812 Driving Characteristics Different Drive Modes

Apologies if this has been discussed (i searched but nothing came up), I would be curious to hear about some real world experience of the different drive modes (read the theoretical descriptions)...but curious to understand how the handling changes in real life and also in particular whether there were situations when you got caught out as the car reacted unpredictability (particularly in race and above modes)

 

I can tell you that RACE mode gets about 8-10mpg but it's the most fun. I can't tell you about the others because my cars always stay in race mode.

 

Mine is either in Wet or Race, so I can comment on those. There is a noticeable difference regarding the speed of gear shifts and also the throttle application (ie. more direct in Race). If you’re driving at moderate speeds around town you won’t notice the difference I think, but pushing it harder you will

 

cheers guys, particularly interesting to understand if you drive it more dynamically if the car gets dicey in certain situation around corners, hard acceleration etc in race...i've done a pilota course a few years ago and they didn't let us put the 812 into race mode, while they did for the 488, saying that the 812 gets too wild in race ...so curious to hear how it is in the real world

 

With all of these cars you cannot have a lead foot. It's very dangerous if you don't know how to handle the back end slip sliding around. Hard gas going around a city street corner is going to put you on the opposite curb or doing a 180 if you over do it. Even jamming the pedal in second or third gear going straight will cause rear end slippage in RACE but it's not a problem if you know it will happen and adjust your steering and throttle modulation accordingly. That is true of the 488 and the 812.

I have yet to push the 812 enough in a curve that the back end moves out on me. I just don't like that sensation on regular streets because the ditch/shoulder on the roads with curves I drive is not where I want my $435k car to end up. That isn't to say I haven't pushed it pretty hard, I have. The 812 doesn't give you the same feeling in the curves as the 488 so to me, I am working my way into pushing it hard around corners and I am getting more aggressive but again, it's tempered by the fact that I don't want to end up in a ditch. However, RACE mode isn't too risky to drive around town in if you are mindful of the risks and limit your foot accordingly.

 

Caveat: I don't really "street" my cars. I belong to MSR Houston where I can drive my 812 and GT3 RS the way they were designed to be driven. The 812 has too much power to be driven safely on public roads at speed. I would never go to race mode on the street when you have to turn the wheel. If you feel like drag racing some kid at a red light for the speedier upshifts and Launch Control Go For It. But for the sake of this discussion:

It’s all about balance.

Nannies are your friend!

Nannies allow you to throw a car around and overcome mismanaged balance to maintain grip (read lack of smoothness). If you take them off, as with any car (front/mid/rear engine) maintenance throttle and smoothness are paramount in maintaining balance (read grip).

Going from Sport to Race mode will really quicken the shifts and will make the 812 (and F12) loosen up the rear. If you’re not smooth you WILL lose the rear.

The RWS on the 812 makes the 812 a massive improvement over the F12 as it makes the rear more lively and feel not so heavy- quicker rotation. Take off the nannies and it really loosens up the rear (and it kinda “feels” closer to my dot 1 GT3 RS). The biggest difference between the F12 and 812 is that with the rear end being more maneuverable, if you make a mistake with the 812 you can recover easier than with the F12, especially with entry speed. With the F12 too much entry speed you're dead and you really pay the weight penalty and that under steer turns into a massive sea anchor.

FWIW I only got 3 mpg at COTA with the 812, 9 mpg with the RS.

Perfect example: my first day at COTA (second time on the track) with my 812 I took off all nannies. Turned in too early on 10, took too much left curb, unloaded the rear, went over right curve which made me lose the rear, and nearly collected the inside wall at turn 10.

Here is turn 11 and the inside wall. U can see with the RS the left front tire is off the ground (you know you're hoofen it when u get a GT3 RS tire off the ground). I’m gonna put novatec springs in the 812 to hopefully get less body roll.

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Typo- "Here is turn 10"............11 is off in the distance.

 

11 is the hairpin

That little hill can get you.

 

Glad you are enjoying the car the way it was meant to be used. The Novitec springs are a must on the F12/812. Get your suspension set which I'm sure you will do. Definitely not a light car but oh that engine.

 

I have driven the 812 extensively in wet, sport and race mode as well as a little CT off.

Wet is extremely stable to the point of being able to floor the car in the wet regularly.

Sport is very stable to the point of being able to floor the car regularly in the dry without wheel spin. The suspension is moderate and the shifts are not super aggressive but are still quick. Overall the car is very controllable in this mode if you know what you are doing. If you don't know what you are doing this car is insanely fast and will surprise you when it starts to hyper accelerate over 6k rpm.

Race mode is insanely fast shifting and aggressive acceleration. If you floor it straight up in the dry you will get substantial wheel spin unless you modulate the throttle yourself. This means you can generate oversteer and start putting the car out of sorts if you really try. However, I have pushed the car hard on the track in this mode and it's still quite well behaved unless you are really dumb. I literally have tried to drift the car in this mode and it just wants to behave, which brings me to...

CT off. Car becomes an insane power beast. Instantly turn donuts in the dry or wet, but you need a deft foot on the throttle and wheel to keep it balanced. If you have the skills it will reward with infinite donuts. On the track you can aggressively stick the ass end out at will with a blip of the throttle and a tiny wheel move. You better be confident in your skills if you are going to screw with this.

I use all the modes in different situations regularly.

 

Awesome, very good overview! that's very helpful! Appreciate...One clarification, have you ever experienced in Race that the car started to behave unexpectedly on the road ie say you drive some twisty road with good momentum (not going full out) and either road surface maybe changes suddenly or you do a small driving mistake by not being smooth with the steering wheel/ brakes....based on your track experience it sounds that that even in Race it's hard to get the car into a dicey situation unless you are really looking for it, but was curious whether it also applies to the road (i would assume so)

 

Race mode is my primary go to every time. The car is more lively and takes the event of driving it on the street to a higher level. It feels alive and almost ready to bite you but doesn’t. Sport makes the 812 a GT. Race makes it a sports car with hyper car like performance. With a judicious use of the right foot it doesn’t bite in race however the way my prior 488 did.
Floor it and it is a different matter in every mode but wet.


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So the caveat here is that I spend a lot of time driving these cars. I may be doing things to control the car subconciously to make sure I don't get in trouble. However, the car has always been extremely composed.

There are two major ways to get in trouble. Floor the car so you get enough wheelspin that things can go wrong, or simply go so fast you get in a situation where you don't have time to slow down. Driver experience easily remedies either of them.

With the 812 you have to work really hard to unsteady the car, it's really quite good at what it does.

 

perfect! many thanks again

 

I don’t really feel much a diff btw race and sport in shifting as I do in my other modern mid engine ferraris. Maybe there is a programming update? Is the exhaust note supposed to change?

 

I notice quick a difference in how violent shifts are between sport/race in the 812. YMMV I guess.

I've pretty much stopped driving the car in sport at this point. Mainly wet or race depending on conditions.

 

Guys
I'd appreciate your help. I'm currently a Lusso owner w a long history of Scuds and Strads about to buy an 812.
It sounds like the car is a hand full with a suspension too stiff for bumpy secondary roads? I has 3 996 GT2s referred to as the Widowmaker, and I enjoyed conquering that car, younger then. Is the 812 a car to conquer every drive? Thank you for your help.

 

I have an 812, and an F12 before that. IMO no the 812 does not need to be conquered, but it does need to be respected. I only keep in in Race, unless heavy rain then Wet. Common sense for accelerator and wheel inputs is all you need.
You can drive it like a Bentley going to dinner with SO, or turn her into a raging beast if you want.

 

I’ve had my 812 for a little over a year, and over 17,000 miles. Caveat is I’m young, so maybe I don’t notice it as much, but the 812 is a very comfortable car with the full electric seats. My older passengers always compliment how well it rides, and how comfortable the car is. In bumpy road mode with soft tires, the car is not stiff at all. Most often I have it in race + bumpy road mode while driving, and when I get on roads to have fun I turn bumpy road off and enjoy.

I’ve since changed to novitec springs, and I actually think it rides even better. Not stiffer at all. This has been with Michelin pilot sport 4s tires. I’ve got Continental DWS06 extreme contact tires going on today and I’ll be able to see how it does on that with the new springs.

 

I agree with the guys above. I was also slightly apprehensive on the 812SF ride quality on bumpy B roads however after buying one I think it rides great. Its firm like all good sports cars but never uncomfortable and just the way I like things.

 

My method with these cars is similar to all of you.

Sport is for starting off when tires, engine, and driver are cold. Race for when everything is warmed up and wanting to go. Race will let you get into trouble if you are somewhat smooth with inputs. If tired, etc, just use a lower mode, even wet.

Wet is great for the wet

One thing you might not know, these modes don't only change the traction and stability control but also change exhaust flap program, throttle and even fuel maps! Its quite an advanced system. I agree with the comment that the nannies are your friend. There are times on the road you want the extra help, especially with the kind of power these cars now have. They make it easy to almost take it for granted. Don't.

 

I personally consider the 812 very easy to drive. It does fine on bumpy roads, if you really care hit the bumpy road button.

It's also one of the best RWD drives ever in the wet. I really enjoy driving the car pretty hard in wet conditions because it does really really well.

 

It is simply among the very greatest cars of all time. Full stop.

 

I had a pucker moment yesterday driving my 812 with the wife running errands. Double lane road, 55 mph speed limit, and going down a hill we were going to be making a hard right into a small road going into a business. I’m slowing down with turn signal on, perhaps doing 40-45 as I get closer. I look in the rear view and this jerk in a tractor trailer is bearing down on me hard. And I thought, “Crap! He’s going to rear end me!” So, trusting in the Ferrari Gods rather than abandon the turn I went for it. 812 just shrugged its shoulders and turned in flawlessly.

 

Having had similar experiences of "crap, this person is going to hit me," can confirm that the 812 handles sharp turns with ease. Glad you guys weren't hit, that would be terrible! I'm always more worried about the other drivers on the road.

The car handles on rails, it's really impressive. Switching to the MP4S tires has been night and day difference from the Pirellis as well.