Ferrari’s 812 Superfast the most powerful series production auto

The 812 Superfast is the replacement for the mid-front-engine F12 Berlinetta, and picks up where the 770-hp F12tdf, the model that had Ferrari’s previous most powerful engine, left off.

The look is sleeker and swoopier than the F12. Set to debut to the world at the Geneva Motor Show next month, it is the most powerful series production model ever produced by the famed Italian manufacturer.

The 812 Superfast will have its official unveiling at the Geneva Motor Show in early March.

TRIVIA: The Ferrari 812 Superfast takes its name from the Ferrari 500 Superfast of 1964.

Most of the reports we heard about the new Ferrari from potential owners appear to have been borne out: the 812 Superfast does indeed use a 6.5-liter naturally aspirated V-12, tuned to deliver 800 metric horsepower (which works out to 789 American ponies) at a lofty 8,500 rpm. Superfast name probably justified, though a Tesla is half a second quicker to 62, it’s worth noting…

Equipped with the same variable-length intake runners that shorten and lengthen the intake tracts to maximize airflow, the new V-12 achieves that lofty power output at 8500 rpm, along with 530 lb-ft of torque at 7000 rpm.

Yes, the engine appears to be very rev happy, but it also produces 80 percent of its torque from just 3,500 rpm. The steering is integrated into the digital loop that includes the fifth generation of Ferrari’s Side Slip Control. The official top speed is “greater than 211 miles per hour”. It is an evolution of the F12tdf unit and apparently improves handling and responsiveness. We’re still not quite sold on the new wheel design, but we’ll let it pass given how tasty the rest of the package looks.

The exterior of the 812 Superfast was created to look racy, but it also was meant to make the auto fast. But then some may appreciate the active flaps, new air intakes, quad taillights and revised instrument clusters in the cabin.

ABOVE: 812 Superfast will be launched in a special new color, Rosso Settanta, to celebrate Ferrari’s 70th anniversary. The air-conditioning system has also been updated to help keep you cool, which is exactly what you want with a fire-breathing V12 just ahead of you. Ferrari claims 812 Superfast’s dual-clutch transmission has specific gear ratios which, combines with shorter up and down-shifting times between gears. We’re not sure by exactly how much, as Ferrari enigmatically lists its top speed as being ” 340km/h”.