Ferrari F12 Berlinetta review: Best of 2013

What can it be?

But you'll have to have extremely deep pockets to get in to one: it charges from GBP239,352. Find it contend in our 2013 Automobile of the Year competition here.

Technical highlights?

Where to start? Let's begin against the V12. Similar in proportion to the Ferrari FF's motor but somewhat re-designed to ensure substantially quicker throttle response, rev greater and generate more strength. All that mumbo is transmitted to the 3 15-area back tyres by means of a 7-rate dual clutch transaxle and Ferrari's ediff - the 599 created do having just one clutch 'carton plus a standard mechanical limited-slip differential.

Those acceleration amounts set it forward of a McLaren f 1.

Needless to say there's much more. The F12 gets the most up-to-date development of Ferrari's adaptive magnetorheological dampers (scme), which respond far more rapidly, enhanced carbon-ceramic brakes and, as actually, the continual development of many grip and stability systems finds tremendous increases in handle and pace. Subsequently there's the currently well-known 'aerobridge' - ducts place to the front wings - which decreases drag and enhances downforce, plus effective brake cooling ducts that simply open when the disks are becoming extremely hot, to decrease drag. The listing of specialized highlights is all but infinite.

The purpose was to produce an automobile with mid-engined agility (and grip) but in a more useable program. Ferrari's v 12 customers have a tendency to do higher mpg than those somewhat gauche v 8 clients, seemingly.

2013 Ferrari F12 Berlinetta

What's it-like to generate?

It weighs 1600kg but it's as thrilling as a Caterham 620R. A big area of the solution of how lies underneath the aerodynamic bonnet. It's tough to picture a motor that's even more unhinged than the Mercedes SLS Black's hand built V8, but from the finish of the primary straight it's obvious the F12's 6.2-litre v 12 is simply that. The Ferrari can and will split grip over the SLS and at occasions every stab of the accelerator senses around as outrageous as throwing petrol bombs right into a bonfire from close-range. No, nearer than that - therefore your brows come in peril.

When you've established a little self-confidence, you discover yourself becoming around the energy early from every corner so the F12, using that wonderful front-engined rear-push equilibrium.

It's reasonable to state the Ferrari F12 has the very best drivetrain of any street car on-sale today. And also the twin-clutch gear box not just keeps up, but really improves the encounter the manner its dozen cylinders rev with seemingly no inertia is mad. It feels as though all 730bhp come in total wellbeing.

But even though the intelligent drivetrain and motor control the encounter, it's supported with a severely fascinating and competent chassis. Ferrari went to get a superb fast steering stand ratio, which practically looks laser-directed at lower speeds but drops only the right-side of twitchy, letting you slice through roundabouts having a startling market of motion in your fingers. Everything requires some getting used to and never feels entirely natural, particularly in highspeed corners. Yet, concealment beneath that occasionally overly-competitive result is outstanding equilibrium and also an excellent level of suppleness, also. I can't feel of a more agile entrance-engined, rear-push automobile with enormous firepower. What's truly striking is the fact that the quite pointy entrance doesn't disturb the back until you're actually throwing the automobile between course changes. Even afterward, the back has a tendency to take on merely a tad of oversteer that scarcely wants correction.

2013 Ferrari F12 Berlinetta

Of program with as much power on-tap there's suitable oversteer to be had if you are interested - and by means of the firmness control techniques turned off. Make sure you do actually need it though, because even these trick Michelins will whirl and spin and whirl and... WHIRL as the v 12 ramps up towards peak-power. It's massively amusing but wants actual attention to totally work. Get to grips using the F12, though, as well as on tarmac it's a complete oversteer king. The frontend only jinks right into a change without issue then you may post the automobile sidewise at will against the accelerator. The e diff is sensational in the handle it provides you over the back axle, and once you've got the back tyres whirling, it feels as if you'll be able to simply continue them over-speeding all the way up the route, even swinging through course changes.

The F12 is therefore savage and rapid in reaction to the input signal that you're always occupied, which is unquestionably more super car than GT. There's a layer of normal usability, also, however. But it definitely feels an automobile when you discover a lengthy, dark tunnel. For a couple of short seconds of speedup it totally fills the tunnel, howl reverberating off the ceiling, the sound gaining that identifying cavernous resounding depth as you explode back outside to the day before shrinking within an instantaneous. Unbelievable.

During its time in our Automobile of the Entire year 2013 evaluation, the F12 acquitted itself well, in the finish taking second-place, only missing outside to the Porsche-911 GT3. Mike Duff remarked: 'Wow. The most fascinating automobile here for me personally, by a good margin. The v 12 is astounding: the truth it generates so much electricity through only direct-injection and revs feels near to awesome. I don't believe the novelty of working it outside to 8500rpm and feeling the savage gearbox knock in another ratio would actually wear off both.

'It is a complete victory,' mentioned editor Nick Trott. 'Ferrari should be honoured for constructing arguably the road -vehicle engine of all time.' David Vivian was similarly effusive: 'The power-train is unquestionably the most memorable, fascinating and addictive of any auto on sale to day. The mode of its own delivery, but it isn't only the energy, staggering as that is. The ultimate 2000 revs to the red-line and also the rate of the change to another gear are really breathless.'

How can this compare?

It's on still another planet. Quicker, with substantially better grip, higher agility and more sense through every control... and Ferrari should be congratulated in making the F12 therefore considerably more streamlined. It feels miniature on the road set alongside the 599 (while nevertheless offering a lot of cottage room and a large boot, though) and that'll be an enormous bonus in britain.

2013 Ferrari F12 Berlinetta

It's really much less spectacular but it's just as fast and is more thrilling to push difficult and better to push slowly. In fact they're different automobiles. On a day in the Britain I reckon the Aventador may feel more reliable, but the F12 is surely the more accurate, more interesting and more flexible motorists' automobile.

Anything else I must understand?

Launching control, a reversing digicam, twin-zone air conditioning and Bi Xenon headlights are all typical fit. But carbon racing seats include GBP5184, reduced stereo is GBP3552, a carbon cup-holder is GBP2112 while the official Ferrari F12 golfbag will cost you a dizzying GBP6240. A GBP300,000 F12 wouldn't require much choices carton ticking in any way.

Ferrari F12 Berlinetta video review