A new V12 Ferrari has been spied leaving the Maranello gates. It’s a ‘Versione Speciale,’ or special version of the 12Cilindri, Ferrari’s last remaining 12-cylinder offering, and it may resurrect the famous GTO moniker – more on that later. As the F12tdf was a hardcore version of the F12berlinetta, and the 812 Competizione was a more extreme take on the 812 Superfast, so this new 12Cilindri ‘VS’ will be the same, providing less of a focus on luxury than the base car and placing more emphasis on extremism. Expect less sound deadening, more carbon fiber, better aero, and a healthy bump in prancing horsepower to help justify an increased cost and a smaller production run.
More Aggressive Aero for Ferrari’s Special Edition
The regular 12Cilindri’s integrated rear spoiler in the middle of the hatch is fixed in place, with the flaps on either side moving to create additional downforce as needed. All of these aerodynamic devices will be retained for the hardcore special edition, but it’s unclear if dynamic actuation will still be required since both the central and outer elements have been exaggerated, creating a more wedge-like look that calls to mind the 849 Testarossa and F80. Like the 296 Speciale (and the upcoming 296 Challenge Stradale), overt aero is key to this car’s visual signature. We can ignore the oversized exhaust tips as these early development components aren’t representative of what will eventually be revealed, though you would be excused for thinking Ferrari has lost its way in terms of design after the Luce. At the front, more aggressive intake openings are complemented by a pair of dive planes, one on each side, and a significant chin spoiler. We can also expect special wheels, likely including carbon fiber options.
Related: The Ferrari 849 Testarossa Is Worthy of Its Iconic Name — Even Without a V12
By the way, Ferrari is also rumored to be preparing a manual version of the 12Cilindri with ‘MM’ as a suffix to the name, likely to be revealed during the Ferrari Cavalcade later this month, but it won’t be as extreme as this, since such wild aero indicates a car with track focus, and like it or not, dual-clutch transmissions are better for outright performance.
Ferrari May Resurrect the GTO Badge
Earlier this year, it came to light that Ferrari had trademarked several names related to existing models, including the name ’12Cilindri GTO.’ Trademark filings are no guarantee that a certain nomenclature will find its way to a production vehicle, but Ferrari hasn’t used the iconic GTO moniker since the 599 GTO from 2010, so it’s been long enough that reintroducing the name will pique the interest of Ferrari’s most exclusive collectors without feeling like oversaturation. Before the 599, the GTO name was used on only two previous occasions, appearing on the GTO from 1984 (not 288 GTO, as it is often misnomered) and the 250 GTO from 1962. The name means Gran Turismo Omologata, or Grand Touring Homologation, and each of the first two Ferraris to use the name did so correctly, as they were both built specifically to homologate racing cars, first for the FIA’s Group 3 Grand Touring category, and later for Group B rallying, though the latter racecar never actually competed. Since the 599 GTO appeared, the name is more about recalling Ferrari’s motorsport history than creating more of it, and now, Ferrari’s naming principles are fluid. GTO models used to mean nearly race-ready road cars, and XX models used to mean client-owned (but Ferrari-possessed) track-only test beds, but now the latter badge appears on road cars and even Spiders. Still, whatever names Ferrari chooses, its combustion cars always turn out to be exceptional, so we can forgive a little dilution of the iconography.
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