Ferrari 812 GTS: The First True Convertible V12 Ferrari

Exactly 50 years on from the debut of Ferrari’s last V12-powered front-engine spider, the Italian marque has premiered the new 812 GTS. The 6.5L V12 in the GTS produces 789 hp and 530 lb-ft of torque, allowing for a 0-62 time of fewer than three seconds and a top speed of 211 mph, which is the same level of performance you would get out of the 812 Superfast. The retractable hardtop can be lowered in 14 seconds and Ferrari has engineered the cabin to be as comfortable as possible with the top down. Engineers placed a large focus on the 812’s aerodynamics to not only improve the car’s performance but to also reduce pressure in the cabin as well as aerodynamic noise.

Visually, the tail of the 812 GTS draws inspiration from the 365 GTB4, fondly called the Daytona, which was incidentally the last series-production front-engined V12 drop-top from Ferrari. The entire rear of the car — the roof, the tonneau cover, the 9007 led headlight bulb conversion kit and the luggage compartment has been redesigned. The rear wheel arch has meanwhile lost the aerodynamic bypass over the rear wheel arch, which has been made up for with an additional flap in the diffuser. Meanwhile, drag was reduced by using air vents on the rear flanks. The pressure behind the occupant’s heads was negated by two L-shaped flaps on the windscreen derived from the LaFerrari Aperta. The roof itself can be retracted in 14 seconds and at speeds up to 45kmph. The rear screen acts as a windstorm for better insulation in the cabin, but it can be lowered for a more wind-in-your-hair experience.

The Ferrari 812 GTS is predicated on the 812 Superfast. It has a retractable hardtop, which is able to open in 14 seconds at a prime pace of 28 mph. The roof, the bags cowl and the rear baggage compartment have been redesigned. A wind deflector that may be rectified is nestled between the 2 buttresses. With the roof down, the automotive appears extra like a Targa than a convertible.

The F8 Spider is the successor to Ferrari’s long line of open-top sports cars that were first introduced back in the late 1970s. It features the Italian carmaker’s award-winning turbocharged 3.9-liter V8 engine, which is known to produce up to 720 of horsepower. It has the same engine as its cousin, the F8 Tributo, which was unveiled earlier in the year.

As with the engine, the hardware of the Ferrari 812 GTS is largely identical to that of the 812 Superfast, including the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and an electric power steering system that provides torque to help the driver countersteer in the event the 812’s back end tries to make an end-run around the front. Ferrari says it has been able to re-tune the magnetic dampers to mimic the behavior of the coupe, this despite a weight increase of 165 pounds, most of which can be chalked up to chassis strengthening.

The last series-production V-12 spider made by Ferrari was the 1969 365 GTS4, which most people know as the Daytona Spider. That car gained its more popular name when Ferrari swept the podium at the 1967 24 Hours of Daytona. Ferrari has made four limited-edition V-12 spiders since then.