First Drive: Ferrari 12Cilindri Spider – The Last Bastion of the V12 Era

Debuted globally back in 2024, the new 12Cilindri continues Ferrari’s long legacy of its flagship V12-powered GT model, which dates back to the original 166 Inter—dubbed the marque’s first ‘true’ grand tourer.

The 12Cilindri is truly one of the last bastions of the ‘old world,' as it currently stands as one of the few cars featuring a naturally-aspirated V12 heart, which is something very rare to see in this day and age of electrification.

The V12-powered Ferrari 12Cilindri is part of a dying breed in the automotive world, and here’s our first drive impression of it...

Having said that, we were very fortunate to be invited by official Ferrari importers Ital Auto Malaysia to test out the 12Cilindri in a sexier drop-top Spider form in a short yet meaningful drive around the KL city.

Without further ado, here’s our first drive impression of this V12-powered grand tourer and whether we get to unleash all of its goodness in this short walkabout around the city.

THE CAR

As mentioned earlier, the 12Cilindri now stands as one of the few driving machines in the world that still features a naturally-aspirated V12 heart, but there’s more to this grand tourer than its unadulterated atmospheric engine.

The 6.5-litre nat-asp V12 mill puts out 819 hp and 678 Nm to the rear wheels (RWD) via Ferrari’s trick 8-speed DCT automatic box, enabling the drop-top GT to complete a century sprint time in just 2.95 seconds (2.9 seconds for the Coupe).

To go with its sheer power, the 12Cilindri packs some trick chassis bits to match, including four-wheel independent steering, a trick brake-by-wire suite derived from the electrified SF90, carbon ceramic brakes, and more.

Visually, the 12Cilindri continues to follow the same long-hooded fastback GT bodystyle made famous by many of its predecessors, plus some modern design features scattered around it.

Key highlights include gloss black exterior elements reminiscent of the 60s-era 365 GTB Daytona, full LED lighting units with distinct patterns, quad tailpipes, a pronounced rear diffuser element on its sporty rear bumper, a retractable hard-top roof for the Spider, and 21-inch forged aluminium wheels shod in Michelin Pilot Sport S 5 tyres.

As for the convertible roof, Ferrari says it can be retracted and deployed in just 14 seconds up to speeds of 45 km/h, meaning that you won’t be looking for shades to close them when the monsoon hits.

Onboard, the new 12Cilindri continues to merge sporty elements with luxurious elements laced with modern tech, with the latter being the triple-screen setup comprising a 15.6-inch digital metre cluster, a 10.25-inch central infotainment unit, and an optional 8.8-inch front passenger display.

Should the V12 sound get too loud for you, there’s the premium 15-speaker Burmester surround sound system to serenade you, while the sporty powered front seats wrapped in pure Italian leather upholstery are wrapping you in a lap of luxury. And just like any other Ferrari, much of the cabin can be customised via a slew of options featuring premium materials like carbon fibre, Alcantara, and more.

All in all, the Ferrari 12Cilindri Spider represents a perfect blend of luxury, sportiness, and modernness that are packaged in a familiar Ferrari form that many old-school fans won’t feel alienated by. That said, how does it drive, though?

THE DRIVE

While our short driving stint started at the heart of KL, we were given some chance to unleash the V12 on an open highway with some twisty stretches for us to test out its agility and nimbleness too.

Driving a massive V12 supercar may have sounded intimidating once upon a time, but not for the new 12Cilindri Spider, as the fastback GT feels quite at home just like any other normal car around urban streets. That said, one can easily squirm when driving this long-hooded, multi-million-ringgit car through tight streets and urban traffic, especially in this left-hand drive (LHD) unit we tested.

But once we hit the open highway, we can finally unleash some of the V12’s grit. Driving the 12Cilindri with an open top is surely the best way to do it, as we get to listen to all the soulful and scintillating sounds of the screaming V12 blasting into the atmosphere—something that EVs simply can’t replicate, at least for now.

Face-ripping acceleration might be an oversold gimmick in this day and age of dual-motor EVs, but what separates the 12Cilindri is the combination of sound, vibration, and the sheer force that this GT delivers once you floor it. But in case you prefer a more gentle and relaxed driving pace, putting the gearbox in full auto mode simply does so, transforming the V12 monster into a supple and luxurious commuter.

Similar to how it performed around tight urban settings, the 12Cilindri is also quite nimble and agile around the bends and twisties. While its strictly RWD setting means that you want to be extra careful around sharp corners, its four-wheel independent steering ensures that the car still keeps its toes in line.

And despite the sporty and unadulterated power it boasts, the 12Cilindri is far from the back-aching sportscars of the past, as the ride feels supple enough for you to daily on it, while at the same time stiff enough for some fast cornering action. Not to mention, the built-in wind deflector also helps to cancel out all the unnecessary noise when you’re driving top-down, thus further contributing to making the 12Cilindri a daily-drivable, multi-million supercar.

CONCLUSION

With an iconic silhouette with modern design touches, a luxurious interior with all the tech and comfort amenities, and heart-pumping performance from a last-of-its-kind V12 with surprisingly agile and smooth dynamics, the Ferrari 12Cilindri ticks all the correct boxes to make it the ultimate super GT for the modern era.

With that being said, all these superlatives do come with a pretty hefty price tag, even for a supercar’s standard, as the 12Cilindri retails at RM4.7 million for the Coupe and RM5.1 million for the Spider.

Mind you, the prices mentioned earlier do not include insurance and registration costs, as well as any additional customisation options, but at least you’re now covered with a comprehensive 7-year maintenance package provided by Ital Auto Malaysia.

With more and more supercar makers—Ferrari included—going on the electrification route to not only ‘cheat’ the emission regulations but also to maximise performance, a straightforward, nat-asp V12-powered, rear-wheel-driven supercar like the Ferrari 12Cilindri truly feels like the last of its kind, and it would be a very valuable piece in any collection in years to come.

As Ferrari is about to embark on its pure electric venture with the upcoming Ferrari Luce, it is good to remind ourselves that cars like the 12Cilindri are the ones that made us fall in love with these driving machines in the first place, and no amount of electrification may ever replace them.