We’ll admit that the initial images of Ferrari’s F12 Berlinetta had us scratching our heads. The car simply didn’t look like a Ferrari; instead, it look like a Banglore back-alley interpretation of a Ferrari, perhaps built on a stretched Toyota Corolla chassis. Now that we’ve had some time to digest Ferrari’s latest Grand Touring flagship, we’ll admit that we’ve warmed up to the design just a bit.
It still lacks the elegance of a 458 Italia, but it also isn’t as comically over-styled as the Ferrari Testarossa or the Ferrari Enzo. We’d prefer some less-pronounced character lines, and we still can’t quite figure out the functionality of the top fender vents (brake cooling or negative lift, perhaps), but at least we’ve warmed to the upswept lines of the rear fenders a bit.
We certainly can’t argue with the music produced by the F12’s 6.3-liter V-12 engine. Like all Ferraris, it positively sings as you run it to the 8,700 rpm redline, and those lucky enough to own an F12 Berlinetta will drive the car simply to enjoy its mechanical symphony.
The video below gives you an idea of that glorious noise, but it’s partially masked by a heavy metal backing track. We’ve said this before, but we’ll keep saying it until automakers listen: when you’re producing a video to highlight your car’s engine sound, background music is only a distraction.
Kurt Ernst has been passionate about automobiles and driving nearly his entire life. His early years were shaped working in the family service station, though his real passion was auto racing. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Kurt spent a year club racing with the Sports Car Club of America, before focusing on a business career in marketing and project management. Later, his passion for writing and the automotive hobby found him freelancing for a variety of automotive news sites, including Automotive Addicts and Motor Authority, where his work was syndicated and appeared in several national publications. Recognized as an expert in the automotive field, Kurt joined Hemmings Motor News as an Associate Editor in 2013, and in the years since has progressed to Editor, Hemmings Daily; Managing Editor for Hemmings Motor News, Hemmings Classic Car, Hemmings Muscle Machines, and the Hemmings Daily; and now, Managing Editor, Hemmings Auctions. Kurt was instrumental in organizing the Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance from 2013-2019, and has served as a judge at this event and The Vintage Racing Stable Concours d’Elegance. A Skip Barber Racing School graduate and prolific writer, Ernst is also skilled in copyediting, project management, brand development, and public relations.
