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THE F430 IS a near 500bhp go-kart and the 599 GTB Fiorano is the greatest road car I've ever driven, so where does all this leave the 612 Scaglietti?
As the replacement for the 456 GT, the 612 adopts a very different brief from those of its two siblings. It's a big, front-engined GT, designed to swallow continent-spanning distances in a single bound.
It's also meant to do the above whilst carrying four people and their luggage in great comfort. Therefore, it's a bit softer and less of a balls-to-the-wall driving machine than the other two cars mentioned. That said, this is all relative. A "soft" Ferrari is still a damned focused drive when compared to other sports cars.
The 612, Ferrari's flagship series production car, was the first contemporary model to showcase Ferrari's now standard all-aluminium construction techniques. The Scaglietti designation is a tribute to Sergio Scaglietti, the famous Modenese coachbuilder with whom Enzo Ferrari enjoyed a close working relationship. Scaglietti the company is now owned by Ferrari, and does all the latter's aluminium body work.
For the 2006 model year, Ferrari is offering what it calls the GTC Handling package for the 612. This series of options plumps up the 612 dynamically, helping it to keep up with the wonderful F430 and knee-tremblingly awesome 599. Ferrari hasn't gone and made the car more sporty at the expense of its GT brief, though, rather the tweaks have all gone into honing the 612's already sharp edge.
The performance improvements made to the car shown here include revised adaptive damper settings, an improved semi-automatic gearbox, an extremely fruity new exhaust, as well as an optional set of vast carbon ceramic brakes.
The uprated gearbox shifts gears in lightning quick time, and it's extremely smooth. In fact, Ferrari's latest semi-automatic gearboxes are the only ones of this sort that haven't made me wish for Volkswagen's masterful twin-clutch setup. You can leave the gearbox to its own devices in Auto mode, but it's far more fun and involving to play with the tactile shift paddles behind the steering wheel.
The 612's engine is a development of the V12 unit used by the 456 and 575 previously, and it develops a not-inconsiderable 540bhp. The 0 to 100km/h sprint takes just 4.2 seconds, with the big V12 flashing to its 7,500rpm redline with all the alacrity of a ferret zipping up a trouser leg. And all to the accompaniment of a fabulously exciting engine note.
The untweaked 612 is so refined that you hardly hear any engine noise at all. With the special fruity exhaust, a deep, throaty rumble dominates the proceedings to delightful effect. Downshifts and part throttle openings illicit a super addictive rush of burbly intake noise. And when you floor the throttle for the first time, all thoughts of the 612 as a laid-back GT go out the window.
In the corners the revised adaptive damping system authoritatively reigns body roll in, while managing to take the edge off the worst bumps and ruts. The steering, as in all contemporary Ferraris, is lighter than you'd expect, but is still very direct. Turn-in response is terrific for such a large, front-engined car, and grip levels are enormous.
The 612 doesn't devour corners as rapaciously as the 599 or the 430, there's too much of a sense of gentility about the whole driving experience for you to want to really take the car by the scruff of its neck, but it's a very effective tool, nevertheless. And the carbon brakes are so effective at scrubbing off speed that stomping on them feels like you've just lassoed a small building.
When you want to just pootle along, slip the damping into normal mode and the 612 transforms into a very fast sort of ultra modern, carbon fibre-accented living room. And for many, this is exactly the appeal.
If you want to just play, the F430 fits the bill perfectly, if you want raw power mixed up schizophrenically with superlative control, go for the 599, but if it's comfort and four seats with a dash of hooligan in a Brioni suit that you're after, then put your name down for a 612 Scaglietti.
PLUSES
The badge, heady exhaust note, blistering performance
MINUSES
The price, and the fact that it's eclipsed by the impossibly fab 599
VERDICT
High performance grand tourer gets a tracks day racer's edge
A SIMILAR CARS TO CONSIDER
Aston Martin Vanquish S $POA
The big Aston in 'S' tune makes 528bhp, more than James Bond's last company car.
NEED TO KNOW
Model Ferrari 612 Scaglietti (A)
Engine 5,7487cc, 48v V12
Max Power 540bhp at 7,250rpm
Max Torque 588Nm at 5,250rpm
Gearbox 6-speed semi-automatic
Top Speed 320km/h
0-100 km/h 4.2 seconds
Price $POA
Warranty 3 years
Contact Hong Seh Motors
Telephone 6266-1555
As the replacement for the 456 GT, the 612 adopts a very different brief from those of its two siblings. It's a big, front-engined GT, designed to swallow continent-spanning distances in a single bound.
It's also meant to do the above whilst carrying four people and their luggage in great comfort. Therefore, it's a bit softer and less of a balls-to-the-wall driving machine than the other two cars mentioned. That said, this is all relative. A "soft" Ferrari is still a damned focused drive when compared to other sports cars.
The 612, Ferrari's flagship series production car, was the first contemporary model to showcase Ferrari's now standard all-aluminium construction techniques. The Scaglietti designation is a tribute to Sergio Scaglietti, the famous Modenese coachbuilder with whom Enzo Ferrari enjoyed a close working relationship. Scaglietti the company is now owned by Ferrari, and does all the latter's aluminium body work.
For the 2006 model year, Ferrari is offering what it calls the GTC Handling package for the 612. This series of options plumps up the 612 dynamically, helping it to keep up with the wonderful F430 and knee-tremblingly awesome 599. Ferrari hasn't gone and made the car more sporty at the expense of its GT brief, though, rather the tweaks have all gone into honing the 612's already sharp edge.
The performance improvements made to the car shown here include revised adaptive damper settings, an improved semi-automatic gearbox, an extremely fruity new exhaust, as well as an optional set of vast carbon ceramic brakes.
The uprated gearbox shifts gears in lightning quick time, and it's extremely smooth. In fact, Ferrari's latest semi-automatic gearboxes are the only ones of this sort that haven't made me wish for Volkswagen's masterful twin-clutch setup. You can leave the gearbox to its own devices in Auto mode, but it's far more fun and involving to play with the tactile shift paddles behind the steering wheel.
The 612's engine is a development of the V12 unit used by the 456 and 575 previously, and it develops a not-inconsiderable 540bhp. The 0 to 100km/h sprint takes just 4.2 seconds, with the big V12 flashing to its 7,500rpm redline with all the alacrity of a ferret zipping up a trouser leg. And all to the accompaniment of a fabulously exciting engine note.
The untweaked 612 is so refined that you hardly hear any engine noise at all. With the special fruity exhaust, a deep, throaty rumble dominates the proceedings to delightful effect. Downshifts and part throttle openings illicit a super addictive rush of burbly intake noise. And when you floor the throttle for the first time, all thoughts of the 612 as a laid-back GT go out the window.
In the corners the revised adaptive damping system authoritatively reigns body roll in, while managing to take the edge off the worst bumps and ruts. The steering, as in all contemporary Ferraris, is lighter than you'd expect, but is still very direct. Turn-in response is terrific for such a large, front-engined car, and grip levels are enormous.
The 612 doesn't devour corners as rapaciously as the 599 or the 430, there's too much of a sense of gentility about the whole driving experience for you to want to really take the car by the scruff of its neck, but it's a very effective tool, nevertheless. And the carbon brakes are so effective at scrubbing off speed that stomping on them feels like you've just lassoed a small building.
When you want to just pootle along, slip the damping into normal mode and the 612 transforms into a very fast sort of ultra modern, carbon fibre-accented living room. And for many, this is exactly the appeal.
If you want to just play, the F430 fits the bill perfectly, if you want raw power mixed up schizophrenically with superlative control, go for the 599, but if it's comfort and four seats with a dash of hooligan in a Brioni suit that you're after, then put your name down for a 612 Scaglietti.
PLUSES
The badge, heady exhaust note, blistering performanceMINUSES
The price, and the fact that it's eclipsed by the impossibly fab 599VERDICT
High performance grand tourer gets a tracks day racer's edgeA SIMILAR CARS TO CONSIDER
Aston Martin Vanquish S $POAThe big Aston in 'S' tune makes 528bhp, more than James Bond's last company car.
NEED TO KNOW
Model Ferrari 612 Scaglietti (A)Engine 5,7487cc, 48v V12
Max Power 540bhp at 7,250rpm
Max Torque 588Nm at 5,250rpm
Gearbox 6-speed semi-automatic
Top Speed 320km/h
0-100 km/h 4.2 seconds
Price $POA
Warranty 3 years
Contact Hong Seh Motors
Telephone 6266-1555
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