New Car Road Test Ferrari 612 ScagliettiBeen out testing again... this time at quite a fair speed. But then this amazing Ferrari tops 200 mph ......what would you do?
Well, read on.......
Ferrari 612 Scaglietti F1A
To the modern day discerning Ferrari customer it is now not enough for the car to be simply powerful and fast. It will still need to be drop dead gorgeous to look at of course, but the days when speed, power, seductive looks, and a coveted badge were enough to persuade a buyer to part with six figure sums are well and truly buried, if not cremated.
So too are the days of welcoming the challenge of learning to double declutch a cold Ferrari gearbox, and mastering the racing driver art of heel and toe gearchanges. Now, a modern day Ferrari (or any supercar for that matter) must remain an exceptional performer and be easy to drive, reliable, of exceptional build quality, and generally user friendly to anyone behind the wheel- regardless of skill. Of course, developing skill behind the wheel will certainly help to exploit the car’s virtues, but now this must be a matter of choice rather than necessity.
State of the art
The Ferrari 612 Scaglietti is as close as the brand has come to defining the modern day usable and (dare I say it) ‘practical’ Ferrari. As the bloodline successor to the beautiful 456GT, the 612 Scaglietti succeeds where its predecessor failed as a genuine four seater without compromising rear passenger comfort.
Once behind the wheel, with seat and steering wheel adjusted, the driving position of the 612 feels instantly natural. In typical Ferrari fashion the dash is functional rather than complex, a truly driver focused environment; the hint of this cars amazing performance and power given away only by the prominent facing distinctive yellow rev counter, and a speedo that reads upto a heady ….mph. Crazy. (but nice).
Look further and there’s a multi function digital display screen providing comprehensive on board information when sought. The whole of the cockpit is leather bound (of course) and the brushed aluminium effect dials and vents somehow complement that overall feel of bespoke quality.
‘Our’ 612 had the optional F1A paddle shift gearchange fitted; The ‘F1’ signifying the Formula 1 derived connection, and the ‘A’ symbolising ‘Automatic’. It is a £5,500 additional cost option to the standard six speed manual shift, and is currently fitted to the majority of orders. The bonus for City runaround driving is that it allows you to select standard automatic mode at the touch of a button. Ferrari reckon the paddle shift will remain the most popular option, and as it does the job so well when you’re powering the 612 on full song we agree.
From the outside the Scaglietti is a clean sheet design. It has an aluminium space frame chassis and body, resulting in a massive 60% increase in overall body structure efficiency. Hence it is light yet rigid, a factor that plays a big part in its acceleration, braking efficiency, and general handling dynamics….as we’ll see.
The design of the 612 Scaglietti has been a matter of much debate, but the consensus is that it either instantly appeals, or it grows on you. Yet you cannot fail to appreciate the heritage of those wonderful Pininfarina lines; the more you study the car, the more its classic design heritage shows through.
Performance
The key to the magic of any Ferrari of course lies in performance; something the 612 has in bucket loads. Power, top speed, and 0-60 mph figures are only part of the story, but it is indeed an impressive point from which to start. The front mounted engine is a special development of the 575M ‘s (sister model) 65 degree V12. As with the car’s overall structure the engine block, cylinder heads and sump are all made from aluminium alloy. The 5,748 cc engine (a work of art in its own right) generates a massive 540 bhp at 7,250 rpm. The result is simply huge performance with 60 mph achieved in a tad over 4 seconds and an official top speed of 199 mph.
The Ferrari Way
That’s the raw stuff, but the quality lies in how it is achieved. Bear with us on this subtle equation, for to create a machine that achieves such a poetic blend of power, excitement, and controllability as this one does is no mean feat; and it is an experience you will never tire of repeating again, and again, and again.
First up is the aural pleasure _ the crisp lightening sound of that magical V12as it barks into life with a keen razor like sharpness. There’s also millimetre accurate throttle control bearing testimony to the fluidity and controllability of the engine.
Flick the paddle on the right hand side of the steering column towards you and you’re in first gear. Mild acceleration from standstill overcomes any initial anxiety – for despite its prodigious performance, this is not a daunting machine – it is indeed utterly controllable and user friendly – responding directly to your throttle, braking, and steering inputs to exactly the level to which you apply them. Flick up through the gears and immediately you are ‘at one’ with the car; so refined is this 612 that those with little experience may well wonder what all the fuss is about – the car is a doddle to drive.
The answer to your initial curiosity soon comes when you realise that there is plenty of throttle travel left to go, and the further you probe, the more you become aware that this flagship Ferrari can easily develop levels of acceleration (in any gear) well beyond that many of us have ever known. It is a certainty that you will back off before the car reaches its maximum speed in any gear – especially on public roads as even second gear will take you past the national speed limit – from thereon it’s either dangerous or the butterflies in your stomach give you a self preservation call.
But Wow, what a challenge for the keen driver. It’s simply amazing that a car 4,902 mm long and 1,957 mm wide with a kerb weight of 1840 Kg can, when driven with attitude, develop the handling characteristics of a small, highly manoeuvrable racing car. So engaging is the drive that you simply forget the dimensions of this car, and just get on with enjoying yourself.
No one will be able to keep pace with you, and you’ll be amazed at the prodigious mid range power is on tap to execute that instant do or die overtake when power and instant responsiveness are absolutely decisive. The magic is that you don’t need to be Michael Schumacher to do it. Just Mr. Ms. or Mrs Average You. It is times like this when it becomes oh so abundantly clear just why you bought this Ferrari.
The rationale
Of course, there are other exotica around that can do the same…but not in the same way. A Ferrari at full song is a shrieking stallion, one that turns grins into laughter from the sheer raucous noise alone. It is a car that fuses spirit and emotion into a physical osmosis for the free human spirit that equates speed and power to the ultimate raison d ‘etre of life.
When you get home after that exciting challenging drive in your 612– a turn of the ignition key instantly cuts the engine – you’ll hear a ‘tick, tick, tick….,’ as the mechanical wizardry settles down to rest…and before you open that door you will sit and reflect on the experience, knowing that this day you have lived. That is the Ferrari experience, and you cannot put a price on it.
Yet this 612 is equally at home on an express trip from London (47 Park Street of course) to Geneva in a day. All you require is fuel, and a few CDs’ if you must – there’s enough luggage space for at least two of you (especially if you opt for Ferraris’ personalised luggage set). Should you be on a diversion to the Autobahn, you can cruise at 150 mph for much of the day if you wish; -all in leather clad air conditioned bliss. Stop at your leisure to eat and refuel, and you will arrive at your destination in your 612 at ease and refreshed. Once your’e parked up the valet will take your luggage; it only remains to walk the six or seven steps from the car to reception – whenever could you do that travelling by air or rail I ask you?
The moral of this little story is that your 612 can double up as every day car (for four) as well as being one of the fastest and most exciting production road cars the World has known. What’s more it’s a Ferrari….and that means you do it in style.
Spec:
Ferrari 612 Scaglietti
Engine – 65 deg V12
Max Power 533 bhp @7250 rpm
Max torque 434lb ft @5250 rpm
0-60 mph 4 .2 secs
Max speed 199 mph
Price: £174,745.00
Price with F1A Gearbox £180,245.00
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