Aussies love their performance cars, there is no doubt about it. Everything from HSV and the now-defunct FPV to in-house factory vehicles from AMG, M Division and Audi Sport, the local appetite for horsepower has always been insatiable.
Supercar-makers are also capitalising on the Australian market’s lust for everything high performance, with the likes of Porsche, McLaren and Lamborghini enjoying record-breaking sales and growth year after year.
However, the benchmark from which all performance vehicles are measured have always been the models rolling out of the Ferrari factory, and now the Italian car-maker has a new flagship in its line-up to satiate salivating Aussie fans in the form of the 812 Superfast.
It might be a little on the nose, but Ferrari’s naming department has certainly hit the nail on the head thanks to the new model’s 6.5-litre V12 naturally aspirated engine sending power to the rear wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
Peak power of 588kW comes on stream at stratospheric 8500rpm, while maximum torque of 718Nm is available at 7000rpm, ensuring a zero to 100km/h sprint time in the 1630kg coupe of 2.9 seconds and a top speed of 340km/h. Superfast indeed.
In fact, the numbers are big enough that the 812 Superfast can claim the title of the most powerful road-going Ferrari ever made available in Australia.
The 812 easily outmuscles its 545kW/690Nm 6.3-litre V12 F12 Berlinetta predecessor, as well as other V12 models on the Australian market including the Aston Martin DB11 with its 447kW/700Nm twin-turbo 5.2-litre 12 cylinder.
Although not quite able to take the overall V12 crown in Australia – BMW’s M760Li makes 448kW/800Nm from its 6.6 unit and the Mercedes-AMG S65 produces 463kW/1000NM from its 6.0-litre V12 – the 812 Superfast remains unique as nearly all other 12-cylinder engines make use of turbos.
In fact, the 812 Superfast could very well be Ferrari’s last ever naturally aspirated V12 engine as emissions regulations tighten and the quest for better fuel economy continues.
But just how much lighter will your wallet be after purchasing one of these? Try $610,000 before on-road costs, or about the same price as a three-bedroom brick house in the Melbourne suburb of Flemington. Ouch.
However, the 812 Superfast actually works out $80,745 cheaper than the model it replaces, while also being more powerful, quicker and emitting less CO2 emissions than before.
While the high pricetag might not be too much of a surprise given that the 812 Superfast is Ferrari Australia’s flagship model, what may be shocking is the fact that the supercar builder is having no trouble convincing people to part with their money as orders stack up.
In fact, Ferrari is selling the 812 Superfast sight unseen and, according to the brand’s local boss, has already outsold its life-cycle sales expectations even before the first customer takes delivery.
That’s about five years of production allocation gone before even being officially on sale.
Maybe it’s the famous Aussie appetite for performance? Or maybe the 812 Superfast is such a hit because it combines both a stonking V12 engine with cutting-edge aerodynamics and technology.
To keep the 812 Superfast at the top of its game, Ferrari has fitted a new triple-injection system and reworked the inlet and exhaust ducts for maximum airflow, while electric power steering is used for the first time.
Getting power to the ground is achieved via a new version of Ferrari’s Virtual Short Wheelbase which implements rear-wheel steering to turn the rear axle and increase nimbleness or stability, and the brand’s own Side Slip Control.
Inside, the 812 retains Ferrari’s signature modest but functional interior, with leather trimmings highlighted by splashes of red and centre console controls kept to a minimum.
The 812 Superfast is only the latest in a long line of 12-cylinder-powered cars, with Ferrari the only manufacturer in history to have a 12-cylinder powerplant in its range full-time for the last 70 years.
Some of Ferrari’s most highly desirable cars have featured unique powertrain configuration including the gorgeous 275 GTB from the 1960s and the eye-catching Testarossa from the 1980s.
The 12-cylinder engine arguably peaked in 2013 with the unveiling of the LaFerrari hybrid hypercar, which teamed a 6.3-litre V12 petrol engine with 120kW kinetic energy recovery system, while the Enzo Ferrari from 2002 is also a 12-cylinder car of note.
Luckily then, the Ferrari 812 Superfast can fill the big shoes of its forebears thanks to a high-performing new engine, tricked-out aerodynamics and cutting edge technologies.
If you ask us, the $610,000 asking price is more than worth it for Ferrari’s range-topping model, but you needn’t ask us – just the fact that it has sold-out for half a decade is proof enough that Aussies are just as much in love with the 812 Superfast as we are.
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