Ferrari’s new 812 Superfast lives up to its name

The automaker is celebrating its 70th anniversary in superfast style

It has been 70 years since Ferrari officially became a car manufacturer. In that time, we’ve seen everything from the iconic 308 TGB to the achingly beautiful Dino.

To celebrate seven decades of automotive excellence, the Italian carmaker isn’t breaking stride – and has unveiled a 800 horsepower beast with looks to rival its power.

With a ‘does-what-it-says-on-the-tin’ name, the 812 Superfast indeed has a V12 and is indeed super fast. Based on the 400 Superamerica – a car with a hybrid 4.0 litre engine – this special edition doubles the horsepower and ramps capacity up to 6.5 litres.

Top speed, we’re promised, is north of 212mph, and this beauty can hit sixty in 2.9 seconds. Electronic gizmos – such as EPAS, Virtual Short Wheelbase 2.0 and Side Slip Control 5.0 – ensure that this Ferrari takes all the lessons its possible for a carmaker to learn in seventy years, and implement them in the culmination of this technical journey.

And then comes the bodywork. Designed by the Ferrari Styling Centre, the car reads as a greatest hits of Ferrari’s past releases. The high tail calls to mind a similar feature on 1969’s 365 GTB4. The four round taillights are now a Ferrari tradition and the sculpted air intakes also borrow from past models.

The colour, however, is new. It may just look like the Ferrari red’s been taken out of the paint cupboard again, but this new hue – dubbed Rosso Settanta – has been specially designed for this landmark year.

And while we’re in the red, let’s talk about price. There has been no official cost released at the time of writing, but we expect you should be looking at around £250,000. Rosso Settenta indeed.

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