Alive and Kicking – The Ferrari V12

Ferrari unveiled its latest offering to the tanned, Champagne-supping crowds at Miami beach last week and if you hadn’t heard then we can probably guess what you’re thinking. With any new model from an established manufacturer the words “hybrid” and “electric” come somewhat apathetically to mind, along with a roll of the eyes and an immediate disconnect. But this is Ferrari, a company renowned for its great works of internal combustion, and its new 12Cilindri model is a masterpiece of ICE. In a wonderful celebration of suck, squeeze, bang, blow that pays tribute to 77 years of naturally aspirated V12 engines dating back to the very first 125 S in 1947, this is pure Ferrari.

It’s quite the legacy and the 12Cilindri (we really don’t need to translate this for you), with its 6.5-litre, 820bhp V12 will get the car to 60mph in less than three seconds and on to a top speed of almost 220mph, all without a turbo or bank of batteries in sight! Along with rearranging your face the 12Cilindri will also take all of your money. And then some. Starting at an eye-watering €395,000, Ferrari’s latest offering (available in either coupé or Spider format) really does live up to its tag line of “for the few”, so with that in mind we’d like to suggest five classic alternatives.

All still complete with naturally aspirated 12-cylinder lumps and a prancing horse on the bonnet these five elder statesmen of the V12 set can still very much deliver the goods as far as privilege, prestige and performance go whilst simultaneously appealing to those that prefer more mature Maranello machinery. You’re still going to need to fork out though. A lot.

Ferrari 250 GTO

We briefly mentioned Ferrari’s first effort – the 125 S – above, but most aficionados and casual fans alike will generally agree that the 250 GTO is one of the most revered and sought after models in the Italian manufacturer’s oeuvre. This is reflected in prices too, with the most expensive Ferrari ever sold being a 1963 250 GTO that went for just over £52 million in 2018. Madness.

Both a road going Grand Tourer and a homologated racing legend, just 36 250 GTOs were ever made between 1962 and ’64, further adding to the car’s desirability. Designed by a team that included the late, great Giotto Bizzarrini the 250 GTO combined stunning, muscular looks with a blistering 300bhp V12 engine that made it a star of both road and track, going head to head with the likes of Jaguar’s E-Type, Aston Martins best and the AC Cobra for competition glory. And glory did it achieve!

Not only was the Ferrari 250 GTO one of the greatest sports cars of the 1960s, it was one of the greatest sports cars period. Today it remains one of the best and most coveted Ferraris to ever roll out of the factory at Maranello. This is Holy Grail motoring ladies and gentlemen.

Ferrari 365 GTB4 “Daytona”

We have a bit of a soft spot here at Car & Classic for ’70s GT cars. There’s just something about that sharp, angular aesthetic that was de rigueur at the time, combined with huge, powerful, naturally aspirated engines that quickens the collective pulse. And it’s for that reason that we’ve chosen the “Daytona” over say, the 275. Unofficially christened after the famous 24 hour race of the same name (a race that saw a Ferrari 1,2,3 finish in 1967) the Daytona has all the hallmarks of a good grand tourer.

V12 engine? Check. Luxury spec? Check. Handsome looks care of Leonardo Fioravanti at Pininfarina and a well balanced chassis? Check. Blistering performance? Check. If you can call 0-60mph in 5.4 seconds and a top speed of 174mph blistering. We do by the way. The Ferrari Daytona then certainly carries the torch first set ablaze by the 125 S, further adding to its intensity before handing it off to the next V12 GT in line.

Famously entered into the very first Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash in 1971, a Ferrari Daytona at the hands of Dan Gurney and Brock Yates would complete the New York City to L.A. race in the quickest time, further cementing its now legendary status as a proper long distance GT car.

Ferrari Testarossa

As far as ’80s heroes go, few did it better than the Testarossa. Adorning many a budding petrolhead’s bedroom wall the Testarossa is peak Ferrari for many, bolstered by its numerous TV and film appearances over the years, along with a whole host of famous owners.

Unlike the front-engined 125 S, 250 GTO and Daytona above, the Ferrari Testarossa employed a rear engine setup akin to the Berlinetta Boxer that preceded it. Still technically a V-12 the naturally aspirated 4.9-litre lump in the Testarossa initially produced around 385bhp with the later TR and M models increasing that output to 422 and 434bhp respectively.

Again, designed by Leonardo Fioravanti, the Testarossa (named for its “red head” cam covers) is instantly recognisable by its side strakes. More than just creative flare from Fioravanti these unmistakable vents serve an important purpose, allowing cooling air to exit the car after passing through the two side-mounted radiators. Exquisite design meets powerful performance making the Testarossa very much deserving of its place amongst the most iconic of prancing horses.

Ferrari F50

Hot on the heels of the incredible F40 and taking inspiration from Formula 1 the F50 is considered by many to be the pinnacle of Ferrari engineering. Eschewing its predecessor’s twin turbo V8 for a meaty V12, sans forced induction that was developed from Alain Prost’s 641 F1 car, the Ferrari F50 is a mid-engined, mid-nineties sports car that could dispatch 60mph in less than four seconds.

Pretty much a road legal racing car the Ferrari F50 is from an era before driver aids and electronic this and that. Here is a wonderfully analogue supercar that is both immersive and visceral, offering unparalleled levels of driver engagement, not to mention performance. 512bhp is the exact figure in case you were wondering.

Only 349 F50s were ever made and whilst that may not put it in quite the same league as the 250 GTO in terms of exclusivity, it’s still an incredibly rare beast, with prices to match. Another Pininfarina masterpiece the F50 remains one of the true great V12 Ferraris, giving way to the similarly bonkers Ferrari Enzo that would come along a few years later.

Ferrari 550

Well on its way to modern classic status now the Ferrari 550, debuting in ’96, is the most affordable and indeed attainable car on our list. Swapping back to a front-engined layout the 550 is less, how shall we say, aggressive than the models above, save for perhaps the Daytona, a car with which it has more than a tad in common.

This ’90s grand tourer not only took its drivetrain inspiration from the Daytona but the design cues are plainly there, too. With its long, sweeping bonnet the lineage is clear for all to see and boasting 478bhp from a naturally aspirated 12-cylinder it was certainly fast enough to hold a candle to the Daytona and then subsequently blow it out with a 0-60 time of 4.3 seconds and a top speed of 200mph.

Combine all this with a gated six-speed manual, limited slip diff and a beautifully balanced chassis and you very much have yourself a fine poultry based evening meal. One of the best driver’s cars to ever emerge from the Ferrari factory the 550 is only going to appreciate so maybe now’s the time to grab one for yourself. Let’s face it, the chances of bagging a 250 GTO are slim to none. Plus a 550 will be infinitely cheaper.

It doesn’t have a to be a V12 either. With so many beautiful Ferraris to choose from here on Car & Classic the world is your ostrica!