A Triumph Of Form And Function

The 812 Competizione’s 6.5-litre V12 is the most powerful naturally aspirated road-going mill in Ferrari history.

Words: Basem Wasef

DESPITE THE INVASION of hybrid power trains, all-wheel drive and a first-ever V6-powered road car, the soul of Ferrari’s 73-year-old line-up rests on a timeless formula: power delivered to the rear wheels by a sonorous V12 engine under the hood. Enzo Ferrari famously resisted switching to midengine racecars for years, a decision that hurt his motorsport efforts but endeared Ferrari loyalists to the front-engine layout.

Loyalists, rejoice: Ferrari’s new, limited-edition 812 Competizione keeps a flag planted firmly in tradition, a race-inspired special that follows the front-engine, 12-cylinder paradigm while introducing a slew of innovative workarounds for added speed. The Competizione’s 6.5-litre V12 is the most powerful naturally aspirated roadgoing mill in Ferrari history, sending a whopping 818hp to the back tyres. Press the red Engine Start button on the steering wheel and you’re treated to that unmistakable V12 snarl, like a jungle cat poked with a hot iron.

Laps at Ferrari’s Fiorano test track reveal a remarkably charismatic package that combines the marque’s traditional high-revving heart with a disarming amount of manoeuvrability. Clad with the optional sticky Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tyres, the Competizione turns corners with instantaneous bite. Giant carbon-fibre paddle shifters instigate rapid-fire gear changes, and the engine’s 9,500rpm powerband is a smooth, punchy playground of visceral and aural delights.

Much of the Competizione’s aero prowess is owed to ingenuity. Ferrari engineers rarely position large wings at the back of street-legal cars, and the challenge of avoiding an enormous appendage on the 812’s rump inspired a novel solution: replacing the rear window with carbonfibre vortex generators attached to a solid piece of painted aluminium. The hockey stick–shaped flicks divert airflow toward an enlarged rear lip, increasing downforce without resorting to a boy-racer wing. (For those wondering about minor details

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Start button on the camera embedded into a dorsal fin.) steering wheel and a A nd ser air ies of complex diff flow-management users, techn slot ique s s you’re treated unmistakable V to 12 that snarl, also drag rebu boost downforce to a minimum, all king Enzo’s famous and while s maxim keep ubtly that like a jungle c with a hot at pok iron. ed “aerodynamics are for people can’t build engines” . The engi also added a clever feature to the who neers rearwheel-steering system. In addition to turning the back rubber in or out of phase with the fronts, it can now toe the rear wheels outward under hard braking to keep the tail in check. The test for any Ferrari is how well it honours the Prancing Horse legacy while still managing to embrace the future. The 812 Competizione adheres to arguably the most fundamental aspects of its heady lineage – though not the most performanceoriented – while absolutely devouring a racetrack, lagging behind the high-tech, all-wheel-drive hybrid SF90 flagship at Fiorano by just a single second. Consider it a remarkable triumph for both formula and function.

Aimed at Ferrari’s most passionate collectors and connoisseurs, the 812 Competizione features numerous uncompromising engineering solutions to guarantee peerless driving pleasure.