Italian stallions

For petrolheads, 
March can only mean one thing — The Geneva Motor Show. Held earlier this month, the Salon International de l‘Auto (to give it its full title) draws only the best of the best from the automotive industry and here is some of the most exciting news to spring forth from this year’s exhibition.

Ferrari debuted two new cars at the 82^nd edition of the show: the F12berlinetta — which ushers in the new generation of Prancing Horse V12s — 
and the Ferrari California which, thanks to various upgrades, was presented as a lighter, more powerful model, also available with the Handling Speciale package.

Arguably it was the world premiere of the F12berlinetta, adding the finishing flourish to an all-new range of 12 and eight-cylinder models, that made the biggest splash. In the space of four years, the marque has achieved its objective of offering a new choice of Ferraris for different Ferraristi. The latest models that match increasing power outputs with the more ‘green’ outlook of greater efficiency have been produced with the result that fuel consumption and emissions have been cut by 30 per cent.

Displayed on the Ferrari stand in two new colours, Rosso Berlinetta and Aluminium, the F12berlinetta is the most powerful and high-performance road-going Ferrari ever to come off the Maranello production line. Sporting a new engine, it is built around highly evolved transaxle architecture and features state-of-the-art components and control systems. The F12berlinetta’s aerodynamics have also been honed to the extreme in an innovative design that redefines classic Ferrari themes.

And now for the science. The new, 200-bar direct-injection 6262cc 65° V12 engine delivers unprecedented performance for a naturally aspirated 12-cylinder. It can do 0-100 km/h in 3.1 seconds and 0-200 km/h in 8.5 seconds. With its 740hp, the top speed of 340km/h will make any car fan take notice. Exceptional progress has also been made in terms of fuel consumption putting the F12berlinetta at the top of the segment with 15-litres per 100 km and 350 g/km of CO2 respectively.

The car’s Frau leather interior is completely novel. It highlights the balance of advanced technology — in the form of the Human-Machine Interface which places all controls within easy reach of the driver — and sophisticated, handcrafted detailing, both of which are intrinsic to Ferrari’s DNA. The cabin has been optimised to ensure maximum usability of the interior space with additional luggage capacity behind the seats, which can also be easily reached thanks to the large aperture offered by the tailgate. On the dashboard are new, carbon-fibre and light alloy air-vents inspired by the aeronautical sector. There is also an optional passenger display for the passenger-side dash.

The other new arrival, the Ferrari California, is not only 30kg lighter than its predecessor but also more powerful by around 30hp. The version on display at the Show had a Blu Swaters livery with a Grigio Argento Nürburgring roof and a Sabbia interior. Its engine delivers 490hp and can do a 0-100 km/h sprint in 3.8 seconds.

david@khaleejtimes.com