Questions on the 612

Bob - back when I was initially looking at 612s, I spoke with one well-known forum member who owned one and lives in the Boston area - apparently he put snow tires on his and used it throughout the Boston winters and didn't have any issues. I am sure you wouldn't want to take it out in a blizzard but sounded like you could get by in moderately snowy conditions and you should be OK in rainy conditions with normal tires if you drove with some caution.

Chris

 

There is a member here who has driven his 612 in some pretty inclement conditions, although he now has an FF, for whatever that's worth.

With stock tires, it's okay-- certainly not a problem in heavy rain. I haven't been in serious snow with it, but I would guess it would be similar to any car with wide summer tires in that condition. It does have very good traction control.

With winter tires, I suspect it would do very well.

 

IIRC, the change of the MY was software, particularly with th F1.

 

Ferrari doesn't do "model years" in the same way that US manufacturers do. They introduce a model, build in improvements as they go along, and eventually do a major revision to that model. What "year" it is means nothing-- the serial number is more important.

In the case of the 612, they introduced it in 2005, made various running changes as they went along, and did the major revision in 2008 (calling the car the "OTO" although I don't know if you actually see that anywhere).

They introduced a few of the OTO changes in 2007, and the Sessanta actually is pretty similar to an OTO.

 

There's an '05 TDF at Foreign Cars Italia for a screaming deal. Call Hank 336-516-3855.
I had an '05 612 back in the day. Rosso Rubino. I miss that car. Just beautiful. It would be great cruising the Blue Ridge Parkway!

 

All 612s have a derivation of the 575 motor.

"HGTE" is an option package-- the 612 had "HGTC" or "HGTE" or "HGT" packages depending on the specific package and the timeframe.

HGTC-- handling, transmission software, exhaust, CC brakes
HGTE-- same as HGTC except without CC brakes (much cheaper)
HGT-- same as HGTC, except CC brakes were now standard on all 612s, so that wasn't technically part of the option package.

The big differences with the OTO are the glass roof and the transmission from the 599.

The other big difference was that Ferrari stopped building 612s on spec with the OTO-- they all had to be ordered by a customer. I'd guess this resulted in lower production numbers, but I've never seen any facts to back that up.

 

I live in London and drive mine come rain/hail/snow to the country house........and we get our fair share of inclement weather. It's drives very well, particularly in the wet. Snow's a bit more of a handful, exactly as you would expect.

Punchline is don't let concerns about its handling in the weather concern you.

 

OTO stands for one to one I believe. I think it is because all of the later cars were custom ordered.

 

My OTO (with the HGT2 package) was a spec ordered by dealer. It was not specced out by the end customer. The first buyer of the car was shown the car once it arrived in Arizona. No idea about production numbers.

 

I wonder about this. 612s were generally not hot sellers, and dealers had some of the early ones forced down their throats (you want more 430s? Then you take some 612s). So, I'm a bit surprised that a dealer would spec a 612 without a customer, but I suppose they could... especially if they had a customer in mind.

They certainly could have spec'd it with the dealership owner as the "customer" or something like that.

There were plenty of 612s which were ordered by customers and then the customers backed out before delivery, especially in 2008.

 

I wonder if they are doing same thing with FFs? I see a lot of them that seem to be dealer owned.

 

The FF has a demonstrator program. I believe each dealer got a demo FF, which they were required to keep for some period of time. As far as I know, the 612 did not have a program like this.

 

Nah, wasn't mine. I got out of mine in 2008. It had about 7k miles on it then.

 

am looking at a 2008 with 4k miles. hgt2 package, 20" wheels, glass roof.
so how do you guys like the car? anybody drive it as a daily? tell us more pls

 

Well, mine is a 2008. Had 4,000 miles, HGT2, 20" wheels, and a glass roof. The glass roof makes it an OTO and the car you are looking at should also have CC rotors and GPS. Of course I live in AZ - where it never rains - but I love it!

 

I think you've hit the nail on the head concerning the FF. A truly remarkable car to drive, but the dealers are in business to make a profit, and the FF, despite its amazing performance, has got to be a hard sell given its practical design. Cars sitting in a showroom for long periods of time sort of develop a reputation, like the house on the block that can't sell, and the dealers must be a in rough spot. Honestly, I loved driving the FF so much that if Ferrari would come to their senses and drop the price of a well appointed FF to somewhere south of $300K, I'd buy one tomorrow.

 

Best and most exciting car I've ever owned, bar none. I discovered that I can fit booster seats in the rear by turning the ones I have around backward. (Thank you, California, for changing the child car seat law this year and expanding the burden on parents). My two young boys absolutely love to drive the Ferrari with dad. The glass roof is phenomenal and its shade controllable. The V12 is a monster -- not as smooth and crisp as the FF, but it has its own character. It is fast and sophisticated, not in the two-seat Ferrari sense, but in a true GT sense. I try to drive it as a daily, but I travel so much that such a joy is impossible. Good luck finding yours Ross.