THE LAST DANCE?

‘HER MAJESTY, THE V12…’

These are the exact words Ferrari uses to introduce the 812 Competizione’s V12 engine in the media briefing the night before we’re due to drive the new car around the Fiorano circuit. It’s theatrical reverence for a type of engine that goes back to the very first car Enzo made under his own name, as Ferrari as the old courtyard at Fiorano and the Ristorante Cavallino across from the main gates of the factory.

I had wondered – feared even – that I might be about to drive the final naturally aspirated V12 engine from Maranello, a truly sobering thought for any car enthusiast, but the Ferrari people confirm that while there’s demand from customers, and the will is there inside the company – and currently both seem present in copious quantities – then the V12s will keep coming for as long as legislation permits.

But even if this isn’t the last, it still feels like a special moment in the development of the high performance car. The F140 series engine with its 65-degree vee angle, first seen in the Enzo, retains its 6.5-litre capacity from the 812 Superfast. However, to create this ‘HB’ variant there’s much that has been changed: the block now features rods made from titanium (40 per cent lighter) and pistons coated in a low-friction ‘DLC’ (diamond-like coating) compound.