We saw a coupe version of a new limited edition 812 Superfast last month, and Monday Ferrari gave us the full reveal, including a look at a Targa-top version. Called the the Ferrari 812 Competizione and the Ferrari 812 Competizione A, you’re never going to drive this new Ferrari, though maybe one day you’ll get lucky and see it in person somewhere.
The 812 Competizione is powered by a naturally-aspirated 6.5-liter V12 that is a modified version of the motor that goes in the regular 812 Superfast. This one makes 818 horsepower, a boost of 30 horsepower over the regular 812 Superfast, thanks to small refinements all over the place, including titanium connecting rods instead of steel and a redesign of the cylinder heads and the intake:
Both manifold and plenum are now more compact to reduce the overall length of the tracts, thus delivering more power at high revs, while the torque curve is optimised at all engine speeds by a system of variable geometry inlet tracts. This enables the length of the intake tract assembly to be continuously modified, adapting it to the firing order to maximise the dynamic charge in the cylinder. The result is an engine that revs with tremendous speed all the way to the cut off with no drop off towards the red line.
The end result is an engine that revs to 9,500 RPM. There is also a new oil pump to increase efficiency, as well as a recalibration of the fuel injection system to “keep abreast with increasingly stringent emissions regulations.” Don’t worry about the sound; Ferrari says the 812 Competizione still has a roar despite a required gasoline particulate filter made necessary by the specially-designed tailpipe. The seven-speed dual clutch transmission is a carryover from the 812 Superfast though Ferrari says it also made refinements to that as well, reducing shift times by five percent.
Further, Ferrari says that there are a host of aerodynamic improvements, and the “first use of independent four-wheel steering.”
The independent rear-wheel steering features a new electronic management system that enables the right and left actuators to be actioned individually rather than synchronised. This evolution yields a significant boost in performance in relation to the control of the position demanded of the individual actuators, and quicker response times.
This system emphasises the front axle’s response to steering wheel commands, maintaining the feeling of grip from the rear axle, which responds promptly to front inputs, and also manages the car’s lateral dynamics response more efficiently as a function of the actuation frequency of the steering wheel angle.
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If you’re wondering how much all of this costs, Ferrari won’t say. Also, the cars are “dedicated to a very exclusive group of collectors and enthusiasts of the most noble of Ferrari traditions” — very wealthy people who probably already have a Ferrari or five. It’s time, once again, for me to start sifting through Mondial listings.
