Review: Ferrari 12Cilindri

With the recent uproar over the Ferrari Luce, it’s poignant to remember that Ferrari still builds lots of naturally aspirated V12s.

The 12Cilindri's looks have divided opinion, but not as much as the Luce.

The all-electric Ferrari Luce is as big a shock as can be to die-hard Ferraristis. Someday, a few years down the road, we’ll know the reason why Ferrari designed and launched a car like that. But let’s not forget that Ferrari hasn’t lost its marbles one bit. It was the one that shoehorned a naturally aspirated (NA) V12 into a 4-door SUV. And with the 12Cilindri, it’s one of the last (if not the last) of its competitors to be using a NA V12 without any hybrid or forced induction assistance. Surely, some true enthusiasts are still working at Ferrari.

The 12Cilindri is still beautifully proportioned.

The 12Cilindri may not have the first-glance attraction like some of its predecessors (the 599 GTB comes to mind), but it does have very classic proportions with a long bonnet housing the V12 and a cab-rearward stance. The front “moustache” actually doesn’t really look all that obvious in person, while the rear “stingray wings” are a cool design feature, to me at least. 

The 12Cilindri's bulging rear haunches hint at its potent RWD drivetrain.

The interior is more typical Ferrari, although it is more digital than ever before. There are screens, screens and more screens. They look slick from afar, but are a bit fiddly to operate. I much rather have physical controls, so thank goodness that the beautiful paddle shifters and the Manettino are still present and correct. The gorgeous navy blue and black contrast of the interior does make it feel quite luxurious, as well as the carbon seats. However, quality is a bit inconsistent in some areas and may feel ‘handmade’ in the best and worst sense of the word. 

The interior even features a screen for the passenger.

The 12Cilindri comes from a long lineage of Ferrari GTs, and as a pre-requisite they should be sensational (and undemanding) to drive for long distances while also offering ample luggage space for touring. The 12Cilindri fulfills the brief, perhaps not by sheer raw power but by offering a breathtaking experience that just reels you into the good old times of purity. The engine is a leviathan of engagement and soul, muffled slightly by emissions regulations but still a remarkable way to hit the redline. It’s almost everything you wish a modern V12 engine should be. 

The clamshell bonnet reveals the stunning NA V12.

The damping is equally impressive, allowing the 12Cilindri to shrink around you as the roads get twistier. In fact, it absolutely loves corners, with the quick steering also helping to keep things agile and tight. As you learn to work through the gears and to make full use of the peaky power, the car just comes alive. At low RPMs, it’s happy to potter around untaxed, but at high RPMs it truly wakes up to be a bona fide Ferrari. It’s a crescendo that’s unadulterated and truly symphonic. This duality works to the 12Cilindri’s favour as being a car for all circumstances. 

The seats are comfortable, but perhaps a tad hardcore for a GT.

The fact that the 12Cilindri is so accomplished - and so unerringly purist - makes me somewhat confident that I should have some blind faith with the Luce. The former is so good that I am willing to bet that the Luce will do just fine, and would not dilute the essence of the rest of the range one bit. Let time be the judge. 

Photos by James Wong