Ferrari recently unveiled the 812 Superfast at the Geneva Auto Show, and this 211-mph supercar is expected to be the last flagship model from Maranello to sport a naturally aspirated V12.
Boasting 789 horsepower at 8,500 rpm, the 6.5-liter V12 is larger than the 6.3-liter engine found in the F12 Berlinetta. Future Ferrari vehicles will feature hybrid drivetrains, much like the limited-run La Ferrari with its 789-horsepower V12 that is boosted with a 120 kW motor for more than 960 total horsepower.
[1]Ferrari’s high-pressure direct-injection system introduces three separate fuel events per combustion cycle.
As usual, Ferrari engineers leveraged Formula 1 technology to take advantage of the increased displacement. The intake ports were optimized, and the control system for the variable geometry inlet tracts was revised. The direct-injection fuel system is pressurized to a healthy 350 bar, or almost 5,100 psi. As shown in the video above, Ferrari uses a multi-event strategy for its fuel delivery, much like the more advanced diesel engines, to improve combustion efficiency.
Ferrari rates the upgraded V12 at 530 lb-ft peak torque at 7,000 rpm, but stresses that 80 percent of that torque is available from 3,500 rpm upward.
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Two views of the Ferrari 6.5-liter V12 that powers the new 812 Superfast.
It’s been some 70 years since Ferrari introduced its first V12 engine. That 1.5-liter 60-degree V12 made almost 120 horsepower and sat under the hood of the 125 Sport. It’s a shame that a such a legacy is winding down, but the promise of more powerful and efficient drive systems without all that displacement and moving parts is the future of powertrain engineering.
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