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Journal: What Do You Think Of Ferrari’s New F12tdf?

What Do You Think Of Ferrari’s New F12tdf?

By Michael Banovsky
October 13, 2015
20 comments

Photography Courtesy of Ferrari & Patrick Ernzen & Maurice Louche of RM Sotheby’s

You’re looking at one of the fastest road-going V12-powered cars ever built, but not in outright speed, at “just” 211 mph or horsepower, at “only” 769 bhp. No, this must be the world’s fastest car for shredding across a country like France.

If you consider the original Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Competizione as a car built expressly for rocketing across public roadways in 1956, then the new F12-based tdf (note the lowercase…) is exactly that car, only 60 or so years in the future.

Fun fact #1: It will do 0-124 mph in about the same amount of time it takes a Scion FR-S to get to 62 mph. And the Scion is about as fast as a ’50s 250-series Ferrari…

Interestingly, earlier in the year Ferrari unveiled the F12 berlinetta Tour de France 64, which was more of a “material”-based homage, featuring trim and details inspired by the earlier cars. The new-er tdf is a wholly different beast, most notably because of its extreme weight savings regime. Its kerb weight is a few lbs off of 3,350, a full 242 lbs lighter than the F12berlinetta.

Fun fact #2: This car weighs about the same as a new Chevrolet Corvette, plus the addition of some 314 horsepower.

A lap time just over a second shy of the LaFerrari around Fiorano, its 8,900 rpm redline, and its 507 lbs of downforce at 124 mph are what will keep the kids up at night, but perhaps more interesting is the new “Virtual Short Wheelbase” system that features an active rear axle. It’s a system developed in-house that is best called rear-wheel steering, albeit likely a quite sophisticated one. The system is said to give the car both more maneuverability on twisty roads and more stability at high speeds—assuming that its rear wheels turn alike (or, with) the fronts on the motorway.

Fun fact #3: The Ferrari website quotes winter tire sizes for the car that can be used with snow chains. How cool is that?  

Just 799 will be made of the new F12tdf, and price hasn’t been announced yet. The 1956 recently sold for $13.2 million at this year’s RM Sotheby’s Monterey event.

Tags F12/ Ferrari
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Guitar Slinger
Guitar Slinger
8 years ago

… exactly the same as what I think about the F12 in general . Which by the way I just ran across one in my travels this morning so my memory has been adequately refreshed

What do I think of both the F12 as well as this pretentious excuse for a special edition Ferrari ?

Yet another fine example of the demise of genuine design in the automotive industry with Ferrari/Pininfarina taking another step towards anonymous overly homogenized * pastiche Cosmic Jellybean design in an attempt to perfect the Manga characterization of a Ferrari .

In other words .. Its an Ugly over designed , disparate and homogenized design under the pretext of aerodynamics [ like any Ferrari owner drives the things fast enough to ever bring the so called ‘ advanced ‘ aero in to play ] as well as the pretense that it is in any way related to an F1 car or can offer an F1 experience .

* It took me getting close enough to the F12 this morning to see the Prancing Horse on its rump to finally be sure it was a freaking Ferrari rather than some Jaguar F Type , Corvette C7 etc etc etc . To paraphrase Woodie Guthrie’s song ” Little Boxes ” ;

‘ Ferrari’s .. on the roadside … and they’re all made of ticky tack .. and from a distance … they all look the same … as everything else that is …. ‘

In conclusion .. to quote Tolstoy ;

” Why with all the ugliness in the world would any craftsman or artist [ I’ll add in designer ] choose create more ? “

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Christopher Gay
Christopher Gay
8 years ago
Reply to  Guitar Slinger

Nice Tolstoy.

The public don’t know what they want… so too often the “ugly” and nonsensical pervade … which takes us back to “follow the money.” Funny (or not)… I’ve lost commissions based on this quote. Gotta hold the line… 😉

I wouldn’t call this car ugly, but I would mistake it for a Corvette, an Aston, or Jag if it rolled by my periphery. I think the photos would be better presented next to these similar cars rather than compared to a 60 year old car. They are not even close to apples to apples in any way inside or out. Different worlds, different minds, different hands. In the case of the new car… little to no handwork. So be it.

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Clayton Merchant
Clayton Merchant
8 years ago
Reply to  Christopher Gay

Agreed Christopher, my thoughts as well. To call this car a TDF or tdf is lunacy. The 2 cars side by side don’t share a single common line inside or out. I’m OK with car companies trying to capture some of their past glories to sell cars as long as it is well done (few are, with modern design and safety limitations) but at least give a nod in the design to the predecessor.
This looks like a tarted up Vette coupe. Own it’s own as a new car, it’s looks are OK but don’t try to link it to the original.

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Paul Ipolito
Paul Ipolito
8 years ago
Reply to  Guitar Slinger

“Little Boxes” was written, and sung by Malvina Reynolds in the 1950’s. It was a reference to the suburban sprawl in the San Francisco Bay area.

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M Webb
M Webb
8 years ago

My first thought was “nice Vette”…

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Todd Cox
Todd Cox
8 years ago
Reply to  M Webb

Exactly my thought. When I saw the image on my phone I wondered why Petrolicious would have much interest in a new ‘Vette. Oh Ferrari… I guess the beauty days are gone forever in the pursuit of the ultimate performance machine.

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JB21
JB21
8 years ago

I totally dig it. Looks fantastic, and I’m sure it goes like mad. I definitely would like to spend sometime with it. Do I want it in my garage? First I know I can’t afford it, and second – besides the price – I don’t even feel the slightest temptation. Something about this car, and most modern Ferraris for that matter, just leaves me cold.

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Future Doc
Future Doc
8 years ago

Interesting body-kit on that Corvette, especially correcting the tail lights.

Simply put, it is not a good looking car. The C7 was too busy, this is worse. More for posters than anything and will look as dated as the 575. I agree, Ferrari’s designs are been overdone for a while now, and really, it makes me like the 430’s “simpleness” more and more appealing.

It is funny, considering the other recent “what do you think” segment (Toyota S-FR), the little ‘Yoda is more interesting, better shaped (save for that grille, but I like it) and even reflect the 250’s lines better. I would rather have that angry guppy than a faux-C7 with aftermarket rear lights.

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Paul Ipolito
Paul Ipolito
8 years ago

A strong endorsement of Corvette styling.

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Guitar Slinger
Guitar Slinger
8 years ago
Reply to  Paul Ipolito

Well considering the fact that the C7 is the very epitome of pastiche , Xerox , pre-adolescent appealing cartoon styling better suited for Manga or a video game …. methinks thats a bit of a … hmmmn …. back handed compliment … which if it is .. two thumbs up … if not …. well … I’m sure you can figure out the rest

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Ben Bonham
Ben Bonham
8 years ago
Reply to  Paul Ipolito

Hey Paul. Your glasses are in the post buddy. Seriously??? They both have 4 wheels, I’ll give you that!

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Paul Ipolito
Paul Ipolito
8 years ago
Reply to  Ben Bonham

Perhaps Slinger and Bonham could convince Petrolicious to provide a side-by-side comparison.(Both in yellow, of course) Hope my new glasses get here in time.

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Paul Ipolito
Paul Ipolito
8 years ago
Reply to  Paul Ipolito

Sorry, gents. Try the Z (Zed) 06 for a better comparison.

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Riccardo
Riccardo
8 years ago

I agree with Ben and was going to make the same point, what “continent crushing”?? The sad truth of our times is that the best “continent crushers” are 2.0 diesel engined cars which run 600+ miles on a tank and are silent at the enforced cruising speeds of 80/90mph. Even through Germany its very difficult to find a “continent crushing” autobahn where one could spend hours doing 150mph+… I say this not as a party pooper but as I am saddened by it!

As for the Ferrari, tasteless and brash, like all current Ferraris! Yuck….

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Guitar Slinger
Guitar Slinger
8 years ago
Reply to  Riccardo

Amen brother on all count [ especially the Ferrari opinion ] except one . Truth be known and to the great disappointment and disdain of many here I’m sure …

The absolute best ‘ Continental Cruisers ‘ of the modern era are the compact luxury SUV’s coming from the likes of BMW , Porsche , Mercedes and to a certain extent Audi as well .

-1
Ben Hanks
Ben Hanks
8 years ago

I get it as a supercar/track car/whatever, but I don’t see the point of badging it up as a “continent crusher”.. wouldn’t you be better off with a 640d gran coupe or an cls350cdi? I know I’d rather have something like that to get from the British midlands to the French Riviera! Its not like you can do 212mph through France (or any other continent for that matter) so you might as well sit and waft along the auto-routes in the most comfort you can muster, and without having to stop for fuel at every other gas station along the way.
That said (bits of the body kit, and the lairy paint-job aside) this is a more tastefully styled Ferrari – the interior is a lot more subdued, and the styling a lot less fussy.. I’ll admit I’m not normally a “Ferrari guy”, but I kinda like it 🙂

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Matthew Lange
Matthew Lange
8 years ago

It’s the first modern Ferrari I’ve really liked the look of since the 550/575 (and I guess these aren’t that modern any more). Having said that I find the name confusing. The styling seems to be far more reminiscent of the 275GTB – especially the competizione version that came third at Le Mans in 1965 than it does the 250TDF. The tech references virtual short wheelbase but TDF is a name associated with the long wheel base version of the 250GT.

I’m a bit old school with this but I would much prefer 524GTB/4 as the name for this and the regular F12

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Francois Bozonnet
Francois Bozonnet
8 years ago
Reply to  Matthew Lange

totally agree with you Matthew, and it’s strange to see haw the Laferrari is quite simple in his design and the way this one seem very complicate, specially for the front. For the name, the TDF choice is a good reference to the victories with the 250 gt LWB, but also with the Daytona GrIV or the 308 GTB GrIV. But a reference to the Scuderia Francorchamp could have been a better choice.

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Hector Coss
Hector Coss
8 years ago

I think it looks very similar or close to a Corvette…. Corvettes now look vey similar to other classic cars but not classic Corvettes… Ferrari has been over designing their cars for at least two decades. In my opinion.

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Paul Bilek
Paul Bilek
8 years ago

I think this is done very tasteful. Good job Ferrari!

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