The F12’s hunkered down shape gets your attention immediately, it looks very purposeful in profile and there are some genuinely unique bits like the ‘Aero Bridge’ that tunnels through the fender for greater aerodynamic stability.
What’s missing, however, is that supermodel-like, long-limbed elegance that earlier Ferraris like the Daytona, Dino, 308 or even the F40 possessed; Ferraris from an era when designer Leonardo Fioravanti was at Pininfarina. The F12, to me, seems almost too aggressive, large-mouthed and a bit overdone.This car may be lower than the preceding 599 for greater stability, and have a shorter wheelbase for increased agility, but it’s easily as plush and as comfortable in here as in a Bentley. The large, leather-lined seats may look like racing buckets, but they’re very supportive when the g’s build up.
As with many modern Ferraris, a large central tachometer takes pride of place; as it should. It’s redlined at 8700rpm – incredibly high for a large-capacity V12 – and the column-mounted gearshift paddles are big too. Ferrari has also made sure nothing obstructs the steering wheel and paddles. The turn indicator switches are mounted on the steering wheel to reduce clutter and there is no gear lever either.Setting out onto the narrow streets of Maranello is quite intimidating. The F12 feels super wide, the steering is too quick, and there is so much urge from the motor, even from just beyond tick-over, you can breach the national speed limit without even properly getting on the throttle. The roads in Maranello, contrary to what you might expect, are as bad as some of those here. So I expect a bone-jarring ride every time we cross over a bad patch. But that just never happens – which, frankly, boggles the mind. The suspension of this car has to be stiff enough to deal with more than 700bhp, and the 35-profile tyres aren’t much help either. But the F12 is nowhere near uncomfortable. There’s a layer of stiffness, sure, but there’s also a suppleness that’s just beggars belief. The suspension doesn’t thud through bumps and this is largely down to the adjustable ‘Magneride’ dampers that react in milliseconds.
Town soon gives way to country. Wider roads and no stop-lights allow the use of more throttle and revs; so now, instead of using between 1200 and 1400rpm, I use anything between 2000 and 2500rpm. And I haven’t even given the big V12 motor a good whack yet!
I know just how hard a 690bhp Aventador pulls, but unlike the four-wheel-drive Lamborghini, the F12 only drives its rear wheels. The road opens out a bit more. Flowing corners give way to longish stretches and every few kilometres, we come upon a bunch of tight bends. I’m using more power, more revs and more of the chassis’ potential, and the F12 is beginning to reveal itself, onion-like, in layers.
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