Forza Motorsport 7: Super Fast!

I fell in love with the Ferrari F12 ever since its inception in 2012 as the 599-replacing flagship V12 grand tourer that lapped the Fiorano test course quicker than the Enzo Ferrari. Although not destined to tackle down hypercars like the Aventador and the Huayra, its presence as an exotic grand tourer makes it hard for drivers to confess that it's way too powerful for its own right.





Sadly, my favorite Ferrari has reached the end of its career but like seasons, the Ferrari F12 has undergone a major transformation into something so radical, even their eyes are starting to twitch by such firepower.









Ladies and gentlemen, the F12berlinetta is gone. Long live the new 812 Superfast, the most powerful naturally aspirated V12 car ever made and I found it at the Top Gear Car Pack on Forza Motorsport 7 for keeps. So, what's it all about the 812?

2017 marks the 70th anniversary of Ferrari and one of the cars launched in honor that occassion is none other than the all-new Ferrari 812 Superfast, the most powerful naturally aspirated V12 production car ever made.

Served as the successor of the F12berlinetta, the 812 responds the needs of a more powerful V12 Ferrari that brings them to the top of the supercar food chain as it now boasts an all new 6.5L V12 engine producing 800PS of power and 718Nm of torque. Mated to an improved F1-style double-clutch gearbox, it goes from 0-100kph in 2.9 seconds and onwards to 340kph. While the dynamics are heavily improved for a more dramatic feel on the track, its attributes as a grand tourer is never forgotten on the road, making it the best of both worlds.

Matt LeBlanc sampled the 812 round Imola in a Series 25 episode of Top Gear until The Stig irritated him enough to drive this car.



The old F12 feels like a more enjoyable sportscar that cares about its driving delight more than itself. The new 812 though, well, this is a different story. Because it now dons an electric power steering, the handling is starting to feel heavy while slowing down and because it's got so much power by Ferrari standards, it's starting to becoming more challenging to drive than the F12 I enjoyed before. I admire Ferrari's tendency to trump Lamborghini and Pagani on the power play but having demonstrated the challenging dynamics it possesses, you get the feeling that you've been wrestled by...a fire-breathing leviathan. Mess with it and you'll get a nasty burn.



Having proved that the 812 is a very challenging grand tourer to drive thanks to its excessive power from its new V12 engine and its electric power steering that can break everyone's arms, it's time to find out if this car improved from the F12 and to do that, I'll get not one but two variants. There's the normal F12 I mentioned earlier and then there's the more hardcore F12tdf.





It's a real beauty, isn't it? But anyway, it's time to put these three V12 Fezzas round the Top Gear Track to see how much improvement the 812 is compared to the F12.



And now, the results...

F12 - 1:20.005
F12tdf - 1:19.154
812 - 1:18.641

The science experiment provided by me that from the 812 is over a second and a half faster than the F12, although it takes time to get a grip to its intimidating dynamics that will upset novices elsewhere.



The 812 maybe the most intimidating Ferrari to drive but because it's served at Top Gear's very own Cafe LeBlanc, it's starting to taste like extra hot curry served on a platter with black coffee. Sounds like brave stuff but if you are brave enough to drive the 812, this could be the Ferrari you're going to fall in love with, even if you hate it.

Forza Horizon 3: Tricolore ~ Cante II

Not too long ago, the Holy Trinity of the Italian Supercar hierarchy dished each other to see which is the best. From the Ferrari F12berlinetta, Lamborghini Aventador, to the Pagani Huayra, the clear winner by a complete surprise is a turbocharged V12-powered Pagani Huayra, knowing that Modena's finest can really topple against the establishments. However, the fight between those three is far from over because they are flexing their muscles for more and now, the more powerful versions have arrived for a rematch.

Here they are, the more powerful versions of the three Italian V12 kings; the Pagani Huayra BC, the Lamborghini Aventador LP 750-4 SV, and the Ferrari F12tdf. With all the added firepower in the mix, deciding which of these three is the king will be similarly different from the last time when the normal three V12 machines fought against each other like Roman gladiators.

First, let's start with the Ferrari F12tdf, which is the most powerful of the three. For starters, the tdf name was derived from the legendary Tour de France endurance road race that Ferrari ruled in the 50's and 60's with the 250 GT Berlinetta which won four consecutive editions in a row. With 799 units ever made and sold, this special F12berlinetta features an upgraded version of the same 6.3L V12 engine from the normal F12berlinetta, producing 780PS of power, and when mated to a 7-speed Formula 1 gearbox, it can go from 0 to 100kph in 2.9 seconds and top speed of over 340kph. Apart from the added power, Ferrari reworked on the aerodynamics and the handling to make it more track-focused and more aggressive on the bends. It lapped the Fiorano test track  in 1 minute and 21 seconds, faster than the normal F12.

The Aventador LP750-4 SV, meanwhile, may have 30PS less than the F12tdf, as well as sticking with the 7-speed ISR gearbox rather than double clutches as seen on the Huracan, but with its improved power-to-weight ratio courtesy of its improved dynamics and weight loss (not to mention the removal of the sat-nav) resulted to a 0-100kph time of 2.8 seconds and over 350kph of top speed.

The Pagani Huayra BC's turbocharged 6.0L V12 engine may have the similar power output as the Lamborghini Aventador SV's as well as the same seven-speed automatic gearbox setting but this car is the lightest of the three, with 1,218kg of dry weight, 132kg less than the normal Huayra, courtesy of its new type of carbon fiber that is lighter and slightly stronger than a regular carbon fiber. This extreme version of the Huayra is surely a odd-defying beast that can unleash a typhoon at a mighty swing of a fan.

If you recall a quick comparison a while back at a certain street racing route in the Outback, the Huayra lapped quicker than both the established supercars from Ferrari and Lamborghini. Now, let's find out if the hardcore versions are any better than last time...

And now the results...
2015 Ferrari F12tdf - 2:25.979
2016 Lamborghini Aventador SV - 2:22.075
2016 Pagani Huayra BC - 2:17:337

Once again, the lone gladiator from Modena has toppled against the establishment even with a new set of twists in store for them and the Huayra BC remains the undisputed winner of the three. So, Pagani may have won the battle but the war goes on because pretty soon, the three kings of Italian supercar hierarchy will be showing their upgraded versions of their normal V12 machines of their lineup and they're going to be as good as...other cars can get.

In the meantime, let's give these three a chance to get their wow factor on the Horizon Festival around Down Under because after their long, grueling, battle, they now have the free time to let loose of their hidden talents and potential as cars and since they're having a leisure trip on Aussie roads, it would be the ideal time for these three to get some "extra service."







The F12tdf will be sporting a design heavily inspired from THE IDOLM@STER's Makoto Kikuchi, although the design layout is very similar to the one I made a while back, while the Aventador SV will be wearing a design similar to the Ad Personam personalization done by the Lamborghini Newport Beach dealership, which is very cool, and the Pagani BC wants to cloak itself with some specialized square camouflage.

Anyway, with their respective designs all set to go, the three V12 kings, recharged, are off to see how they perform when faced against different strangers of all kinds...



Although the age of V12 engines will come to an end someday, the rivalry between the three Italian supercar greats will keep on burning for many generations to come as Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Pagani, no matter which path they'll be going, will keep on fighting until the very end. They may not be forever, but their rivalry between these three will surely becoming one of the automotive greats in history.

Forza Horizon 3: Tricolore

The Lamborghini Aventador, the Pagani Huayra, and the Ferrari F12. They are the three kings of the Italian exotic hierarchy and when these three Italian V12 kings face each other, they can all see their true selves. When it comes to measure its styling, performance, and how a driver behaves, it's everyone's guess because while these cars reign the supercar realm by its iron fist approach, what they differ is how they perform as a car made for the elite few.

Of course, I did record a little message about something regarding these three kings of the exotic realm. Shall I play the tape for your understanding? Time for a message playback on what I said about these three from a distant past.

(clicks button)

The F12 maybe the most powerful of the three but because the F12 is a class apart from these two, apart from the fact that both the Lambo and the Huayra are mid-engined royalties, it can't just storm in recklessly because despite its power advantage, its drivetrain is what confuses these two. Although the Aventador and the Huayra's V12 engine produces the similar power output, the Aventador is the most fun car to drive because its ancient engine sounds so natural to our ears (because it's naturally aspirated), its gearbox is so fun to shift than double clutches, and overall, it's so generous to drive even if you're not paying attention. The Huayra, though, even though it's a rear-wheel drive scaremonger, is just plain serious. Serious about getting the best lap times with its capabilities as a track weapon and a grand tourer in its own right.

Okay, now that you get the idea, let's translate these words into action and since this is FH3, a certain area from the Outback that was onced used for street racing purposes in mind was made to see how good these three are. As always, fastest time wins so let's hit these three kings on the outback roads.



And now, the results...

F12 - 2:29.383
Aventador - 2:25.779
Huayra - 2:23.577







It's amazing that even though the rivalry between the prancing horse and the raging bull is still as hot as Vesuvius, the outsider from Modena that is Pagani is still reigning as hard as a gladiator in a Roman coliseum, beating both the horses and the bulls. Sounds rhetorical but because no Italian supercar maker does it better than the hands of Pagani, the Huayra is a clear example why an exquisite underdog like Pagani can outlash the likes of the more established ones like Lamborghini and Ferrari. This battle between these three maybe over...







...but the so-called Holy Trinity of Italian supercar hierarchy got something special in store. So, what's it going to be? You'll find out later.

Forza Motorsport 6: Three Kings

Ah, Italy. Home of the three kings of exotic hierarchy that shaped the world of cars. From Bologna, you have Lamborghini. From Maranello, Ferrari. And from Modena, Pagani. Those three speed-driven factions don't seem to be getting along very nicely; with Ferrari always the king of the supercar realm, Lamborghini as a second-rate, trying-hard, bully of the bunch, and Pagani as the ranked outsider who wants to came out on top one day.

Today, I got a selection of three Italian V12 kings which represents the pride and valor held by the company that made them. From Lamborghini, it's the Aventador LP700-4. From Ferrari, the F12berlinetta. And from Pagani, the Huayra.

As kings, these cars are built to reign than to serve, but as rivals from different factions, it's hard to sum up how these three stack up. These cars have been around for half a decade since their launch, well, the Lambo and the Pagani had, but despite the changing climate of the car world, these kings are still reigning strong with better versions but rest assured that these original versions are still be remembered by most due to its revolutionary breakthrough these cars possess.

The F12 maybe the most powerful of the three but because the F12 is a class apart from these two, apart from the fact that both the Lambo and the Huayra are mid-engined royalties, it can't just storm in recklessly because despite its power advantage, its drivetrain is what confuses these two. Although the Aventador and the Huayra's V12 engine produces the similar power output, the Aventador is the most fun car to drive because its ancient engine sounds so natural to our ears (because it's naturally aspirated), its gearbox is so fun to shift than double clutches, and overall, it's so generous to drive even if you're not paying attention. The Huayra, though, even though it's a rear-wheel drive scaremonger, is just plain serious. Serious about getting the best lap times with its capabilities as a track weapon and a grand tourer in its own right.

With the three kings set to settle things once and for all, let's find out which is the best Italian V12 king by lapping these three round Monza.




At the end of the lap, I have the results. The Aventador did it in 2:05.499 while the F12 did it in 2:06.937 and the Huayra finished in a blisteringly quick 1:58.706. Which means, the outsider from Modena trumps the big-shots of the Italian exotic hierarchy.

Lamborghini and Ferrari may have been rivals of the supercar race but in the end, it was the order of the Pagani that brought this fight to a presumable closure because the Huayra was made to deal against the big-shots like the Aventador and the F12berlinetta, even though these three have the same V12 engine with different configurations their makers had made for themselves. The V12 may soon be a dying breed like what happened to the V10s due to today's climate but as long as these kings keep on fighting, this battle will keep going on until they gave up their cylinders as a sign of the times in the automotive industry, unless they find many ways to preserve it like what the LaFerrari did.

Forza Horizon 2: Kickin with the F12

When Ferrari created the F12berlinetta, the Italian carmaker wanted to make a sportscar that can match against the likes of the Lamborghini Aventador as well as the Aston Martin Vanquish but in reality, it wasn't made to be a hypercar but rather a powerful grand tourer that incorporates Ferrari's know-how in the realm of motorsports. Sure, it lapped round the Fiorano test track faster than the Enzo but this is in a totally different league.

The F12berlinetta was born to be a purebred race machine with its throaty 6.3L V12 engine which excites most car enthusiasts worldwide. It is a product of Ferrari's passion for motorsports and it's one way of saying "we're the stars of Italy's sportscar realm and Lamborghini must exit here". Well, Ferrari worked so hard to improve their reputation and no matter how many times Lamborghini trying to outpower Ferrari with new and exciting machines that can defect even the most of Ferrari's followers, this carmaker learns how to fight back and for the F12, it knows how to kick back from its opposition.



When I drove this one in the original Horizon, I am already having a great time driving the F12berlinetta despite its handling characteristics that kicked me back like a bottle of Red Horse Beer. Here, in the world of Forza Horizon 2, it's the same story all over, only this time, a little reminiscent of its predecessor that is going to kill me with its car kung fu. Despite its character, the F12berlinetta is a fun car to drive and even novices can unleash its hidden potential from its Italian flair. Even though this is a serious car, this car promises the driver to kick back against his or her opposition as they're trying to reach their goals.

The thing is though, driving the F12 can be a lot of fun if you use your imagination...







What we have here is an F12 that is themed after one of our favorite buttkickers in the world of iDOLM@STER, Makoto Kikuchi, and the reason why I'd picked her for the design that I'd made because upon driving the F12, I'm getting the "kicking" experience while unleashing its power during races and while this is essentially a raw grand tourer that can kick through any rivals it see fit, it will take time for the driver to calm itself down before getting through corners. Its tough personality really reminded me of her's and every time I remember her...I gone into bedwetting mode in my sleep. Ha ha ha...

Anyway, to see how much "fight back" the F12 is, I booked this car for a championship somewhere over San Giovanni, and with some major improvements to make it competitive, the F12's starting to come alive.



Well, that was quite a messy progress but I managed to survive while driving the F12 without getting my pants wet when this car kicks me through. Better still, it was quite an accomplishment that with the F12, Ferrari knows how to fight back.

As I find out, even with the F12 making quite an accomplishment, it signals the end of the traditional V12 powerplant because in the future, all V12 Ferraris will be hybrids, just like the powerful LaFerrari, and while this announcement shocked the world, I am very glad that I made the so-called "last of the V12s" happy. I've finished my run and as the car ticked itself, I knew that its work is done.

Forza Motorsport 5: Battle Italia

The Lamborghini Aventador - the latest flagship V12 Lambo. Served as the replacement to the decade-old Murcielago, powered by a newly-developed 6.5L V12 engine, and remains one of the most popular exotics at this modern age.



The Ferrari F12berlinetta - the latest flagship V12 Ferrari. Launched at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, lapped quicker than the 599 GTO at Fiorano, and powered by a 6.3L V12 engine that has more power than the Lamborghini Aventador.



Here in the world of Forza Motorsport 5, the battle between the two Italian flagships are finally come into fruition, figuring out if horses or bulls will win the fight for Italian sovereignty...sort of. Today, which is better? The bull or the horse?

The Lamborghini Aventador has four-wheel drive and has a 6.5L V12 engine mounted in the middle. The Ferrari F12 has rear-wheel drive and has a 6.3L V12 engine mounted in the front. The Aventador has a single-clutch seven-speed gearbox operated by paddle shifters. The Ferrari F12 comes with a Formula One 7-speed double clutch gearbox operated by paddle shifters. The Aventador can reach to 60mph in 2.9 seconds. The F12 can reach it in under 3.1 seconds. Top speed for the Aventador is 217mph while the F12 gives up the ghost in 210mph.




Enough for the jibber-jabber, time to translate numbers into action by sending them to the Top Gear Test Track. Fastest time is the winner.


Even though it has 4WD and with the engine placed in the middle, the Aventador can suffer from minor understeer and it's like knitting the carrot at the middle of the blanket. The F12 finds less mistakes in the corner and it doesn't understeer than the Aventador, although its dynamic character might cause a fair hint of oversteer and one small mistake can cause a big one.

After a quick lap at the Top Gear Track, here are the results of this experiment;

1:18.240 - LP700-4
1:20.608 - F12

So, conclusive proof that even when the Aventador has less power than the F12, it still leaves it to dust thanks to the clever suspension, 4WD, and lighter weight not to mention the good use of its aerodynamic design. Well, I'm glad I cleared that up so the winner in this comparo is...the Lamborghini LP700-4.

Forza Horizon: Ferrari Fever with the brand new F12

Forza Horizon's December IGN Car Pack is now here and it's time for me to try out one of their offerings. Wanna know what car I'm driving on this DLC now? It's a Ferrari but there are clues...

1) The most powerful Ferrari ever
2) Lapped the Fiorano faster than the Enzo and the 599 GTO
3) Does not appeared in any other racing games especially the so-called Test Drive Ferrari Racing Legends
4) More power than the Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4
5) Revealed at the 2012 Geneva Auto Show

Hey buddy, there's a new Ferrari parked in the diner...

If you said "F12berlinetta", yes! Really! The F12berlinetta is the most powerful Ferrari ever made thanks to its newly developed V12 engine that generates about 740 PS (544 kW; 730 hp) of power and 690 N·m (509 lb·ft) of torque, mated to a 7-speed dual-clutch automated semi-automatic gearbox, which uses shortened gear ratios to match the power of the engine. It lapped the Fioranio Circuit at 1 minute, 23 seconds; 1.0 second faster than the 599 GTO, 1.9 seconds faster than the Enzo Ferrari, 2.0 seconds faster than the 458 Italia and 3.5 seconds faster than the 599 GTB.

One of them must have drank too much Red Horse...

Funny thing about the new F12berlinetta is that this is the only Ferrari that hasn't been featured in any video games of that time. Hey, you know that Test Drive Ferrari Racing Legends you played since Summer? (I didn't like that game :-P) I know, even though it features some of the classic and modern Ferraris of all ages, seems that the latest offering never got a chance to be featured on that said game. Even FM4 didn't had the chance to feature it. So, the question is...why Horizon?

Horizon isn't only just a free-roaming game, it's CAR HEAVEN. That's why the F12berlinetta wants to do a little soul-searching all over Colorado until it's ready for bigger and brighter things in the near future. On that bombshell, Forza Horizon is now the first ever video game to feature this latest Ferrari that seems to be absolutely wonderful but also a bit challenging to newcomers.

F12berlinetta tries to wow the curves

I'm usually very dexterous, I was always having fun with my favorite Lamborghini, the Aventador LP700-4, but this thing is rather defeating me (ironically). It may have more power than the LP700-4 but it still can't match its mojos. Over 210mph of top speed is what the F12berlinetta can do, that's about as slower than the Ferrari Enzo but more importantly, faster than the outgoing 599 GTO. Despite all of this conundrum, there's something juicy about the F12berlinetta's handling. Well, because it's a rear-wheel drive exotic that carries 730HP of power, I was expecting to be somewhat dynamic and challenging and I'm almost correct. It's nearly going to be another dynamic car that beginners find it difficult to master but with all of the effort payed off to learn the fundamentals of the F12's handling, this will going to be as good as my favorite Ferrari, the 458 Italia.

Show Colorado what the Berlinetta's been capable of

It may not be a decent alternative to the Lamborghini Aventador or a Ferrari Enzo but the F12berlinetta is going to be one of the all time greats on Horizon. Get in one of these and you'll know that the F12berlinetta is just another serious exotic leaving you no sense of humor whatsoever but wait a moment folks because the F12 is one of the cars Forza fans been dying to drive one of these. I was one of the lucky ones to drive the latest offering from Ferrari and I have to say that this is the best Ferrari I have ever driven in my life.

Ferrari F12berlinetta

2013 Ferrari F12berlinetta

The story about the rivalry between the Prancing Horse, that is Ferrari, and the Raging Bull, that is Lamborghini, have been baffling around for years. When Lambo launched the LP560-4 Gallardo, which was proven to be quicker than the Ferrari Scuderia, Ferrari combated with the utterly magnificent 458 Italia that packs more power than the LP560-4. Then Lamborghini responded to them with the LP570-4 Superleggera, which has similar power than the Italia, and the Aventador, which packs more punch than the Ferrari 599 GTO! Now however, the Prancing Horse revealed their brand new flagship which will surely hit the Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 where it hurts...speed.

Welcome everybody to the all new Ferrari flagship that ushers in the new generation of the Prancing Horse's V12 engine and it has more power than the outgoing 599 GTO and the Enzo. The all new, all powerful Ferrari F12berlinetta is all focused on power that the Prancing Horse deserves. This new flagship once said it lapped faster in the Fiorano Circuit than the outgoing 599 GTO, making it the most powerful road-legal Ferrari ever made. At first glance then, the F12berlinetta is a bit more like the Ferrari FF taking some Viagra but all that Pininfarina styling is what made the F12 dramatic. And by dramatic, I mean of course, more pantomime than physics lesson.

For the cream of the crop, let us introduce to Ferrari's all new 6.3L 65° V12 engine, which is now hailed as the most powerful naturally aspirated engines...in the world. Wait, hold it...Is it really the most powerful naturally aspirated engine in the world and is it well enough to kick the Lambo Aventador where it hurts? Is the engine good enough for the late Enzo Ferrari to kick Ferruccio Lamborghini's buttocks? Let's see...

The 6.3L V12 engine on the all new F12berlinetta produces about 740PS of power, more than the Lamborghini LP700-4! That's one point for this one. Anyway, for the torque, they possess the same torque output of 690 Nm. So that's a draw for both the F12 and the LP700-4. For the transmission however, that's a challenge. While the LP700-4 has a 7-speed single clutch transmission, the F12 has only...6 gears but its an F1 dual-clutch transmission, which has closer gear ratios developed specifically for this car's performance. Well, double clutch is better than single clutch so it appears that they're neck to neck.

So, what about how they weigh? While the Aventador weighs only 1.575 kg, the F12 weighs about 1.630 kg but with the LP700-4's power to weight ratio is 2,25 kg/PS, the F12's ratio is 2,20 kg/PS, making it an impressive advantage because of its 740PS V12 engine.

Now, this is gets real. The Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4...0-100kph in 2.9 seconds and top speed of 350 km/h. On the new Ferrari F12berlinetta though...oh dear...0-100kph in 3,1 seconds and top speed of 340km/h. It's about 10kph slower than the LP700-4.

My comment:
This is awkward. 10kph slower than the LP700-4 isn't the least of the F12's problems but still, I will respect this car more than the LP700-4 because when it comes to big power in the new V12 engine, the F12berlinetta is my winner. This is the cream of the crop, a true Pininfarina masterpiece. Sure, it lapped quicker than the 599 GTO at the Fiorano test track but I'm afraid unlike the LP700-4, it doesn't even win my heart until I got the chance...to drive it. If I have the chance to drive it, I have the chance that I'm going to like this car more than the 458 or the FF.

Photo: Ferrari