The flagship car in the Ferrari range, this 2+2 model signals a genuine break with the past. Ferrari has changed the rules of the game with the 612 Scaglietti to suit the tastes and needs of a highly sophisticated clientele which now demands elegance and dynamic comfort as well as blistering performance. The 612 Scaglietti is very much a third millennium product, offering a whole new generation of technologies compared to the 2+2 it replaces. In fact, it isn’t really a 2+2 at all but more a genuine roomy two-door four-seater that offers its occupants a comfortable, pleasant ride in all driving conditions.
Grand Tourers are a real Ferrari tradition: the Prancing Horse marque built its first 12-cylinder 2+2 in 1948 (the 166 Inter, bodied by Touring), and then added other famous models clothed by such celebrated names as Ghia, Pinin Farina, and Vignale. These included the 212 Inter (1951), the 250 GT (1960), the 330 GT (1964), and the 365 GT (1967) which, for the very first time, boasted an automatic gearbox on some of the examples built for the American market, right up until the 456M of the 1990s.
The new model, skilfully designed by Pininfarina to clothe the engineers’ technical and functional solutions in an aggressive yet elegant body, was named by Ferrari S.p.A. President Luca di Montezemolo in honour of Sergio Scaglietti, the Modenese stylist and coachbuilder who excelled in sculpting aluminium. In fact, Scaglietti was responsible for bodying some of the most beautiful Ferraris of the 1950s and 60s.
The 6 of the 612 indicates the car’s displacement (5,748 cc rounded off), while 12 is the number of cylinders boasted by the engine. This is a car with all of the fiery temperament and driving pleasure of a thoroughbred Ferrari, combining thrilling performance, agility and safety. But it also goes a step further, offering rear passengers two comfortable, roomy seats.
The second design choice to influence the 612 Scaglietti’s styling was its architecture. A mid-front layout with the engine mounted behind the front axle, and the gearbox and differential in unit at the rear ensure that the centre of gravity is kept as far back and as low as possible. Other significant masses (cabin, cooling and exhaust systems, battery, fuel tank) are also positioned much further back than in a conventional layout.
These solutions, combined with an all-aluminium structure which lightens the entire car, deliver a centre of gravity that is considerably lower and further back plus near-perfect weight distribution (46% front, 54% rear). A particularly impressive achievement in a front-engined four-seater.
The 612 Scaglietti offers the kind of dynamic performance (0-62 mph sprint in just 4.2 seconds), stability and nimble manoeuvrability generally only found in a mid-rear engined car, and still has an exceptional amount of space for its passengers and their luggage. The car’s performance is enhanced by a performance-oriented handling set-up with active damping and the special CST stability and traction control system, also in use for the very first time on a Ferrari.
As is traditional at the Prancing Horse, the new car also benefits from the most advanced Ferrari engine and transmission technologies as well as highly sophisticated aerodynamic research. The 65° V12, which displaces almost six litres, is a specially tailored development of the prestigious Ferrari sports car engines. The V12 represents the very pinnacle of Ferrari engine design, thanks in particular to improved fluid dynamic characteristics of the intake and exhaust manifolds, generating a blistering 540 hp at 7250 rpm (almost 100 hp more than the 456M could manage). The result is a car that is easy to handle in all kinds of conditions and hits speeds of over 320 km/h at full throttle.
The 612 Scaglietti has the soul of a sporty berlinetta and the dimensions and design of a luxurious, surprisingly roomy Grand Tourer. Its innovative styling enhances its architecture (long wheel base, cab-rear layout, tiny overhangs) and highlights its dynamism and power.
It boasts a large, sculpted body, long aerodynamic bonnet, strong lines, and characteristic scalloped-sides – the latter a clear reference to the famous 375 MM built for film director Roberto Rossellini as a gift for his wife Ingrid Bergman.
As a genuine ‘four-seater’, the 612 Scaglietti does not compromise when it comes to occupant comfort. In fact, a host of features, ranging from the size of the doors to specially developed solutions, such as the hinging system and the easy entry function, means that all four passengers will find it easy to get in and out of the car at all times.
