Ferrari 612 - thoughts after 2 months and 2.5k miles
Discussion
Pics first, thoughts after 
As ever click through for high res
So, I've had my 612 for a decent chunk of time/miles now and thought I'd put pen to paper with some impressions in case it's useful/interesting Also, I’ve done similar in the past for other cars, and it’s fun for me to look back and re-read a few years later!
Engine
Who doesn't love a Ferrari V12? Have they ever built a bad one?! On a serious note though, I am very pleased with it generally. For obvious reasons it feels a lot more similar to my old 550 lump than to the 599 I test drove (although that was a looong time ago now!). Pulls like a train from low down so you can waft around, or you can gun it to the (7.5k I think) redline and it loves it. Would it be nice if it had all the ponies and the higher redline of the 599? Yes. Would I ever really make use of them given it's me, wife and kids in the car 90% of the time? No. The one negative I would say is that the straight line performance is clearly blunted by the weight of the car. Bottom dyno backs up the on paper figures, namely that it's basically 550 performance. Which is my no means shabby, but I do feel a tad short changed that an extra 50bhp and a chunk more of torque hasn't really made any difference. And it may be subjective as I've had some very punchy cars since the 550 (a mapped R8 V10, Caterham 620R), but at low revs (say under 3k rpm) it doesn't seem to pull quite as hard as the 550 for things like 4th gear overtakes. Suspect its torque figures at those revs match the 550's and that it only get its advantage at higher revs, meaning you feel that extra weight more when not thrashing.
But, we're talking fine detail here, ~285 bhp/tonne is more than plenty, even by today's standards I would say
F1 Gearbox
The first big surprise for me. I can't believe I'm about to write this, but.....I like it. I thought I would hate it. In fact, when I test drove a 612 early this year, it was expressly to prove that I would hate the F1 box and that I should either stick to looking for a manual 456, or pony up the cash for an FF. But I got a genuine shock when i drove the car and didn't hate it. Many years ago I had a Maser 4200 CC from the same era, and I hated the 'box in that. Now the 612 is at least a bit better than that, but it still has all the known limitations of earlyish single clutch items. Yet somehow, maybe because in your head you know it's never going to be fast/smooth like a DCT, it kinda just...works. That said I def wouldn't want it to be any slower/jerkier (i'm not sure I could tolerate the F1 in a 355 or 575), but it's just "crap enough" that it's a bit challenging/engaging to drive around meaning you don't feel bereft of fun because you haven't got a manual 'box. But it's not too crap that you want to throw your toys out of the pram.
At higher revs, all the usual advice applies, lift off to smooth changes etc etc. But the main limitations I've found with it are that no matter how hard I try, I can't get it to drive "nicely" when pootling at low revs. In the 550 it was dead easy to drive under say <2.25k rpm so long as you weren't an idiot and could work the clutch like a normal person. But in the 612, in normal mode, even lifting off and trying to finesse it, it seems to start acting a little like a slush box and not (or at least feeling like it's not) engaging completely where in a manual you'd already have your foot off the clutch. It's not horrible or annoying, but you do wonder whether it's doing excessive clutch wear. Conversely doing the same thing in sport mode, it seems to generate a small clunk with every gear change as if it's doing the opposite and trying to slam it home even though you're clearly not on it
As such, as of today I've decided that the best way to drive when pootling is, in a surprise to absolutely no-one, not to pootle quite so much and make sure I rev it to at least 2.75k before changing. In normal mode you get a smooth enough change without excessive feeling of slip, and in sport mode, it engages smartly without the tiny clunk (mostly )
Handling
Another big surprise. While you do feel the weight in straight line performance, it's the opposite with it in the corners/direction changes. I haven't thrashed it properly yet on track, but on the road driving spiritedly, it's drives like a MUCH lighter car. It's witchcraft I swear. The 550 drove nicely, but always felt reasonably heavy and slow to change direction at the front. The 612 on the other hand feels like a ferret on speed doing the same thing. Yes it's a bit too soft in Normal and could be a bit firmer in Sport (I have a regular not HGTC version), especially given that I'm Spain based so the roads here are generally very good, but you don't really care. It's easy to place on the road, pointy enough but not silly, and in Sport mode the body roll is controlled enough, while at the same time never risking shaking your teeth out. I just got out of an i30N which would, with it's 19" rims and painted on rubber, shake you to pieces on the wrong road even in normal setting So having something a bit more relaxed is very nice I've also got the "small" 18" wheels on mine which I quite like, as they also give a little extra compliance when we have to transit the odd terrible/unpaved road here.
Finally, in terms of dimensions, it never feels anywhere like a near 5m long and 2m wide car once you’re moving. It genuinely shrinks around you and is the polar opposite of our Disco 4 which is essentially the same dimensions, but seems to expand a foot on each side the moment you set off.
Practicality/Comfort
Very pleased. Lots of space in the back for out girls (tall 6 and 8 year olds, former in car seat). Haven’t carried regular sized adults in the back yet really, suspect it would be manageable but luckily that’s not our use case. Seats are the comfiest out of the Ferraris I’ve had in the past (F355, 550) which like this have all had standard seats. The 550 used to give me quite bad back ache at times (could have just been me being delicate!) but in the 612 I’ve done entire days driving with only short stops every few hours and it’s been fine. Boot is is not gonna win any prizes compared to a regular hatchback, but again, enough room for us to go away for a week as a family so long as you pack soft bags.
Additionally, although the car sits very low, the front overhang is minimal meaning that it actually has better ground clearance when approaching steep inclines that my old i30N would scrape on.
Range on the car is also fab. GPS 80mph/130kph on a motorway jaunt gives 22mpg, so a range of 450/500 miles with some reserve. AND the handbook says to put 95RON fuel in it Obvs it’s nice to save a few quid if you can, but the best thing for me is that it gives more choice of convenient petrol stations out here as quite a few simply don’t sell 98.
Looks
All I can say is make sure you see one in the flesh before judging. While they’re not the best looking Ferraris out there, they generally get crucified when photographed by a normal person. I think they’re really sensitive to focal length which can distort proportions, so IME as soon as you use something equivalent to a full frame 50mm lens or a bit longer, they come out so much better. And in real life, they’re more than fine. Yes they look a bit too curvy at some angles, but really, they’re still a handsome car. Better in dark colours like black and blue I would say.
Interior is a fab place to be. Certainly still a great 90s feel about them which I adore, with only the merest hint of modernity due to the LCD screen on LHS of instruments. Also love the fact that it doesn’t have a big sat nav screen and still has an old radio-sized unit (at least on my 2004 car). That said I think I’d prefer the manettino on the newer 612s rather than Sport button etc, but it’s not a big deal
Sound
With my standard non HGTx car, I’m not gonna lie, the exhaust is a bit too muted for me ideally. It does need to be louder. BUT, even though it lacks volume, it still sounds pretty good tone-wise, and given it’s a notionally more sensible 4-seater, it kinda makes sense. Plus, you never feel like a t
t when you arrive anywhere which was sometimes the case in my 355, and once suspects mostly the case in some of the more modern stuff. Sound from the motor/induction is great though, just enough coming through to the cabin without being OTT.
Cost
I mean, I paid for £55.5k (in March 2024 if you’re reading this in the future) which included a repaint of the plenums, for a 48.5k mile (2004) car which for a Ferrari V12 is barely run in. Interior condition is excellent with essentially all sticky bits remedied and leather in form. Exterior paint is also good, few minor marks but nothing for a 20 year-old car. I think I paid a fair price, and overall I think 612s (especially the cheaper ones with higher miles/more years) are epic value for money, particularly considering how usable they are. In term of maintenance I haven’t really had it long enough to comment. Suffice to say I’ve had a couple of probs with plenum intake and MAF a couple of weeks (and 1500 miles) after I bought it which should be being covered by the supplying dealer, and a non-urgent alarm fault also raised its head the other day.
My plan is to budget an average of €5k per year in servicing/maintenance given I plan to do lots of miles in it, which anecdotally seems about right. Liquid dinosaur costs I alluded to earlier, all generally quite sensible and so far v similar to my old 550, and therefore significantly cheaper than on my 355
As ever click through for high resSo, I've had my 612 for a decent chunk of time/miles now and thought I'd put pen to paper with some impressions in case it's useful/interesting
Also, I’ve done similar in the past for other cars, and it’s fun for me to look back and re-read a few years later!Engine
Who doesn't love a Ferrari V12? Have they ever built a bad one?! On a serious note though, I am very pleased with it generally. For obvious reasons it feels a lot more similar to my old 550 lump than to the 599 I test drove (although that was a looong time ago now!). Pulls like a train from low down so you can waft around, or you can gun it to the (7.5k I think) redline and it loves it. Would it be nice if it had all the ponies and the higher redline of the 599? Yes. Would I ever really make use of them given it's me, wife and kids in the car 90% of the time? No. The one negative I would say is that the straight line performance is clearly blunted by the weight of the car. Bottom dyno backs up the on paper figures, namely that it's basically 550 performance. Which is my no means shabby, but I do feel a tad short changed that an extra 50bhp and a chunk more of torque hasn't really made any difference. And it may be subjective as I've had some very punchy cars since the 550 (a mapped R8 V10, Caterham 620R), but at low revs (say under 3k rpm) it doesn't seem to pull quite as hard as the 550 for things like 4th gear overtakes. Suspect its torque figures at those revs match the 550's and that it only get its advantage at higher revs, meaning you feel that extra weight more when not thrashing.
But, we're talking fine detail here, ~285 bhp/tonne is more than plenty, even by today's standards I would say
F1 Gearbox
The first big surprise for me. I can't believe I'm about to write this, but.....I like it. I thought I would hate it. In fact, when I test drove a 612 early this year, it was expressly to prove that I would hate the F1 box and that I should either stick to looking for a manual 456, or pony up the cash for an FF. But I got a genuine shock when i drove the car and didn't hate it. Many years ago I had a Maser 4200 CC from the same era, and I hated the 'box in that. Now the 612 is at least a bit better than that, but it still has all the known limitations of earlyish single clutch items. Yet somehow, maybe because in your head you know it's never going to be fast/smooth like a DCT, it kinda just...works. That said I def wouldn't want it to be any slower/jerkier (i'm not sure I could tolerate the F1 in a 355 or 575), but it's just "crap enough" that it's a bit challenging/engaging to drive around meaning you don't feel bereft of fun because you haven't got a manual 'box. But it's not too crap that you want to throw your toys out of the pram.
At higher revs, all the usual advice applies, lift off to smooth changes etc etc. But the main limitations I've found with it are that no matter how hard I try, I can't get it to drive "nicely" when pootling at low revs. In the 550 it was dead easy to drive under say <2.25k rpm so long as you weren't an idiot and could work the clutch like a normal person. But in the 612, in normal mode, even lifting off and trying to finesse it, it seems to start acting a little like a slush box and not (or at least feeling like it's not) engaging completely where in a manual you'd already have your foot off the clutch. It's not horrible or annoying, but you do wonder whether it's doing excessive clutch wear. Conversely doing the same thing in sport mode, it seems to generate a small clunk with every gear change as if it's doing the opposite and trying to slam it home even though you're clearly not on it
As such, as of today I've decided that the best way to drive when pootling is, in a surprise to absolutely no-one, not to pootle quite so much and make sure I rev it to at least 2.75k before changing. In normal mode you get a smooth enough change without excessive feeling of slip, and in sport mode, it engages smartly without the tiny clunk (mostly
)Handling
Another big surprise. While you do feel the weight in straight line performance, it's the opposite with it in the corners/direction changes. I haven't thrashed it properly yet on track, but on the road driving spiritedly, it's drives like a MUCH lighter car. It's witchcraft I swear. The 550 drove nicely, but always felt reasonably heavy and slow to change direction at the front. The 612 on the other hand feels like a ferret on speed doing the same thing. Yes it's a bit too soft in Normal and could be a bit firmer in Sport (I have a regular not HGTC version), especially given that I'm Spain based so the roads here are generally very good, but you don't really care. It's easy to place on the road, pointy enough but not silly, and in Sport mode the body roll is controlled enough, while at the same time never risking shaking your teeth out. I just got out of an i30N which would, with it's 19" rims and painted on rubber, shake you to pieces on the wrong road even in normal setting
So having something a bit more relaxed is very nice I've also got the "small" 18" wheels on mine which I quite like, as they also give a little extra compliance when we have to transit the odd terrible/unpaved road here.Finally, in terms of dimensions, it never feels anywhere like a near 5m long and 2m wide car once you’re moving. It genuinely shrinks around you and is the polar opposite of our Disco 4 which is essentially the same dimensions, but seems to expand a foot on each side the moment you set off.
Practicality/Comfort
Very pleased. Lots of space in the back for out girls (tall 6 and 8 year olds, former in car seat). Haven’t carried regular sized adults in the back yet really, suspect it would be manageable but luckily that’s not our use case. Seats are the comfiest out of the Ferraris I’ve had in the past (F355, 550) which like this have all had standard seats. The 550 used to give me quite bad back ache at times (could have just been me being delicate!) but in the 612 I’ve done entire days driving with only short stops every few hours and it’s been fine. Boot is is not gonna win any prizes compared to a regular hatchback, but again, enough room for us to go away for a week as a family so long as you pack soft bags.
Additionally, although the car sits very low, the front overhang is minimal meaning that it actually has better ground clearance when approaching steep inclines that my old i30N would scrape on.
Range on the car is also fab. GPS 80mph/130kph on a motorway jaunt gives 22mpg, so a range of 450/500 miles with some reserve. AND the handbook says to put 95RON fuel in it
Obvs it’s nice to save a few quid if you can, but the best thing for me is that it gives more choice of convenient petrol stations out here as quite a few simply don’t sell 98.Looks
All I can say is make sure you see one in the flesh before judging. While they’re not the best looking Ferraris out there, they generally get crucified when photographed by a normal person. I think they’re really sensitive to focal length which can distort proportions, so IME as soon as you use something equivalent to a full frame 50mm lens or a bit longer, they come out so much better. And in real life, they’re more than fine. Yes they look a bit too curvy at some angles, but really, they’re still a handsome car. Better in dark colours like black and blue I would say.
Interior is a fab place to be. Certainly still a great 90s feel about them which I adore, with only the merest hint of modernity due to the LCD screen on LHS of instruments. Also love the fact that it doesn’t have a big sat nav screen and still has an old radio-sized unit (at least on my 2004 car). That said I think I’d prefer the manettino on the newer 612s rather than Sport button etc, but it’s not a big deal
Sound
With my standard non HGTx car, I’m not gonna lie, the exhaust is a bit too muted for me ideally. It does need to be louder. BUT, even though it lacks volume, it still sounds pretty good tone-wise, and given it’s a notionally more sensible 4-seater, it kinda makes sense. Plus, you never feel like a t
t when you arrive anywhere which was sometimes the case in my 355, and once suspects mostly the case in some of the more modern stuff. Sound from the motor/induction is great though, just enough coming through to the cabin without being OTT.Cost
I mean, I paid for £55.5k (in March 2024 if you’re reading this in the future) which included a repaint of the plenums, for a 48.5k mile (2004) car which for a Ferrari V12 is barely run in. Interior condition is excellent with essentially all sticky bits remedied and leather in form. Exterior paint is also good, few minor marks but nothing for a 20 year-old car. I think I paid a fair price, and overall I think 612s (especially the cheaper ones with higher miles/more years) are epic value for money, particularly considering how usable they are. In term of maintenance I haven’t really had it long enough to comment. Suffice to say I’ve had a couple of probs with plenum intake and MAF a couple of weeks (and 1500 miles) after I bought it which should be being covered by the supplying dealer, and a non-urgent alarm fault also raised its head the other day.
My plan is to budget an average of €5k per year in servicing/maintenance given I plan to do lots of miles in it, which anecdotally seems about right. Liquid dinosaur costs I alluded to earlier, all generally quite sensible and so far v similar to my old 550, and therefore significantly cheaper than on my 355
Edited by Mario149 on Saturday 25th May 20:04
Great read - these type of reviews by long-term owners are so valuable.
I always remember the Top Gear Jeremy Clarkson drive of the 612 to the Ski resort with fondness.
Man maths works well on this too. £55k for a car that'll likely be worth the same in a decade, whereas people are buying EVs for £55k that'll lose £20k in 2 years. Gives you a big budget for repairs and maintenance from the saving in depreciation.
I always remember the Top Gear Jeremy Clarkson drive of the 612 to the Ski resort with fondness.
Man maths works well on this too. £55k for a car that'll likely be worth the same in a decade, whereas people are buying EVs for £55k that'll lose £20k in 2 years. Gives you a big budget for repairs and maintenance from the saving in depreciation.
F1 Gearbox
The first big surprise for me. I can't believe I'm about to write this, but.....I like it.
Same experience for me in a 575. I drove it and wondered what the fuss was about - it's of its age but fine. I live in central London so there's no getting away from stop/start driving, which is not it's happy place, but I find that I'm increasingly able to drive around the limitations of the box without thinking about it as I get to know it.
The first big surprise for me. I can't believe I'm about to write this, but.....I like it.
Same experience for me in a 575. I drove it and wondered what the fuss was about - it's of its age but fine. I live in central London so there's no getting away from stop/start driving, which is not it's happy place, but I find that I'm increasingly able to drive around the limitations of the box without thinking about it as I get to know it.
Guyr said:
Great read - these type of reviews by long-term owners are so valuable.
I always remember the Top Gear Jeremy Clarkson drive of the 612 to the Ski resort with fondness.
Man maths works well on this too. £55k for a car that'll likely be worth the same in a decade, whereas people are buying EVs for £55k that'll lose £20k in 2 years. Gives you a big budget for repairs and maintenance from the saving in depreciation.
Thank you kindly - am not quite a long term owner yet, but working on it I always remember the Top Gear Jeremy Clarkson drive of the 612 to the Ski resort with fondness.
Man maths works well on this too. £55k for a car that'll likely be worth the same in a decade, whereas people are buying EVs for £55k that'll lose £20k in 2 years. Gives you a big budget for repairs and maintenance from the saving in depreciation.
Yeah, I mean we're never getting back to the halcyon days of 2010 when my 40k mile F355 cost me £35k(!!) from Rardley and 2 years later my 29k mile 550 for £53.5k (inflation adjusted about £45k and £68k respectively today), so £55k on a 612 seems like a steal.
That said, I feel like the market is due an adjustment down. Used to be that in normal times 10 years ago there were ~10 F355s for sale at any one time on PH, and about ~6 550s. The prices were sensible and that was what you paid. For as long as I can remember now there have been like 20-30 of each for sale at any given time for silly money. Seriously doubt any of them go for asking, all feels very "I'll put it on SOR at £X and see what happens"
TwoMinds said:
there's no getting away from stop/start driving, which is not it's happy place, but I find that I'm increasingly able to drive around the limitations of the box without thinking about it as I get to know it.
as soon as you're at out of traffic speeds (say 25mph+) it's all good.I've owned/driven a few each of single clutch and dual clutch cars now, and providing they are a good example of their genre, I think that single clutch is actually more fun that dual clutch.
If you could smooth the rough edges off the 612 F1 box in Sport mode that I mentioned above (which I guess maybe the 430 and 599 did, I've not driven the former at all and the latter enough to be able to say), it's got to be far and away the next best thing to a manual 'box for fun, if not practicality or absolute performance
Mario149 said:
as soon as you're at out of traffic speeds (say 25mph+) it's all good.I've owned/driven a few each of single clutch and dual clutch cars now, and providing they are a good example of their genre, I think that single clutch is actually more fun that dual clutch.
If you could smooth the rough edges off the 612 F1 box in Sport mode that I mentioned above (which I guess maybe the 430 and 599 did, I've not driven the former at all and the latter enough to be able to say), it's got to be far and away the next best thing to a manual 'box for fun, if not practicality or absolute performance
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