Supply not up to demand, deliveries to start in early 2018.
As was first unveiled in February, there’s a new top thoroughbred in the Ferrari stable. A savage V12-powered machine to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the famed racing brand and automaker. The car now makes its Australian debut with a $610,000 asking price.
The 812 Superfast, despite the connotations that name may suggest as well as its commemorative label, isn’t a limited edition collectors model but rather a fully fledged successor the still-fresh F12, which has only been around since late 2012, effectively capping the production run at a brief 5 years and usurping its crown at the peak of the Ferrari line-up, preceded by the 599 Fiorano and 575M Maranello.
But $610,000 is actually around $80,000 less than the list price of its predecessor, making it that much more accessible for the very wealthy as a new F12 used to brush against the $700k mark before on-road costs and some options. However, even without the price reduction, the Prancing Horse wouldn't have trouble finding owners.
With it, though, the demand has only surged. Herbert Appleroth, CEO of Ferrari Australasia said: “The 812 Superfast is the most powerful, fastest Ferrari in the marque’s 70-year history, reaching 0-100 km/h in just 2.9 seconds. As the Australasian love affair with Ferrari continues, the 812 Superfast is proving to be amongst the most in-demand models we have ever seen in this market. We are thrilled to unveil the car here in Melbourne and look forward to delivering the car to our very happy clients across Australia and New Zealand in early 2018.”
With an even larger naturally-aspirated V12 displacing 6.5-litres with 75 percent new components over the F12’s 6.3-litre version, the 812 develops 588kW at 8,500rpm and 718Nm of torque at 7,000rpm. That makes it one of the most powerful (and increasingly rare) atmospheric engines to come out in a new car. Lamborghini’s most powerful V12 (currently in the Centenario), by comparison, generates 566kW and 690Nm while the 7.3-litre V12 in limited-run Aston Martin One-77 outputs 559kW.
The front mid-mounted engine sends power to the rear wheels via a 7-speed dual-clutch transaxle automatic co-developed with Getrag, an evolution of the transmission that first saw service in the California before spreading to the 458, then the 488, FF, F12 and LaFerrari.
Paired with that thoroughbred V12, it helps the rear-driven Superfast reach 100km/h in a scarcely believable 2.9 seconds on factory road tyres - other high performance cars need all wheels to be driven in order to achieve acceleration that quickly. It’s top speed is clocked at 340km/h. Overall, it easy earns its moniker, one that traces its roots to the mid-60s era 500 Superfast, a front-engine V12-powered 2+2 GT somewhat based on the Ferrari 400 Superamerica.
The body of the 812 Superfast obviously takes many design cues from the F12 that precedes it, but generates less drag and 10% aerodynamic downforce. It rides on 20-inch alloys that are steered through an electric power steering rack, which is a first for Ferrari, and the rear-wheel steering introduced in the F12tdf is carried over too.
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