Ferrari 12Cilindri Spider first drive in Portugal.
12Cilindri Spider on the banks of the Tagus River, below Portugal’s 25 de Abril Bridge
Few things are more emotive than a Ferrari powered by a 12 cylinder engine. Except, perhaps, one that also offers the opportunity to lower the roof. We’re in Cascais, near the Portuguese capital of Lisbon, a coastal resort famed for some of Europe’s biggest waves and best surfing, but also home to a series of challenging roads. And, thankfully, provider of some welcome winter sun.
Its name confirms the 12Cilindri Spider as the latest in a roll call that stretches back to Ferrari’s earliest days, an era that becomes more glamorous the further away we get from it. A sense of nostalgia is inevitable but in every other respect this is a thrillingly progressive car. It’s spectacular looking, its single-piece bonnet and front fenders (the so-called ‘cofango’) devoid of shut lines or unnecessary adornment while cleverly referencing the late-Sixties 365 GTB4. The headlights emerge like blades from an elongated band, a minimalist device that’s mirrored at the rear. Centro Stile has figured out how to channel Ferrari’s immense engineering and aerodynamics requirements, but the worlds of art, architecture and aeronautics are all references, too.
The Spider’s signature is its retractable hard top, which gives the 12Cilindri Spider a distinctive aesthetic. The ‘fins’ behind each seat offer a strong visual hook, and move upwards in unison to accommodate a roof mechanism that folds away in 14 seconds at speeds up to 45 km/h. A discreet aero device at the top of the fins smooths the airflow over the rear of the car when the roof is stowed, and reduces the amount of turbulence in the cockpit.
A roof that folds away in just 14sec, a V12 with 830cv… 12Cilindri Spider stirs all the senses
It’s hugely effective. The heart of the machine is its 6.5-litre V12, newly emboldened to deliver 830 cv at 9250rpm, although it can rev a little higher than that. Ever-tightening regulations have reined the noise somewhat, but it’s still as breathtaking to listen to as it is to use. Its steering is linear and precise, the brake-by-wire system perfectly calibrated for maximum feel. Performance is towering, 100 km/h arriving in 2.95 seconds, its top speed around 340 km/h.
Elsewhere, the 12Cilindri Spider is a reminder of how expertly Ferrari blends its hardware with the latest software. Aspirated Torque Shaping (ATS) sculpts the torque curve in third and fourth gear to increase the sensation in the mid-range. Ferrari’s Side Slip Control is now into its v8.0 incarnation and performs miracles alongside the traction control, an armoury of complex sensors and the Virtual Short Wheelbase (3.0). It all adds up to a poise and balance that defies the car’s size, although the handling is as interactive as you’d want on the limit. There’s also an active rear axle to manage yaw and enhance agility, an evolution of the system that appeared on the F12tdf and 812 Competizione.
The 12Cilindri Spider is a GT in the classic sense of the term, and the emphasis on comfort and long-distance useability is greater than ever. The dual-shift gearbox gains an extra ratio so things are pretty relaxed at motorway speeds, a feeling that the reworked interior ‘human machine interface’ enhances. Overflowing with sensation in coupe form, the 12Cilindri Spider gains a whole other dimension in Spider form with the roof down. On the Portuguese riviera, you don’t even need to drive it to enjoy the benefits it brings…
Report by Jason Barlow for ferrari.com
