Whenever we think about Ferraris, the image of a red two seater supercar with the engine mounted in the middle will surely come to mind most of the time. Sure those are the ones that you’d be tempted to post on your Instagram feed but unless it’s Ferrari’s halo car like the SF90 Stradale, these are rarely the most powerful stallions from Maranello. The mad lads at Ferrari usually give their front-engined, rear-wheel driven grand touring models the naturally-aspirated V12 with a power figure that will make even the best of us go “why?”. Well, why not?
In times where most manufacturers opt for downsizing their engines with the aid of turbochargers, Ferrari seems rather old fashioned and out-of-date with chucking in a V12 that is essentially a revised unit of the engine from the Enzo back in 2002. However, this new 812 Competizione is definitely not old fashioned and out-of-date. Far from it, in fact as the Competizione has some of the coolest tech that has never been seen on any other Ferrari to date.
Faster Than The Superfast
To start off, the 812 Competizione isn’t particularly a new car. It started off in life as an “ordinary” 812 Superfast but Ferrari has given the chassis a thorough rework all around to manage the additional power and downforce. Oh, the engine has been given 30 additional ponies to help guide you to a top speed of 340km/h. Though 20 additional horsepower may seem low for a Ferrari but bare in mind that the Competizione now has 820hp of naturally-aspirated V12 goodness. While the transmission remains the same seven-speed DCT from the Superfast, it is however calibrated to shift five percent faster than the Superfast. And yes, the 6.5-litre F140 65-degree V12 is essentially out of the Enzo but it has been updated over the years and Ferrari has sprinkled some Italian herbs into the mix and given the Competizione new titanium connecting rods (which are about 40% lighter) and internals finished in friction-reducing coating in which Ferrari calls “diamond-like coating” or DLC. The valvetrain too has been reworked to achieve higher revs consisting of a new head and cams and the Competizione has a smaller variable-length intake system which assists the engine to peak 820hp at 9250rpm and 694nm of torque at 7000rpm. As with most Ferraris, the performance figures are something that is truly amazing. A century sprint of 0-100km/h is 2.85 seconds, while 0-200km/h is 7.5 seconds and a lap around the Fiorano test track at 1:20. To put it into perspective, the Competizione is 1.5 seconds faster than the Superfast and just 0.3 seconds off the LaFerrari’s time around the track.
On A Strict Rear Wheel Steering Diet.
One of the more notable additions to Ferrari’s driving aids is the latest rear-wheel steering system used. Now, rear-wheel steering isn’t something new in the automotive industry but Ferrari has somehow created a system where the rear wheels can turn independently of one another. According to Ferrari, this helps to improve grip on the rear which you’d be thankful to have when 820hp are lighting up the rear wheels. Ferrari too has taken a page out of Porsche’s Weight Loss fitness guide. Apart from the lightened engine internals, the Competizione’s interior has been stripped to give it the track-focus credential it deserves. In total, 38 kilograms has been redacted and if you opt for the optional carbon-fiber wheels, an additional 3.7 kilograms is saved as compared to the forged wheels on the Superfast. This all brings the weight down to 1,487kg with “options''. Unfortunately, Ferrari did not disclose what these options were.
Despite the tire size being identical to the ones on the Superfast and GTS, Ferrari has given a stickier tire option for the Competizione. These are Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tires which measure at 275/35ZR20 up front and 315/35ZR20 on the rears. Due to the track-focus nature of the Competizione, it makes sense why Ferrari decided for a grippier option. Even the brake system is upgraded with better cooling as it now gets the same cooling system from the SF90 Stradale.
Formula One Inspired Aero.
Considering Ferrari is the oldest and the most successful team in Formula One having competed in every single season since 1950, you can say that they know a thing or two about aerodynamics. And they definitely gave the Competizione a few new aero parts. Let's kick off with the diffuser, Ferrari has basically extended the diffuser to the entire length of the car which also now incorporates the two exhaust pipes in return generates 30 percent more downforce from the Superfast. Taking inspiration from the 2010-era of Formula One cars, the exhaust gases actually aids the downforce in this case. A carbon fiber panel with a number of vortex generators replaces the rear window of the coupe while the top down variant gets a bridge between the flying buttresses which has the same effect as channelling air towards the rear spoiler. Oh, did we mention that there’ll be a top down variant as well?
Called the Competizione A, with the ‘A’ standing for Aperta, the Competizione will be offered in both coupe and Aperta form with 999 units for the former and 499 units for the latter. Prices for the Malaysian market is not announced however but prices for the European market starts at €499,000 (around RM2,500,000 before taxes and shipping) for the Competizione and €578,000 (around RM2,900,000 before taxes and shipping) for the Competizione A with deliveries expected to be in the beginning of Q2 2022 and Q1 2023 respectively. However, it is said that all units have been sold. So, if you were in the market for one, sorry.
Written by | Danial Malek
Images by | Ferrari
