Please help me understand the allure of a V12 Ferrari

[belfry]

I have heard for years about the magic of a V12 manual Ferrari. People say things like "there is nothing like a V 12 Ferrari or you have to drive a V 12 from Ferrari before you die".

Is there something extra special about the Ferrari V12? Are they so different from other V12s, I would generally be interested in trying to understand the appeal of these engines?

Please can you educate me. There is a lovely moment when someone explains a painting and it suddenly make sense, and you can see what the artist was expressing in their work. I'm after something along those lines; I'd genuinely like to understand what I am missing.

[AJB88]

Are they different from other V12's ? Yep they have Ferrari written on them.

[johnnyreggae]

Your post in another thread here just last week suggested you understood the purpose of the V12

[supersport]

Tell us about your 456, that must give you a hint?

[belfry]

We have a family holiday this summer near Toledo, and I will drive out while the family will fly and rent a car. My wife and I will drive home together.

It would be logical to take the LHD 456 manual but for some reason I'm not determined to take the 456, despite being lovely, comfortable, beautiful and delivering a sense of occasion.

I drove to Switzerland last Summer in my V12 Aston DB9 Volante and I had an epic drive over the Alps with the roof down. I worry that the lack or aural engagement in the 456 would mean that a similar drive in the Fezza would be less satisfying. The sounds inside the cabin are 90% the sound of the engine, while in the DB9 is the opposite with 90% exhaust. I'd prefer to learn to appreciate the Ferrari V12 for it's qualities rather than to add an aftermarket exhaust.

I'm slightly struggling to see the magic. Maybe I'm missing something. The power is smooth and creamy in it's delivery, but it's not lighting my fire. This is frustrating me.

Maybe I need to understand the engine better in order to enjoy the experience more? People say that the DB9 V12 is just 2 mondeo engines stuck together but the Ferrari V12 is a thing of wonder.

I appreciate that this is a high class problem, but I work hard and enjoy driving, so I would love to become more enlightened to enable me to enjoy my car more.

Many people love the works by Rothko, sadly I don't understand them. It's a similar situation .

[seawise]

No amount of explanation will endear me to the work of Rothko, to me his work is about scale and the impact it creates once hung.

A V12 Ferrari without much of a voice is also a little lost on me. Perhaps the 456 is too refined. My 575M has a voice and the sheer reach of the engine is what i find so special. Conversely after driving a friends V12 Aston (a DB9 if I remember rightly) whilst the engine did feel special, the performance is gave the car didn’t feel that exceptional and the rest of the experience was a bit of a letdown.

[silber]

Maybe you need a Ferrari with the engine behind you. I found a 550 to be quiet in terms of engine sound; a Testarossa/512 TR/M puts it much closer to the ears, and along with sound proofing and MVH levels from that generation the experience is all the more engaging. Spine tingling, based on my first drive out after the winter yesterday! Cruise along in comfort and acceptable noise levels at motorway speeds, but enjoy the endless torque and howling mid- and top end of the revs when you like or the road gets curvy. The engine is a masterpiece in terms of delivery and, character and sounds.

[supersport]

A friends has a 550 and from behind it sounds wonderful, sadly no idea what it sounds like on the inside.

[DeejRC]

Italian 12s have a different character to other 12s. Shriekier. British and German 12s are more muscular, more brawn. Italian 12s deliver something else.

A Ferrari 12 has an unhinged quality. I appreciate both varieties for their different styles.

[sparta6]

456 is refined. A Nuvolari would unleash some of its natural soundtrack.

[priley]

I imagine a carburettor Ferrari V12, especially the smaller capacity Columbo engines, are very characterful. I also suspect that in the name of refinement, during the '90's some of that character was lost. I've driven several 456's and like the 550 I owned the Ferrari sound and linear response was there but I expected, and wanted, more noise. I also had a couple of 612's, the first had a standard exhaust and the second an aftermarket back boxes. It was night and day. I've heard similar things about 355's running standard vs sports exhausts. Mine came with a Capristo and is spectacular but I've nothing to compare it to. My 308GTB had a sports exhaust fitted too and it sounds unbelievable on the overrun.
Perhaps we've become accustomed to noisy exhausts but I suspect you may need to do something release what is probably there. Though nothing too excessive given the GT character of the car.

[belfry]

priley said:

I've driven several 456's and like the 550 I owned the Ferrari sound and linear response was there but I expected, and wanted, more noise. I also had a couple of 612's, the first had a standard exhaust and the second an aftermarket back boxes. It was night and day.
Perhaps we've become accustomed to noisy exhausts but I suspect you may need to do something release what is probably there. Though nothing too excessive given the GT character of the car.

Good advice Priley. Thanks. I remember nearly buying your black 612 before I bought a TDF blue one from Furlonger when they were still local to you. My 612 sounded lovely too. Maybe I need to extract more volume from the exhaust. Someone on Ferrarichat mentioned equal length “headers” as a better solution than back boxes.

[Zadkiel]

In my experience pre-599 and post 599 V12s are quite different. In the earlier ones the smoothness is one of the prevailing qualities. In the more recent ones the ability to rev and the sound prevail.

[r o n n i e]

You would expect significant difference to cars using the f116 block versus current cars on the f140.

The current 12 cylinder cars are derived from an engine which I remember when launched on the Enzo got amazing reviews and a lot of love.

Both from an engineering standpoint and emotionally the f140 was next generation, so not really a fair engine comparison for cars like the 456 versus anything from the 599 onwards.

[vpr]

Yes I completely and utterly understand what the OP is getting at.
I drove my young boys recently squired 550 last weekend while he drove my V12v (manual).

I love the 550, always have but even with a noisier exhaust it’s still far too quiet. The car is lovely and an awesome continental cruiser but as my Son summed it up, it’s not the sort of car you want to jump in and go for an impromptu blat.

The Aston however, a much firmer car, and with its secondary decat is pure hooligan.


Oh and btw OP it’s not twin Mondeo engines glued together, that’s a myth.

[jtremlett]

"An awesome continental cruiser" is exactly the point. It is what it is designed to do. And after 800 miles or whatever, you likely don't still want your eardrums to be bleeding - and if you do then leave the windows open. Use these cars for what they are designed to be used for and then you will appreciate them properly. Use them for other things and compare them with cars designed to do those other things and you may be disappointed.

Edited by jtremlett on Tuesday 15th March 17:13