Just curious since they always seem to stand for something with Ferrari. I know the 12 is 12 cylinders, the T is for transverse, and the 2 is for second version. Thanks.
Probably four valves per cylinder as opposed to the older five valve per cylinder cars. The 412 T1 was the first F1 car to return to 4 valves per cylinder after several years of 5 valve engines. Taz Terry Phillips
Naming conventions Until the early 1980s, Ferrari followed a three-number naming scheme based on engine displacement: V6 and V8 models used the total displacement (in decilitres) for the first two digits and the number of cylinders as the third. Thus, the 206 was a 2.0 L V6 powered vehicle, while the 348 used a 3.4 L V8, although, for the F355, the last digit refers to 5 valves per cylinder. Upon introduction of the 360 Modena, the digits for V8 models (which now carried a name as well as a number) refer only to total engine displacement. The numerical indication aspect of this name has carried on to the current V8 model, the F430. The F430's replacement, however, is the 458 Italia, which uses the same naming as the 206 and 348. V12 models used the displacement (in cubic centimetres) of one cylinder. Therefore, the famed 365 Daytona had a 4390 cc V12. However, some newer V12-engined Ferraris, such as the 599, have three-number designations that refer only to total engine displacement. Flat 12 (boxer) models used the displacement in litres. Therefore, the BB 512 was five litre flat 12 (a Berlinetta Boxer, in this case). However, the original Berlinetta Boxer was the 365 GT4 BB, which was named in a similar manner to the V12 models. Halo Car F followed by the anniversary in years, such as the F40 and F50. The Enzo skipped this rule, but it will return in the upcoming F70. Some models, such as the 1980 Mondial and the 1984 Testarossa did not follow a three-number naming scheme. 612 Scaglietti Sessanta Edition Most Ferraris were also given designations referring to their body style. In general, the following conventions were used: M ("Modificata"), placed at the end of a model's number, denotes a modified version of its predecessor and not a complete evolution (see F512 M and 575 M Maranello). GTB ("Gran Turismo Berlinetta") models are closed Berlinettas, or coupes. GTS ("Gran Turismo Spyder") in older models, are open Spyders (spelt "y"), or convertibles (see 365 GTS/4); however, in more recent models, this suffix is used for targa top models (see Dino 246 GTS, and F355 GTS; the exception being the 348 TS, which is the only targa named differently). The convertible models now use the suffix "Spider" (spelt "i") (see F355 Spider, and 360 Spider). GTO ("Gran Turismo Omologata"), placed at the end of a model's number, denotes a modified version of its predecessor. Indeed, those three letters designate a model which has been designed and improved for racetrack use while still being a street-legal model. Only three models bear those three letters; the 250 GTO of 1962, the 288 GTO of 1984 and the 599 GTO of 2010. This naming system can be confusing, as some entirely different vehicles used the same engine type and body style. Many Ferraris also had other names affixed (like Daytona) to identify them further. Many such names are actually not official factory names. The Daytona name commemorates Ferrari's triple success in the February 1967 24 Hours of Daytona with the 330 P4.[9] Only in the 1973 Daytona 24 Hours, a 365 GTB/4 model run by NART (who raced Ferrari's in America) ran second, behind a Porsche 911.[10] The various Dino models were named for Enzo's son, Dino Ferrari, and were marketed as Dinos by Ferrari and sold at Ferrari dealers—for all intents and purposes they are Ferraris. In the mid 1990s, Ferrari added the letter "F" to the beginning of all models (a practice abandoned after the F512 M and F355, but adopted again with the F430).
Possibly the engine was actually a smidgen over an exact 3.5ltr's so it was deemed a 4ltr engine? Kinda like the older Mustang 5.0's as they were not true 5ltr engines. Yet Terry could be right about it meaning a 4 valve design, sounds logical too me.
occasionally when they had a 12-cylinder engine that was an integer number of liters, the first digit was the displacement and the next two were the number of cylinders, like the 412i (4.0 liter V12) and the 512 BB (5.0 liter flat 12). Ultimately, though, the naming of this car the 599, for 5.99 liters, is just an extension of the 550 (5.5 liter V12) and 575M (5.7 liter V12) naming convention that they had already established.
I think that they were simply rounding the 3.5 up to 4, to avoid having to call the car the 3512 (!). Of course, that rule was not always followed: the 1965 car with a 1.5 liter flat-12 has been variously called the 1512 or the 512, where 212 might have made a bit more sense.
Anybody want to make a bet it was not for 4 valves per cylinder? Some good history here, which I hope most of us already knew, but no other plausible answers. Taz Terry Phillips
I think the OP is asking about the F1 race car, 412 T2, not the production 412/412 GT street cars of the 80's.
IIRC, you are right about this. The 1995 412 T2 was the last Ferrari V12 F1 car, at least until the next one comes around, whenever that will be.
True, and IMO the best sounding F1 car off all time. The sound that 3 liter V12 makes is out of this world.
I have no idea what the "4" stands for --- but, 4-valves per cylinder certainly makes sense. As for the displacement, I think you guys have things a bit confused. The original 412 T1 engine was 3.5L, then when F1 rules changed the formula (IIRC, this was for the 1995 season?) for maximum engine size, the 412 T2 was developed to match the now smaller displacement limit of 3.0L.
You are correct as I pointed out before. The T2 was a 3 liter engine. The older T1 was a 3.5 liter engine. Funny thing is, the T2 sounded even better.
412 T was for 4 valves per cylinder .... Ferrari did not use 5 valves on its F- 1 heads becaues of the pneumatic system used to activate the valves. 412T2 - one of the most beautiful car's ever. it was also the last 12 cyl F-1 car produced. Schumacher drove it in testing and said he would have won the championship in that car easy.
Tom- Assume you mean they did not use 5 valves on this engine, because they certainly did use 5 valve heads on earlier F1 engines. Taz Terry Phillips
