Ferrari cars are a good investment. Not only that, with careful care and low mileage, they almost do not lose value over the years, some of the copies even become more expensive, since they belong to limited series with exclusive technologies. Model 812 Superfast is a typical example of an ultra-modern classic.
FERRARI 812 SUPERFAST. ATMOSPHERE OF SPEED
The sky-high reputation of the Ferrari brand is largely based on the iconic hypercars F40, F50, Enzo and LaFerrari. The only pity is that they appear once a decade and collect them in limited quantities for a short time. And recently, these cars have ceased to be available to mere mortals: to get the right to purchase such a car, you need to be a loyal Ferrari customer for many years or be the owner of a whole fleet of Italian brand models.
The most that Ferrari has to offer unprivileged millionaires is one of its 12-cylinder granturers, in which the company has specialized in over 70 years. The first car of this type, the 166 Inter, appeared in 1947 and, along with the Maserati A6, ushered in the golden age of “big tourism”. Since then, size, power and speed have increased. This branch of evolution was crowned with the 812 Superfast model, presented in 2017. We say “crowned” because Ferrari makes no secret of the fact that the 812 Superfast is not only the best, but also the last of its breed.
However, much is explained by the name alone. If Ferrari called the car “super fast”, then this is certainly something out of the ordinary. There has already been a Granturer with this name in the history of Ferrari – we are talking about the 500 Superfast model of 1964, produced in an edition of 36 copies. In those days, 400 liters. With. and 280 km/h seemed like performance from the field of small aircraft, not automotive, but the 812 Superfast will give such figures on half of its cylinders. And the new car looks so impressive that only a person who is far from the world of motors can feed illusions about its dynamics and prices.
FASHION CONSERVATOR
For decades, Pininfarina has been Ferrari’s court stylist, but since 2010, when Flavio Manzoni took over as factory head designer, the Turin atelier has practically stopped receiving orders: its own Centro Stile does an excellent job, and the 812 Superfast is another proof of this. It’s a typical Manzoni Ferrari, replete with smooth curves with pointed ends, “breathing pockets” and sharp ribs that frame soft curves. No wonder the appearance of modern Ferrari is called insect-like! Manzoni, of course, is a great master: despite the prohibitively complex body relief, the 812 Superfast looks complete and harmonious and gives aesthetic pleasure from contemplating the subordination of forms.
A raised stern with four round headlights follows the course set by a 1969 Model 365 GTB/4 Daytona. For half a century now, this decision has been a family trait of Ferrari grantees and causes numerous imitations in the performance of other automakers. Purists will certainly be pleased with the strict adherence to the classic coupe concept: instead of a large trunk lid, the 812 Superfast only opens glass. Yes, the loading height is high, but all the laws of the genre are observed. And it’s great! Customers are offered 26 body colors to choose from, contrasting brake calipers and a list of carbon aerodynamic components. As usual, Ferrari options cost fabulous money and easily increase the final price of the car by a third.
Representatives of Ferrari make no secret that the 812 Superfast will be the last model of the Italian brand with a naturally aspirated V12 engine. The next generation, which is scheduled to appear at the turn of 2020-2021, will receive a hybrid power plant with a small turbo engine
Formally, the 812 Superfast is a new car. In fact, this is the result of an extensive revision of the previous F12berlinetta model, which is also confirmed by the factory nomenclature: cars pass under the F152M and F152 indices, respectively. The amount of modernization carried out is enormous. For example, the widespread use of carbon fiber body parts has reduced the weight of the car by 60 kg, and the list of parts of the power unit has been updated by no less than 75%. The Grant Tourer’s 812 Superfast engine belongs to the famous F140 series, which has been in production since 2002 and has been installed in iconic cars such as the Enzo and LaFerrari and has won six International Engine of the Year awards. This power unit retained the 12-cylinder architecture and direct fuel injection, however, he increased the working volume to 6.5 liters, and the return reached 800 liters. with., which made it the most powerful naturally aspirated engine in the history of the automotive industry. Why was one of the hybrid schemes not implemented, because thanks to participation in Formula 1 races, Ferrari has access to all the necessary technologies? The official position of the Italians says: regular buyers of front-engined granturers do not want “electrical” complications, believing that they negatively affect the character of the car. Customers are used to driving such cars literally every day, so not only dynamics is important for them, but also complaisance. But the “formula” know-how was most actively used in the study of the aerodynamics of the car. The priority task facing the engineering staff was to achieve maximum downforce without increasing drag. The side front air intakes of the 812 Superfast serve to cool the brakes and redistribute the air flows under the floor, and the slots in the hood optimize the aerodynamics of the engine compartment. In turn, the rear diffuser is equipped with movable elements that help reduce drag at high speeds.
EMPIRE OF SENSES
The temperament of the 812 Superfast is such that the tachometer jumps from idle to red in the blink of an eye. Acceleration to 100 km / h takes 2.9 seconds – a truly phenomenal result for a monodrive! The car crosses the mark of 200 km / h 7.9 seconds after the start, but this figure can only be verified on a closed track: in urban conditions, the opportunity to drown the gas accelerator to the floor appears annoyingly rare. Once you get used to the crazy dynamics, you notice the perfect linearity of engine responses and piercing responsiveness in the range from 5000 rpm to the maximum 8900 rpm. Elasticity here is also a complete idyll: sixth gear allows you to confidently accelerate from 50 km / h to maximum speed. And on the 812 Superfast highway, it amazes with silence in the cabin and moderation of appetite – the distance between gas stations can be 700 km!
The heart of the transmission is the F1 DCT 7-speed dual-clutch transmission, which is very fast and, importantly, very comfortable when driving slowly. The shape and location of the paddles that control the shifts deserve praise: fingers find them on the first try. The steering wheel itself is truly racing, overloaded with functions beyond measure. It has control buttons for the starter, direction indicators, windshield wipers and much more. There is also a selector for the SSC slip control system, which controls the CST stabilization system and the F1‑Trac traction control. Her competence also includes changing the algorithms of the gearbox and adaptive shock absorbers SCM.
The 812 Superfast was the first Ferrari to feature electromechanical power steering. This made it possible to introduce the FPP and FPO systems, which, by changing the force, inform the driver about approaching the limit of tire grip and suggest the correct direction of rotation of the steering wheel to correct the skid. For greater stability, the F12tdf was borrowed from the all-wheel-drive PCV chassis – in critical situations, it compensates for the drift of the front axle by slightly turning the rear wheels. Perfectly smooth and dry pavement is a must if you want to experience the 812 Superfast’s neutral understeer and the bottomless grip of 20-inch Pirelli P Zero tires in nuanced detail.
Super-rigid suspension and meager ground clearance require the same. Bad roads are contraindicated for the car, because even in the comfortable suspension mode, the Ferrari bounces on every bump and shudders on every crack. This is exacerbated by the fact that the 812 Superfast jerks nervously from side to side on bumps. The machine may begin to slip even when the rear outer wheel hits the marking lines! The same effect occurs when driving through puddles. The light and sharp steering wheel, which makes exactly two turns from lock to lock, helps to restore stability with lightning speed, but there is no need to talk about any relaxation. When driving this car, the driver is forced to constantly control himself, acting as sharply and sweepingly as possible. Furious reactions and frightening speeds in response to minimal effort – such is the signature style of 812 Superfast. Love or hate, it’s up to you
