Ferrari doing what it does best: The 12Cilindri review

It’s been almost 80 years since Ferrari introduced its first V12-powered sports car to the world with the 125 S. In 1947, its first year, the 125 S scored Ferrari’s first race win, along with five other wins in 14 events that season.

Although it was soon replaced by the 159 S, the success of the 125 S began Ferrari’s history of producing some of the most desirable 12-cylinder performance cars known to man. And while the Italian automaker has embraced forced induction and electrification in recent years, its legacy of building spectacular front-engine, rear-wheel drive machines, with glorious V12s crammed into their engine bays, continues with the 12Cilindri Spider.

Ferrari hasn’t been shy about taking advantage of cutting-edge technology in the development of its latest models, but the company also understands the value of a good throwback. As the successor to the 812 Superfast, the 12Cilindri boasts clever performance technologies like a sophisticated active aero system and a four-wheel steering system that can manage each corner independently to enhance response, but ultimately it’s a tribute to the heady days of luxury grand touring of the late ’60s. Exterior styling takes clear inspiration from the 365 GTB Daytona, while its lack of all-wheel drive, turbocharging and electric assistance bucks the trends that have become almost inevitable in modern performance cars.

Buy Engine, Get Free Car?

Instead, Ferrari has deliberately prioritized the core principles that have defined its most enduring GT icons: elegant design, a carefully engineered chassis, and a sensational naturally aspirated V12, the latter represented here by a 6.5 L dry-sump mill that delivers 819 hp (611 kW) and a surging 9,500-rpm redline.