The Greatest Ferrari 12 Cylinders

By Author: Rosa P
Total Articles: 5
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Ferrari has a long and successful history of developing 12-cylinder engines. From its first V12, in 1946, through today's cars, such as the 599XX and the 612, Maranello continues to produce powerhouse engines with outlandish ability. The fastest, most glamorous ultimate supercars through history have had 12 cylinders to power them, some of the best racing cars, too. A Ferrari is all about sensibility rather than sense and the 12-cylinders engine is right at the core of Ferrari's being and remain the Pracing Horse's most emblematic engine, both for its performance and its magical sound. The first Ferrari engine was, of course, a 12-cylinder.

The first V12 of 1946, designed by Gioachino Colombo, was an engine of mere 1.5-litre capacity; by the time its direct descendants had reached the end of their development, they had grown to 4.0 liters. The first quality expected from a V12 is smoothness. It is expensive, a bit longer than V8 and it is heavy, but it is the best compromise for smoothness in a road car.

It is impossible to choose which 12-cylinder Ferrari should be elected to represent part of the world's heritage, ...
... but what follows is a brief examination of the most notable 12-cylinders cars in Ferrari's history. The 250 GT Berlinetta was designed by Pininfarina and built at the Scaglietti works in Modena.

Its power unit was a further development of the original Colombo-designed single overhead camshaft per bank V12 engine. The Testarossa revived perhaps the most revered name in Ferrari's history and the engine was the first four-valves-per-cylinder 180deg V12 cylinder configuration unit fitted in a Ferrari road car. The F50 was the limited edition Ferrari extreme machine of the 1990's, taking over the mantle from the epic F40. Whereas the two previous Ferrari supercars, the 288 GTO and F40, had been powered by turbocharged V8 engines, the latest variant used a normally aspirated V12 engine. The mid-mounted engine was a 65deg V12 unit fitted longitudinally.

The 612 Scaglietti was the first V12 Ferrari to feature an aluminum chassis and body unit, and with the engine mounted completely behind the front axle it has an optimum 46/54 front/rear weight distribution. The 612 is also the first Ferrari to benefit from the Atelier Personalization Programme, which provides clients with a wide choice of options to create a true one-off. The 612 Scaglietti embodies the series production of 2+2 Ferraris which started with the 250 GT in 1960 and was followed by the 330, 365, 400, 412 and 456 series.

However, more than any of its predecessor, this really is the ultimate 2+2, a true four-seater. The 599 GTB Fiorano pays tribute to the company's famous Fiorano test track. The numerical 599 refers to the 5999cc engine, which is derived from the astonishing unit fitted in the Ferrari Enzo. This new generation 65deg V12 engine boasts many features that have reduced its weight, size and centre of gravity. The mid-front engine car has a 200mph top speed and a 0-62 mph acceleration time of a remarkable 3.7 secs. All these plus a spacious leather-clad cabin and excellent luggage space, too.

The 12 cylinders have written pages in Ferrari's sporting and commercial history and represent the number that Enzo Ferrari wanted for the first official Ferrari in history, the 125.

Silicon Valley Ferrari is the only Factory authorized dealership in West Los Angeles. Discover the 12-cylinder Ferrari 612 Scaglietti and Ferrari 599 currently available in the Ferrari Silicon Valley inventory.