I've had goosebumps for two days now. A continuous boost of adrenaline through my body,
which holds for one hour after driving it. There aren't a lot of cars which offer this amount of excitement.
The Ferrari 812 Superfast, successor to the F12. It was meant to combine the performance of the F12 TdF,
the lightweight special edition F12, the extreme one, and the usability of the regular F12.
According to Ferrari that is. Also, it had to be quicker, because this is the fastest production...
Ferrari ever. That's why it's got an atmospheric 6.5-litre V12 in the front, producing 800 horsepower.
You heard that right. 800 atmospheric horsepower at 8.500 RPM.
Just listen what such a drivetrain does to a car...
These are F1-sounds you never hear anymore... It's just...
I could cry, really. It's just sublime.
Ferrari has made the gearbox even quicker. It now has a double clutch and you can fly through the gears,
just like a Formula 1-car. That goes for shifting up, but when you're in sixth and you start braking,
and you keep the paddle down... It's so incredibly quick, almost like a motorcycle.
That gives you ultimate control over all of the power, which is hidden very far away.
We're talking 800 horsepower beyond 8.000 RPM. That's just scary, because 800 horsepower really is crazy.
Logically, the car is crazy quick because of it. Let's throw around some numbers to illustrate.
A Nissan GT-R Nismo, the ultimate sprint king which destroys everything.
0-200 km/h in 11,7 seconds. This? 0-200 km/h in 7,9 seconds.
That's the difference, that's how quick this car is. I do have to say, the first time is very intimidating.
You don't just put your foot down when you're stationary. The power is so incredibly overwhelming, you just wouldn't dare to.
Fortunately, the power is hidden in the higher revs, which makes it different than a turbocharged car like the McLaren 720S.
That has more boost in lower revs, but you really have to search for the power in here.
Also, you can build it up. You'll be revving more, you'll be changing gear later and later,
you'll be putting your foot down even more, because you can't do that instantly.
Such small pieces of rubber can't handle the 800 horses. You have to build it up and as your confidence with the car grows,
you can release more and more of that power onto the tarmac.
Even though the engine is the soul of the car, there's so much more to talk about.
I mean, the chassis is actually able to handle this amount of power. 800 horsepower on just the rear wheels.
Anyway, the tires. At the rear, we have 315 mm tires and at the front, they're 275 mm wide.
Combined with the four-wheel steering, which Ferrari introduced on the F12 TdF, this car reacts incredibly sharp.
The steering is hyperdirect, even directer than in Porsches, and that's what generates that typical Ferrari-nervosity.
Something you'll have to get used to. It's so much feistier than other cars in this segment.
It's much more nervous. You can feel that the power is always ready to raise a little hell.
The littlest of steering corrections will make the car move to the left or the right.
But because of that chassis, it's incredibly bitey at the front. The only car I can think of which corners as sharp, is the GT3 RS.
That offers a similar amount of sharpness, and that's something you'll have to learn to trust.
The more you trust that, the more speed you can get in a car and the more you can utilize the power.
That's when it becomes a combination of getting the most out of an 812 Superfast.
That nervosity makes it a rather special car to drive at higher speeds, because where a 911 Turbo or in a McLaren...
is relatively calm at high speeds, this is relatively uneasier.
It bounces a little more, even with the dampers in Comfort-mode. That's scary at first, because you don't want a car to bounce around,
but you'll have to get used to the fact that because of the downforce, it will react perfectly clear to your steering input, despite the movements.
Even when you're doing 260 km/h.
That takes some getting used to, because it can do over 340 km/h. Of course, that's not only because of the chassis,
the downforce plays a big role in reacting at higher speeds as well. That said, the lines and cracks on the outside aren't just for show.
Let's have a look.
There's enough to see on the outside. Looking at this car takes some getting used to as well.
There are so much details on here. A lot of lines, angles and cracks, which almost seems like overkill.
However, I do have to say, the longer I've been driving it, the more the exterior has grown on me.
Of course, it starts with the lines on the side. Remember, there's a use to everything here.
The door handle has been designed to send air into the vent, the cooling vents are designed to get the heat out of the arches...
to reduce drag. On the floor, rear and back, are movable panels.
Depending on the speed, they can open and close which makes sure the drag is as low as possible whilst maintaining a high amount of downforce.
Normally, they oppose each other. If we move to the back, we can see it has an arched back,
just like some race cars have. It's all meant to reduce the amount of drag at the rear.
You can check it with your own car really. If you're driving quite the distance at a high speed,
the rear becomes dirty by itself. This doesn't really suffer from that,
because it doesn't suck back like some other cars do at those speeds.
Just look at the way the rear lights have been capsuled here, just to make sure the air from the rear wheel arches is able to get out.
The diffuser seems likes it's one solid piece, but it's entirely open. All to make sure the car is pushed onto the tarmac...
at high speeds. Something you can see in this small vent here as well.
The TdF had much more widened arches and stuff, but with this, it all seems more balanced.
All in all, it's all about the total package. Like I said, you start with the engine,
but it's the way the fantastic gearbox corresponds with it. The sublime chassis, the feisty, direct, almost nervous steering...
If you combine that with four-wheel steering... Then there's the traction control, which actually handles the 800 horsepower.
Without you crashing in the first corner that is. But it's the playfulness as well,
it's easily handable in a drift because it's so well balanced.
It's a supercar like only Ferrari is able to build. Competitors do have the same performance,
sometimes with more ease, which makes them more accessible than most Ferrari's,
but they lack the nervosity, the hyper-like feeling which creates that adrenaline feeling.
That's a special skill only Ferrari has mastered. Even the entry-Ferrari Portofino has that.
But holy shit, a Superfast... My arm hairs keep standing up straight.
I mean, a GT3 RS or a Lamborghini Aventador is fun as well, but they're just not as sharp as the Superfast.
Ferrari even calls it more accessible than the F12, even despite its performance...
This isn't just a GT-car like an Aston Martin DB11, it's much more super-sport like than that. Just wow...
Anyway, let's throw around some facts, because the price is sickening. In the Netherlands, the base version will set you back around €405.000.
Of that price, €80.000 to €90.000 will be road taxes.
Also, there's no such thing as a base-Ferrari. There are more optional features than your average Porsche or Audi,
so you should calculate another €50.000 to €60.000. That means you're inching towards half a million.
That's a lot of money. However, in this kind of segment, people won't really bother I guess.
So the question is, will that hurt by even a small bit? The average Ferrari-buyer isn't scared of another €100.000,
or another car that is... I mean, what kind of competition does this car have really?
When it comes to performance, you'd be thinking of the McLaren 720S.
But that's aimed more at killer performance combined with daily usability,
because it's quieter and easier to drive whilst going very, very fast at the same time.
However, you'll never get the same kick this Ferrari gives you when it come to sound and feistyness.
Then, there's Lamborghini's Aventador S. It does get very close.
That's a brutal machine, but it's not as refined. It's not as sharp as the Ferrari, but it's a very tasteful car.
But if you really want a screaming V12 like this, because even an Aventador doesn't get on this level.
That's more of a noise maker than a Formula 1-car, so you should be looking at the Aston Martin Vulcan.
The €2.000.000 Special Edition track car. But that'll give you the soul of a high revving, very powerful V12,
combined with an extremely quick gearbox, a true hyper sports car.
Of course, it isn't without flaws. The interior of this demo car was a little disappointing.
Half a year ago, I drove the GTC4Lusso, which looks amazing from the inside.
Of course, that could be because of the trim. Sure, the 488 is a little less luxurious because of its MR-layout,
but for a Ferrari GT-car, I expected more. Ergonomically speaking, it's not the best layout ever.
Sure, you can find your way around with all kinds of buttons, but it doesn't have a big screen like the GTC4Lusso does.
Other than that, it's easily usable as a daily driver at lower speeds. It's not uncomfortable or anything,
even though the V12 can get a little growly after a while, but that's part of the show.
I think you can drive this car in a very relaxed fashion from the Netherlands to the south of France or something.
Don't expect a very beneficial fuel consumption, because if you're able to do seven kilometres per litre,
it's going to be a very special achievement.
The true achievement however is the way that Ferrari creates a total package like no other manufacturer is able to do.
It might be the Italian soul, or the marketing talk. But it's what this car breathes...
And the fact that it's possible in times like these... That's just beautiful...