The Ferrari 812 Superfast, may not be Ferrari’s best attempt at naming a car, but it could be one of the finest cars the brand has ever built. It’s the replacement for the F12, a car that had mixed reviews, though I was never fortunate enough to drive one. The Superfast is packed full or clever systems and electronics to supposedly make this, not only the most powerful road-going Ferrari ever made, but also one of the easiest to drive.
Aesthetically (albeit subjectively), it doesn’t quite give me the wobbly knees and or goosebumps that other Ferraris like the 488GTB and Portofino do. It’s a bit too long, a bit too wide, not flashy enough in parts and over complicated in others. Although those over-complicated areas are more due to the clever science folk adding vents and curves to help keep this car stable at high speeds.
The inside of this car appeals to me more than the exterior. It’s still very ‘Ferrari’ and features the same infotainment system I first saw in the Lusso. In this day and age of larger, higher-definition touch screens taking over every aspect of your life I commend Ferrari for not following suit. The focus inside a Ferrari is purely on the road ahead of you, and so the infotainment controls are found in an extremely convenient location just to the side of the steering wheel, rather than the usual larger and more distracting touch screen in the centre column. In fact, I’m not sure why other car brands haven’t adopted this location more.
While it takes a while to get accustomed to, for the fact that we are all so used to looking at and reaching over to the centre of a car to change stations or fiddle with functions, after a few hours of driving the Superfast, I realise how much more convenient, and safe, it is to have the operations in more accessible reach. While some may argue that the new design seems too simple for such an expensive car, and using a dial to navigate the CarPlay features is a little slower, it’s negligible and I admire the fact that Ferrari has removed the distraction of large screens with easier-to-navigate functions with a slicker, safety-first focus.
How is CarPlay available if the car has no large central infotainment system? Well, Ferrari hasn’t ignored all modern systems, and the car still features a couple of very discrete and easy-to-operate digital screens either side of a stunning and rather large analogue rev counter. The 812 SuperFast also features a small touch screen for the passenger, allowing for ‘back-seat-drivers’ to stay abreast of speed, revs and other potentially exciting in-drive intel, with information right there in front of them. Ferraris, after all, are built with the driver in mind, aiming to give them an experience like no other, which now transcends to engaging the passenger, too. This is a unique feature I’ve not seen offered in any other vehicle. Even though this infotainment system is a little alien compared to most cars you’d drive, Ferrari wants to make the 812 SuperFast easy to use in all aspects of driving and it certainly ticks the boxes in this department.
This leads me nicely on to the driving aspect of the Ferrari 812 Superfast. All of this car’s numbers should scare you, the price (starting at US $364,799), the weight (roughly 1,600kgs), the engine size (V12 6.5L) and, of course, all those horses in the bonnet (789bhp). Ferrari has managed to wrap this up into a friendly and easy drive. While I never feel as immediately at home as I did in the 488GTB, the 812 doesn’t worry me and I never feel like I’m about to lose control, even with all that power available. There’s a lot of clever trickery allowing you to enjoy all this power: rear wheel steering, new bits under the car, new aerodynamics on top of the car, and a clever computer managing it all along with an electric steering system. You’d be forgiven for thinking maybe the car is driving itself, whilst you’re just dictating how fast. But this isn’t the case. For a long, wide and slightly heavy car it’s surprisingly sprightly, getting you to 100km/h in a mere 2.9 seconds, and it will keep accelerating until it tops out at a staggering 340km/h. Obviously you’re not likely to hit such an eye-popping speed, but you can enjoy that 2.9 seconds worth of power on a regular basis, and believe me, it never gets old.
As a daily driver, the 812 Superfast ticks nearly every box. Even with a huge, naturally aspirated 6.5 litre V12 roaring in front of you and quad exhausts singing just behind, the cabin is relatively quiet and refined. At no point do I find myself having to raise my voice over the engine or exhaust during a conversation. I actually lower the window on occasion to enjoy the sound of the exhausts and engine even more. The ride is soft enough thanks to the adjustable suspension, and while you’re perhaps not going to get the comfort of an Aston Martin of Bentley on long journeys, it’s still very accommodating. As usual, with my reviews I often have an extended stint of behind the wheel in order to gauge comfort on long drives, and after six hours of being in the car, while I don’t emerge quite fresh as a daisy, I could easily do another a few hours behind the wheel.
If you want to have a weekend away and take your 812 Superfast, there’s a good amount of space in the boot if you leave the spare tyre at home. If you opt to take the tyre, best pack a small over night bag that will fit nicely inside the cabin behind you on a parcel shelf. The door bins will hold a small bottle of water, you get a cup holder for your morning coffee, and thanks to the innovative centre column design you’ve got space for a couple of phones or keys. Add to that a sizeable glove box that will hold more than just your gloves.
It all sounds too perfect, but... No car is. For me the steering is a little too light and I don’t feel the connection to the road that I’ve felt with other Ferraris. It still handles well and all these clever parts and computers help you have fun while driving this car. If you turn into a bend a little fast the car will do its best to let you enjoy the slip and slide without being followed by a crash, bang, wallop. And while the styling of the car isn’t to my taste, the quiet of the cabin bordering on a little ‘too’ quiet (I missed hearing and feeling the roar), I realise that these are subjective observations.
Overall the Ferrari 812 Superfast is a remarkable machine. If you’re in the market for a GT or Super GT car, make sure this on your radar. And if you love the look of this car, the rest of it won’t disappoint.
Nuts&Bolts:
Engine: 6.5-litre, V12
0-100kmh: 2.9 seconds
top speed: 340km/h
max power: 788 bhp
Price : Starting at AED1,339,800 (US $364,799.75)