Ferrari's legendary V12

The Ferrari V12, a marvel of engineering, has always held a near-mythical status. Renowned for its exceptional performance and precision, it has powered some of the most iconic cars to roll out of Maranello, earning them a place among the greatest automobiles ever crafted.

1947 Colombo V12

But while this fabled powerplant is well-known as the beating heart of Ferrari’s classic GT cars, the history of the Ferrari V12 engine goes back a little further. Indeed, the marque’s very first car, the 1947 Ferrari 125 S, boasted a Colombo V12 with a front-engine layout, but its capacity was limited to 1.5 liters, and it put out just 118 cvs. Engine capacity and power grew over the following 15 years as the V12 unit was tirelessly developed – becoming an essential ingredient as Ferrari became ever more successful in sports car racing – but it was with the 1962 debut of the legendary Ferrari 250 GTO that the V12 gained its true status as the flagship engine for Ferrari’s top-end performance models.

GTO; the G.O.A.T.

One of the marque’s greatest-ever road cars, the GTO was also a bona fide racecar with a number plate. It was the true encapsulation of Ferrari’s primary philosophy – performance and design excellence. The GTO’s front-mounted Colombo 3.0 litre V12 produced 300 cv, taking the car to a top speed of 280km/h and an electrifyingly successful run in the FIA’s International Championship for GT Manufacturers. Only 36 models were made between 1962 and 1964, and all still exist today.

365 GTB4 “Daytona”

While the GTO is perhaps the most famous, the epitome of the classic front-engine V12 Ferrari is, without doubt, the 365 GTB4 – better known as the Daytona. Its impossibly long bonnet housed the latest Colombo V12, which had grown to 4.4 litres and delivered a muscular 352 cv and a top speed of 280 km/h. Astonishing figures for a car that made its debut in 1968. As well as being the conveyance of choice for the burgeoning late ‘60s jet-set, the Daytona went on to become a highly successful racing campaigner, with competition versions of the car winning their classes in the Le Mans 24-hour race in 1972, 1973 and 1974.

550 Maranello

After over twenty years of flat-12 mid-engine supercars being the pinnacle of Ferrari’s production range, the 1996 550 Maranello re-introduced the front-mounted V12 as the marque’s high-performance layout of choice. This new flagship Ferrari, its 5.5 liter V12 putting out 485 cvs, came with a traditional rear-mounted six-speed gearbox and a limited-slip differential. Although thoroughly modern in its construction and technology, the 550 returned to the ‘classic’ Ferrari front-engine GT format. No wonder some deemed it a “Daytona reborn” at the time of its launch.

599 GTO

An altogether more furious V12-powered GT came in 2010 with the launch of the 599 GTO, a homologated version of the ferociously rapid track-only 599XX. The third Ferrari to wear the iconic GTO badge, this very special 599 adopted the XX car’s state-of-the-art chassis set-up, electronic driving controls and aerodynamic honing, resulting in a car that was incredibly responsive while remaining stable and controllable on the road and, of course, on the track. Its 6.0-litre engine produced 620 cvs, while the driving experience was a beautifully balanced, wonderfully exhilarating affair.

812 Superfast

Fast forward to 2017 and the Ferrari 812 Superfast offered a step change in pure driving thrills. The successor to the F12berlinetta of 2012, the 812 took its predecessor’s performance figures and track-derived engineering to the next level, resulting in an unrivaled driving experience for anyone lucky enough to find themselves behind its wheel. With 800 cvs on tap from its 6.5 liter V12, the 812 Superfast could reach 100km/h from zero in just 2.9 seconds and go on to a bewildering top speed of 340km/h. Could it possibly get any better?

12Cilindri

The launch of the 12Cilindri marks the latest chapter in Ferrari’s glorious V12 epoch. A technological masterpiece offering stratospheric levels of performance, the 12Cilindri continues the storied lineage of Ferrari’s front-mounted V12 models – surely the greatest cars ever made.