Reflections after a day with the Ferrari 812 Superfast

It is a couple of days since we drove the eight twelve C frost in Italy and I am just about calmed down. As you might have been able to tell from that brief clip it was not a usual launch. We had a very limited amount of time in the car about six hours actually filming. So we thought we would use that time to film Sort of a more intense film, that you can see by clicking the link below, or above, or somewhere around here. [CAR] And that gives you hopefully, the experience of going through the various [UNKNOWN] levels in the car, and what it's like to drive. But whilst we were there we thought well, we'll do a review as well. And record a bit of an interview when we get back here to fill in the gaps. So this is what this is. The 812 so far is amazing. I mean, I'll give you a few of the tech highlights. I can't take you through everything, because that would take far too long. It takes about two hours, I know because I sat through The presentation by Ferrari, and it involves grass and all sorts of things. But highlights, that engine. I mean the most powerful engine, I think, in production road cars, so ignoring things like [UNKNOWN] Ferrari. 800 horsepower, 789 brake horsepowered, 8,500 RPM, 529 pounds foot of torque. It is just Bonkers. Six and a half liters but I don't know how they make it feel so light and responsive in the way that it revs. It's amazing. They've got a direct injection system in there up to like 350 [INAUDIBLE] which is the highest ever on A spark ignition engine so we see those numbers in diesels before but this is the first time on a spark ignitions at a perpetual engine, I suppose. And it's just insane, it revs to 8,900 rpm. [SOUND]. It's bonkers. [BLANK_AUDIO] Utterly utterly brilliant. The next thing I want to talk about is the steering because that's probably the other big thing people have heard about. So for the first time, this Ferrari has got an EPAS system, an electric power assisted system. Obviously they haven't necessarily worked out in the past for some people. And this has got some interesting things. So when you reach the, or nearing the limits of grip of those massive 275 section front tires it will change the torque coming through the rack to let you know that you're reaching the limit. Equally when you over steer it will reduce the torque and sort and almost sort of try to. Tell you, coax you into how you should be staring to correct the slide. [SOUND] That sounds terrible frankly, as far as I'm concerned. So we've had things like the dynamic stair on Audi's and Lamborghini's in the past, and they're just not very nice. To be honest, they don't feel natural at all. I was very worried that was going to be insane in the Ferrari, it's not it just works. How they've done it I don't know I suppose are quite light, very direct steering and I suppose that makes it easier compared to something like a Porsche which is generally a slower rack and wiggling feel like 997's but yeah you would know. And you can't feel really these changes and [UNKNOWN] tour feels completely natural, which is extraordinary really. So well done Ferrari. I want to talk about the engine now, talking about the gearboxes. [SOUND] It's like talking about Ginger without Fred, or Beavis without ****. A couple of facts, just to interject about the gearbox, so. It downshifts. Now where you used to be able to fit two downshifts into a second, now you can fit three downshifts into one second. You can do that just by holding on the downshift paddle or trying to pull it as many times as you can in a second which is probably more fun. Fun things to use, those gear paddles. I always think performance figures, really, they often seem irrelevant when you're behind the wheel, but for reference, top speed 211 mph, naught 62 mph in 2.9 seconds, and naught to 124 mph in 7.9 seconds, which is frankly insane. One thing that I only really started thinking about after I'd stepped out of the car was how does it compare to the F12, the car that it replaces. And the shorter gearing is probably what makes the biggest difference in terms of the way that it accelerates on the road. But it feels tighter car so we've got the addition of the rear wheel steer. And this, and the Virtual Short Wheelbase as they call it, and the whole car just feels more precise, the stilts and squash and dive and roll in it, but that feels much better control than I remember in the F12. Just, they're both fantastic, but those downshifts as well, that's the only thing that's been a big leap on With the 812 super fast. It's just a wonderful, wonderful car. I would love to own one. As I said in the film, if this is the high water mark, this is the end for naturally aspirated V 12 engines then it's quite a way to go out.