The rumors and spy photos have been flying over social media and the FerrariChat forums during the past month or so over Ferrari’s new 812 Superfast. Finally, Ferrari has released a few images and preliminary technical specifications to get everyone ready for the full debut, which is scheduled for May 5. An official name won’t be released until the debut, but for now Ferrari is referring to the amped-up 812 as simply a “special version” (Versione Speciale or “VS”). The VS has the most powerful and highest-revving combustion engine of any Ferrari road car.
What We Can See From The Outside
In the front, the VS adopts larger air intakes where the spoiler line sticks out, which is more than before and there is an aerodynamic fin at the corners of the bumper to optimize air flow. From a profile view the side vents behind the rear wheels hints that this isn’t a normal Superfast. The rear glass appears to have made way for a body-colored aluminum panel that includes carbon fiber aero elements, giving the appearance of lovers when seen from above.
Replacing the quad round exhausts are two vertical pieces with a rectangular design, pushing toward the corners of the bumper to add to the aerodynamics. They flank the enlarged carbon fiber diffuser along with multiple fins that are underneath the car, channeling airflow.
What We Know About The V12 Engine
There are few details about the engine, but we do know that the V12 has been tweaked to deliver 830 horsepower, that makes it the most powerful combustion engine road car to come from the plant in Maranello. While the SF90 Stradale and LaFerrari do have more power overall, without the hybrid component, the 812 VS has the edge when talking strictly about the ICE.
Along with the horsepower, at full-kick the VS is around 9,500 rpm and compared to the regular Superfast that produces 800 hp at 8,500 rpm. The 1,000 jump in revs should provide an incredible display of sound that once was provided by the prior V12, which is slowly fading away. No torque information has been disclosed as of yet, but the expectations are for a minor bump over the 530 pound-feet (718 Newton-meters) at 7,000 rpm delivered by the 6.5-liter unit inside the Superfast.
Other details Ferrari shared in the preview included the implementation of four-wheel steering once again, along with a new version of its proprietary Slide Slip Control vehicle dynamics system. The use of carbon fiber inside and out is also on tap, resulting in the VS tipping the scales at under the 1,525 kilograms (3,362 pounds, dry) of the Superfast.
Ferrari Has A History Of Special Editions
Introduced in 2010, the Ferrari 599 GTO was revealed and at the time was the fastest ever road car for Ferrari. The 12-cylinder berlinetta was able to lap the company’s track in Fioran in a time of 1 minute and 24 seconds. The 599 boasted the 6.0-litre V12 that was directly derived from the 599XX unit, including the crankshaft and exhaust manifold, which endowed the 599 GTO with 670cv at 8,250 rpm.
The second special series V12 was unveiled in 2015, when Ferrari introduced the F12tdf, with innovations to acceleration, road handling and agility. Performance was beyond doubt with a 780cv naturally-aspirated V12 that delivered unparalleled response all the way to the red line at 8,900 rpm. The abundant use of carbon fibre, inside and out, drastically reduced weight, with 110kg removed from the vehicle.
The world premiere of the 812 VS will be live-streamed on May 5, so this will have to satisfy our appetites for the time being.
Source: Ferrari