– Our Works –

In the 65-year history of Ferrari, V12 gran turismos are some of the most evocative cars that ever rolled out of Maranello. Gorgeous to behold, big and insanely powerful, these front-engined behemoths simultaneously conjured images of luxurious peregrination and the winning podium for tough endurance races.

Up to the early Sixties and the realisation of the superior agility and better aerodynamics of a mid-engined configuration, big V12 GTs such as the original 275 GTB, the 1968 365 GTB/4 Daytona and even the 1996 550 Maranello, did two jobs, racing and touring (grandly). Ferrari has persevered with the GT notion, however, through the 2002 575M and 2006 599, culminating in the monstrous 2010 599 GTO.

And now we have the F12, a replacement front-engined V12 and, at 730bhp, the most powerful road-going Ferrari ever built. The figures are boggling. This 6,262cc, 65-degree V12 is loosely based on the Enzo block, with direct fuel injection - it revs out at a screaming 8,700rpm. The compression ratio is a barely believable 13.5:1, and the piston crowns only survive thanks to meticulous control of combustion. The intake plenum chambers that sit atop the engine look like a couple of red crackle-finish ant eaters under the bonnet.

A seven-speed, twin-clutch gearbox sits in a transaxle and is operated via paddles behind the steering wheel. Top speed is 211mph, 0-62mph takes 3.1sec, the Combined fuel consumption is 18.8mpg with carbon dioxide emissions of 350g/km. It goes on sale next spring at £239,736, halfway between the outgoing 599 GTB (£212,096) and the GTO (£299,950) – a bargain, then.