’s face it, few of us will ever be able to
afford. To address this hitch we’ve compiled a list of secondhand alternatives
that could turn your dreams into shiny reality. Better start thinking of an
excuse for spending the savings…
The Supercar: Ferrari F12 Berlinetta
Price: £250,000 (est)
Engine: 6.3-litre V12, 730bhp
0-62mph: 3.1 seconds
Top speed: 211mph
On sale: Now
The F12 Berlinetta has roughly the same power as Fernando
Alonso’s F1 car, and is just as happy crossing continents as it is blowing
eyeballs back into heads.
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