Hello to all of you! I love sport cars and always have had cars wil less than 12 cylinders I've had Gallardo, Huracan, Huracan Performante, 430, 458, 488 and MC 570. Since a while I was willing to try a 12 cylinder but I was afraid cause they are heavier than the ones I have had. Wanted to start with 812 or Aventador S but last week my Ferrari dealer showed me a 2014 F12 with 15k miles on it and I decideed to take it to find out if I love the feeling of the 12 cylinders. Hope it was a wise choice! I'll keep you updated!
IMO there really is nothing better in the automotive world than a Ferrari V12. If for some reason you feel put off by the driving dynamics of the F12 make sure you drive an 812, very different feel to it. V8s are playful, V12s are epic. (Blasting down a lonely road in a V12 brings to mind Wagner, Ride of the Valkyries.)
F12 was my first real v12. It feels substantial to drive, and you will feel the weight. But the combination of the comfort and the sound makes it my favorite car to drive. I think it's mostly in the v12 harmony. I feel completely satisfied just driving it with windows down listening to the exhaust note. To get the same visceral butterflies in my R35 and M5, I usually have to risk going to jail. I love the thing.
F12 is epic. Takes some getting used to coming from the v8 mid engines. less exotic at low speeds but howls at high speeds. I just got done with a 1200 mile rally through the desert and the power this thing has at high speeds is insane.
The thing about the F12 is you just can't take it on short sprints to appreciate what Ferrari has created and bond with it. Go on at least a half-day rally and you will discover a completely new car. It knows how you want it to perform and readies itself before you even ask. Just an epic car with over the top looks, power, comfort and sound. The Jekyll-Hyde nature can be scary (and dangerous) if not enough experience but you will miss it in the later cars except the F12 tdf which every reviewer crapped their pants with.
To the OPs point I just purchased my second F12.. I have owned a LOT of cars and decided that I missed my F12 a lot the sound is incredible .. I could never get with the rear view of the 812 so instead I purchased a nice late F12.. I will post pictures when the time comes .. I will still likely get the 812 GTS .. best of luck I suspect you made the right decision
I read it can be dangerous. Fortunately I had a lot of sport cars and made all Lamborghini’s Academy courses. thanks for your reply
Utterly utterly wonderful machine. I use mine to both drive across the country and do the weekly shopping. They are *****cats. Pootle along in 7th at 25mph and just drive her on the torque. Just be a *touch* wary of flexing your right foot when its wet and you changing lanes or overtaking. Then things can possibly get a little...lairy...
I was on the fence with regard whether to purchase an F12 or 812. I ultimately went with the F12--found a well optioned 2017 Rosso Fiorano w/ ~ 3,600 miles...and consider myself very lucky. The 812 is most certainly a "better" car with regard to quickness/track times/etc.. However...and I know it is subjective...but when you factor in the "beauty" factor...at least in my mind...the F12 will go down as a very special regular production Ferrari. Particularly when/if the NA V12 disappears. There will always be something quicker/faster/shinier in the future, but the F12 really seems to blend a little old school Ferrari design into a modern mechanical package.
Completely agree Bobby. I picked up a 2016 Rosso Fiorano with 3500 miles earlier in the summer. For me, the F12 is the ultimate heir to the 250/275 line...
I almost pulled the trigger on an F12, but ultimately went with an 812. I loved them both when I drove them. One of the factors for me was worry over the rear mesh eventually reacting with the aluminum body and causing paint bubbling, as that seems as though it was at least somewhat common. I couldn’t find any samples that didn’t seem like they were touched up by the dealer, and when I read the long thread on this topic, the fix was much more involved. Was this a factor for anyone? Genuinely curious, because I loved the car, and I would have bought it over the 812 had I been able to find one that I was confident I wouldn’t have to deal with repainting.
I was concerned enough about the paint bubbling to ask my SA to take very detailed photos of each F12 I was considering. None of the F12s that I considered had noticeable...at least to me...paint issues around the mesh. Plus...living in Arizona...humidity/moisture are not a significant concern. Although I will be careful to fully dry the mesh post-washing. I assume that the paint bubbling/difficult starting/etc issues are somewhat rare, but that may just be me being hopeful now that I am an F12 owner. Don't get me wrong...the 812 is a fantastic machine...reading some of the 812 threads makes me wonder if I should trade "up." I just keep having the nagging feeling that if the 812 is NOT the last NA V12 and an "improved" replacement is debuted...well...I just don't...personally...have the emotional connection to the appearance of the 812 as I do the F12. There will always be something faster, but speed AND beauty are difficult to come by.
not really for me. I was fortunate enough to have mine redone under warranty as I bought the car as a dealer CPO. Took a week at the body shop, they redid the panel - I couldn’t even tell where the fresh paint ended. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Congratulations Bruno, and I’ll add that the relief of getting one with some miles is that adding more miles is less of a worry! I got mine with about 14k miles one year ago and now nearly 25k miles. It’s still the most beautiful modern Ferrari, and I think the most aesthetically balanced since the Stradale. Image Unavailable, Please Login I also added a Ryft exhaust recently to make it slightly louder and higher pitched. They said it would add ~20HP and some torque but it breathes so freely it feels like 75. https://www.instagram.com/p/CQAcAVLt2t0/?utm_medium=copy_link
Italiafan.......can you explain your comment about the 812 vs F12 "driving dynamics....and very different feel"? Like LarryH I am considering an 812 GTS. I currently have a 2015 F12 and love it. Maybe before I pull the trigger and order a GTS I need to get some drive time in an 812. I just acquired a 458 Spider so I have the drop top. The F12 for the long hauls and the 458 for mountain runs. Just curious as to your thoughts.
Sure, I’d be happy to. I had a 2016 F12 that I adored, and put ~15K miles on. I currently have a 2019 812SF that I have put ~6500 miles on. The F12 has ultrafast steering, and at times felt a little “nervous,” especially on undulating roads or roads with a sharp crown. It seemed to tramline quite a bit, worse with Pirellis but even still present with Michelin’s. There were times I felt I had to be “on top of the car” because a momentary lapse in concentration at speed could result in loss of control. You really have to respect an F12, it’s power and the way it puts it down, it will bite. Brakes were great all the time, never didn’t have confidence in stopping power. The 812 feels so much more planted and secure, even at greater speeds than the F12. The steering is a little heavier in the 812 but with the 4 wheel steering the car’s turn in is astonishing. It feels like a lighter car, yet with more power, and yet despite that feels more stable—a pretty amazing engineering accomplishment. I don’t get as fatigued driving the 812. I feel I can cover more miles, faster, and with less effort. Hope this helps a little.
