Ferrari's naturally aspirated V12 defiantly lives on
05 May 2024|773 views
Stubborn. That's a word with generally negative connotations.
Stubborn kids, stubborn parents, stubborn bosses; we all know someone that fits the description, and we've likely all dealt with such people as well.
But sometimes, stubbornness can lead to positive outcomes. Like the new Ferrari 12Cilindri.
Even Ferrari has turned to electrification for performance gains - the SF90's V8 engine and three electric motors produce a combined 986bhp
Keep holding on
The world is going increasingly electric. Even super car manufacturers have to concede as much - we’ve seen hybridisation and electrification across just about every super car brand, Ferrari included.
The new 296GTB? That's a hybrid. Even the brand's highest performing model, the SF90, has ample electric assistance (the 'most powerful' honour used to be reserved for the V12 models).
And yet, the brand is stubborn, defiant even, about holding on to the V12. A naturally aspirated V12, at that.
From the very first car Ferrari made in 1947 (left) to this 12Cilindri, the naturally aspirated V12 has been a core element to the brand's identity
To be clear, this engine isn't new. In fact, this specific F140 65o V12 has been in production since 2002, when it first debuted in the Enzo. That's over 20 years. It's constantly been tweaked and improved over time, even going from 5998.8cc to 6,495.6cc, and of course power output and grown steadily, but the core mechanical structure has not changed.
Holding on to such an engine requires both stubborn determination, but also a touch of good fortune in the form of accommodating legislation. The upcoming Euro 6e standard is set to come into full force in 2025. Thankfully for the brand, the new 12Cilindri still meets those upcoming standards (the engine had to be tweaked to reduce emissions), so this V12 can still be with us for some time yet.
And as was repeatedly mentioned during the media preview of the new car, the V12 lives on because of the brand's dogged desire to keep it alive.
Ferrari is steadfast in its dedication to making a V12 model for as long as regulations will allow
On all fronts
The brand is committed to all forms of propulsion - hybrid, electric (full EV Ferraris are slated to come), but also this naturally aspirated V12. "We have been clearly saying that we will keep investing in all the technology, combustion engine, turbo technology, hybrid component and full electric, very soon, because we want to remain flexible and adapt to client requests and worldwide regulation," says Enrico Galliera, Chief Marketing and Commercial Officer.
Yes, it is about heritage and legacy and all those things, important as the V12 is to the brand's entire history and identity, but there is also an undeniable stubbornness about the whole endeavour.
Again, this particular engine has been around for two decades, and even though it now makes a whopping 819bhp, the people at Ferrari believe there's still more performance to be found. When asked if the limits of performance on a naturally aspirated engine is being reached, one executive coyly shakes his head and says simply, "There's more."
Not too many will be sold - Ferrari has admittedly taglined the model "For the few" - but thankfully the V12 lives on in 2024 in the 12Cilindri
Stubborn defiance
And perhaps more so than any other brand, Ferrari can be this stubborn. With enough brand clout and customer demand for its luxury products, Ferrari probably can fiscally afford to keep the V12 around, even if it's unlikely that this one, like the others before, will be a high-volume model.
Ferrari isn't even shy about this reality. The tag line for this new model? "For the few". The brand knows that while undoubtedly special, the appeal of a V12 GT is always going to be limited and quite niche. You may think it weird to market a new model as being a targeted, low-volume product, but that's exactly what Ferrari is doing with the 12Cilindri.
And that's okay. The world is a better, more interesting place for it. With increasing downsizing and electrification across the automotive landscape, the persistence of a 6.5-litre V12 should be rejoiced, especially if it's going to be the last of its kind.
More than just another super fast, super exotic Ferrari, the new 12Cilindri is a celebration of the V12 engine (and quite literally named as such), but also a manifestation of the brand's defiant spirit to hold on to a 12 cylinder engine, when the world is quickly moving the other way.
I, for one, am thankful that the stubbornness has birthed one more glorious V12 Ferrari.
Stubborn. That's a word with generally negative connotations.
Stubborn kids, stubborn parents, stubborn bosses; we all know someone that fits the description, and we've likely all dealt with such people as well.
But sometimes, stubbornness can lead to positive outcomes. Like the new Ferrari 12Cilindri.
Even Ferrari has turned to electrification for performance gains - the SF90's V8 engine and three electric motors produce a combined 986bhp
Keep holding on
The world is going increasingly electric. Even super car manufacturers have to concede as much - we’ve seen hybridisation and electrification across just about every super car brand, Ferrari included.
The new 296GTB? That's a hybrid. Even the brand's highest performing model, the SF90, has ample electric assistance (the 'most powerful' honour used to be reserved for the V12 models).
And yet, the brand is stubborn, defiant even, about holding on to the V12. A naturally aspirated V12, at that.
From the very first car Ferrari made in 1947 (left) to this 12Cilindri, the naturally aspirated V12 has been a core element to the brand's identity
To be clear, this engine isn't new. In fact, this specific F140 65o V12 has been in production since 2002, when it first debuted in the Enzo. That's over 20 years. It's constantly been tweaked and improved over time, even going from 5998.8cc to 6,495.6cc, and of course power output and grown steadily, but the core mechanical structure has not changed.
Holding on to such an engine requires both stubborn determination, but also a touch of good fortune in the form of accommodating legislation. The upcoming Euro 6e standard is set to come into full force in 2025. Thankfully for the brand, the new 12Cilindri still meets those upcoming standards (the engine had to be tweaked to reduce emissions), so this V12 can still be with us for some time yet.
And as was repeatedly mentioned during the media preview of the new car, the V12 lives on because of the brand's dogged desire to keep it alive.
Ferrari is steadfast in its dedication to making a V12 model for as long as regulations will allow
On all fronts
The brand is committed to all forms of propulsion - hybrid, electric (full EV Ferraris are slated to come), but also this naturally aspirated V12. "We have been clearly saying that we will keep investing in all the technology, combustion engine, turbo technology, hybrid component and full electric, very soon, because we want to remain flexible and adapt to client requests and worldwide regulation," says Enrico Galliera, Chief Marketing and Commercial Officer.
Yes, it is about heritage and legacy and all those things, important as the V12 is to the brand's entire history and identity, but there is also an undeniable stubbornness about the whole endeavour.
Again, this particular engine has been around for two decades, and even though it now makes a whopping 819bhp, the people at Ferrari believe there's still more performance to be found. When asked if the limits of performance on a naturally aspirated engine is being reached, one executive coyly shakes his head and says simply, "There's more."
Not too many will be sold - Ferrari has admittedly taglined the model "For the few" - but thankfully the V12 lives on in 2024 in the 12Cilindri
Stubborn defiance
And perhaps more so than any other brand, Ferrari can be this stubborn. With enough brand clout and customer demand for its luxury products, Ferrari probably can fiscally afford to keep the V12 around, even if it's unlikely that this one, like the others before, will be a high-volume model.
Ferrari isn't even shy about this reality. The tag line for this new model? "For the few". The brand knows that while undoubtedly special, the appeal of a V12 GT is always going to be limited and quite niche. You may think it weird to market a new model as being a targeted, low-volume product, but that's exactly what Ferrari is doing with the 12Cilindri.
And that's okay. The world is a better, more interesting place for it. With increasing downsizing and electrification across the automotive landscape, the persistence of a 6.5-litre V12 should be rejoiced, especially if it's going to be the last of its kind.
More than just another super fast, super exotic Ferrari, the new 12Cilindri is a celebration of the V12 engine (and quite literally named as such), but also a manifestation of the brand's defiant spirit to hold on to a 12 cylinder engine, when the world is quickly moving the other way.
I, for one, am thankful that the stubbornness has birthed one more glorious V12 Ferrari.
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