2013 Ferrari F12berlinetta

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The latest V12-powered flagship from Ferrari is the impressive F12 Berlinetta. The Grand Tourer replaces the 599 GTB Fiorano as the company's flagship. It uses a 730-horsepower V12 engine displacing 6.3 liters as its source of motivation.

The car is smaller than the one it replaces, and it wears a body designed by Ferrari's Styling Center and Pininfarina. There are cues from the FF and 458 visible throughout.

The chassis, meanwhile, was tuned by Scaglietti and uses 12 different kids of alloys. The costly process results in a body that's a fifth more rigid compared to the old car while dropping weight by 154lbs, down to 3,362. The center of gravity is also much lower than that of the 599's.

The engine is based on the same one as in the FF 2+2, though it has more displacement and revs higher, to an 8,700RPM redline. The power peak occurs at 8,250RPM, while the maximum 508lb-ft of torque come on at 6,000RPM. It's mounted in the front-mid position.

As promised by the Maranello-based automaker, the F12berlinetta is the most powerful road-going car it has ever produced.

The sprint from zero to 62 miles per hour is achieved in just 3.1 seconds, and zero to 124 miles per hour takes 8.5 seconds. Top speed is rated at over 210 miles per hour. The V12 engine is linked to an F1-style dual clutch transmission mounted in the rear in a transaxle setup in order to achieve a front/rear weight distribution of 46/54. It's a seven-speed unit.

Other than these standard numbers, Ferrari claims the new car laps its Fiorano test circuit in 1 minute, 23 seconds, which is a second faster than the 599 GTO, 1.9 seconds faster than the Enzo, and two seconds faster than the 458 Italia, as well as being 3.5 seconds faster than the 599 GTB.

The brand's patented carbon-ceramic brakes linked with a high-performance ABS system take care of stopping the car. The brake ducts have active shutters that cool the brakes as needed and close to improve aerodynamics when not. ESP, an electronic limited-slip differential, and a magnetorheological suspension that's controlled by the driver are also part of the package.

Despite the increase in power over the 599 GTB, Ferrari says that fuel consumption has been reduced by 30 percent to achieve 15 miles per gallon in a mixed European cycle. The car emits 350 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer.

Styling

The taillights are similar to the ones found on the 599 GTB, but apart from that, the rear end has a personality of its own. It features an air diffuser that is split up into three sections, and a single fog light made up of LEDs that is directly inspired by the company's Formula 1 cars.

The styling also follows function, as there is an "Aero Bridge" that routes air from the top of the hood to down through front fender openings ahead of the A-pillar but behind the front wheels, further aiding downforce.

Interior

The F12berlinetta's bucket seats are upholstered in Frau leather, though buyers who want to customize their car will be able to choose other fabrics. All of the controls are either mounted on the steering wheel, or tilted towards the driver, a setup that is common on Ferraris. Digital gauges display vital information such as speed, engine RPM, water temperature and oil temperature.

A narrow digital screen is mounted above the glove box and informs the passenger of what gear the car is in, how fast it is traveling, and at what speed the engine is turning. This feature is also found in the four-seater FF.

Competitors

Those shopping for a car with a prancing horse aren't likely to want to buy anything else, though Aston Martin's new Vanquish comes closest in fulfilling the same mission statement.

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