2013 Ferrari F12berlinetta

Within the coral-colored brick walls of Ferrari’s Maranello operations, a new supercar is starting to roll off the line. The replacement for the 599GTB Fiorano and its numerous offshoots, the new F12berlinetta will be Ferrari’s most expensive, quickest, and most powerful model when it goes on sale in the U.S. early next year at an estimated price of $330,000. Its reign as Ferrari’s flagship will be a brief one, as the Enzo replacement is expected to break cover at the Paris auto show this fall and go on sale in mid to late 2013. 

But back to the F12. It’s a traditional Ferrari in that it seats two and has a V-12 mounted ahead of the driver. And yet, tradition isn’t among the reasons that Ferrari gives when asked why the F12 isn’t mid-engined, or why it’s made out of aluminum instead of carbon-fiber composite. As to the latter, Ferrari claims that carbon fiber is much harder to produce and get right, carbon-fiber structures usually make for difficult ingress and egress, and aluminum is easier to repair. This may sound like Ferrari trying to convince us that the world is flat, that drum brakes are better than disc brakes, that bianco is nero, but we expect the F12 to weigh in at around 3800 pounds, less than the 4085-pound Lamborghini Aventador we tested earlier this year.

VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 3-door hatchback

BASE PRICE: $330,000

ENGINE TYPE: DOHC 48-valve V-12, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injection

Displacement: 382 cu in, 6262 cc
Power: 730 hp @ 8250 rpm
Torque: 509 lb-ft @ 6000 rpm

TRANSMISSION: 7-speed dual-clutch automatic with manual shifting mode

DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 107.1 in
Length: 181.8 in
Width: 76.5 in Height: 50.1 in 

Curb weight (C/D est): 3800 lb PERFORMANCE (C/D EST):
Zero to 60 mph: 3.1 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 7.1 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 11.1 sec
Top speed: 211 mph

FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST):
EPA city/highway driving: 12/16 mpg

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