10月中旬的義大利,每天早晚的氣溫大概都只有攝氏10度,但是只有穿著單薄外衣的我,心裡卻激動莫名,因為儘管這已是筆者近兩年來第4次造訪Ferrari的故鄉:Maranello,不過這次所試駕的車款、是原廠於2012年3月瑞士日內瓦車展 (Geneva International Auto Show) 才剛全球首演的旗艦:擁有740匹最大馬力、集目前品牌科技於一身,且前衛造型宛如來自未來的F12berlinetta。
Technical data - Ferrari F12 Berlinetta
Engine - 6.2L V12 with 740hp / 690nm
Performance - 0-100 km/h (0-60 mph) acceleration in 3.1s, top speed over 340km/h (211mph)
Curb weight - 1,525kg Ferrari F12 Berlinetta DRIFT and Accelerations
Maranello has blown the covers off the successor to its 599 GTB Fiorano and a direct opponent of the Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4. The car was rumored to be called the F620 GT but as it turns out, we will come to know it as the new F12berlinetta.
Billed as the fastest and most powerful regular production Ferrari in history, the F12berlinetta sports a 6.3-liter naturally-aspirated V12 engine that produces 730HP (740PS), which translates to a specific output of 116HP per liter. It also delivers a peak torque of 690Nm or 508.9 lb-ft, 80 percent of which is available at just 2,500 rpm, while it can rev up to 8,700 rpm.
Ferrari says that the F12berlinetta accelerates from 0-100 km/h (62mph) in 3.1 seconds and from zero to 200 km/h (124mph) in 8.5 seconds en route to a top speed in excess of 340km/h (211mph+) adding that it also completes a lap of the Fiorano circuit in 1.23", faster than any other Ferrari road car.
Even though it has 118-horses (!) more than the 612hp (620PS) 599 GTB Fiorano, Maranello claims a 30 percent reduction in fuel consumption over the 599's 16.7lt/100km and a significant cut in CO2 emissions, from 415g/km to 350g/km.
Ferrari's partner Scaglietti, assisted the company in designing the an all-new spaceframe chassis and bodyshell using 12 different kinds of alloys, which helps keep the car's weight down to 1525kg (3,362 pounds). That's 70kg (154 pounds) less than the 599 despite a 20 per cent increase in structural rigidity. The weight distribution is 46:54 (front:rear).
The design of the Italian supercar is the work of result of the collaboration between the Ferrari Styling Centre and Pininfarina. The company claims that downforce has been improved by 76 percent (123 kg at 200 km/h or 124mph) while drag has been reduced to Cd 0.299, thanks in part to the active aero parts such as the Aero Bridge that uses the bonnet to generate downforce at the front by channeling air away and the Active Brake Cooling ducts.
As for the interior, Ferrari says it has optimized the cabin to ensure maximum usability of the interior space with additional luggage capacity behind the seats.
The new front-engined supercar from Ferrari will receive its world premiere at next week's Geneva International Motor Show but don't expect sales to begin before the end of the year, or possibly even in early 2013 for certain markets.