The F12berlinetta had a lifespan of just five years. Its successor, the 812, is already six years old, and it shouldn’t be long until it will be replaced by an entirely new model. Ferrari has been spotted testing different mules of its upcoming front mid-engine grand tourer with rear-wheel drive these past few months, and the latest were immortalized on film.
Spied testing around the brand’s Maranello headquarters, in Italy, were a few camouflaged Romas. Actually, they may look like the Roma on the outside, but beneath the skin, they feature new underpinnings and something that the Portofino-related car will never get: a V12 engine.
Speaking of which, it is understood to be the brand’s familiar unit with a 6.5-liter displacement. And instead of using turbocharging, chances are that it is assisted by a small electric motor. This will obviously boost the output and thrust, and will also help lower the emissions. Word on the street is that it will have in the region of 900 metric horsepower combined, or 887 bhp/662 kW. Thus, it won’t poke at the superior SF90, whose PHEV assembly allows it to sprint to 62 mph (100 kph) in just 2.5 seconds en route to a 211 mph (340 kph) top speed. The SF90 has no less than 1,000 ps (986 hp/735 kW) on tap.
If true, then the rumored output seems more than reasonable, as it won’t pose a threat to the SF90, and will also be a welcomed upgrade over the 812 Competizione. The latter has ‘only’ 830 ps (818 hp/610 kW), with the torque rated at 510 lb-ft (692 Nm). A quick look at the spec sheet reveals that it can hit sixty-two in 2.85 seconds, and that it has a maximum speed on par with that of the SF90. Powering it is a naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12, but you already knew that, didn’t you?
No one who is not directly involved in its development knows what it will look like, and the design remains a very well-preserved secret for now. As the testing phase advances, we will eventually start seeing prototypes instead of mules, and it will be easier to tell what’s new then. The fake skin will be gradually peeled away, and when it does, it will probably be 2024. Mind you, these are all assumptions and should be treated accordingly, just like the alleged launch date, which hasn’t been confirmed, either officially or unofficially. Heck, at this point we don’t even know what it will be named, but it is still nice to see a blue-blooded beast with a low-slung styling instead of yet another crossover. Not that there’s anything wrong with the Purosangue, though, which is the brand’s first venture into the exotic high-riding realm.
After a series of unfortunate events put an end to Cristian's dream of entering a custom built & tuned old-school Dacia into a rally competition, he moved on to drive press cars and write for a living. He's worked for several automotive online journals and now he's back at autoevolution after his first tour in the mid-2000s. Full profile
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