A Frenchman dreamed up the idea of the modern internal-combustion engine, and a German gave it life. It was Italian Enzo Ferrari who made it sing.
The latest Ferrari 812 iteration, the Ferrari 812 Competizione, is a naturally aspirated, front-engined, rear-wheel drive, 6.5 litres, V12, producing 819hp, the top speed of 340 kph and 0-100 kph in 2.85 seconds is only marginally quicker than the 812 Superfast. The most significant performance improvement is the 35% increase in downforce.
Ferrari added a new rear diffuser and a revised rear-spoiler profile; instead of the rear glass, a lighter-than-glass panel with rib-like protrusions disrupts the airflow, helping balance the downforce acting on the rear of the car.
The tailpipe tips are rectangular and increase downforce by drawing more cold airflow through the diffuser to expel exhaust gasses. Technical wizardry borrowed directly from F1.
The Competizione is built-in Coupé and Targa (Competizione A) format; suffice to say, all 999 Competizione and 599 Competizione A have sold.
The Ferrari 812 Competizione isn’t just the last version of the F12 that launched in 2012. It likely also will be the last new Ferrari that isn’t a hybrid. Every Ferrari that follows it will have a battery pack and an electric motor to aid acceleration, improve efficiency, and reduce emissions. With the LaFerrari and the SF90, Ferrari has proved to integrate and optimise a hybrid system for performance.
Ferrari is keen to point out the Ferrari 812 Competizione is not the swan song of the fabled V12, nor the internal-combustion era; it is instead a celebration.