NEW FERRARI 812 COMPETIZIONE

Ferrari has further expanded its V12 special series based on the front-engined 812 Superfast. Ferrari Australasia recently launched the 812 GTS at Hampton Downs alongside the F8 Tributo and Spider, but the 812 Competizione Coupe and Competizione Aperta, introduced in Modena, are genuine track specials with serious racing credentials.

The presentation took place in a very special venue, the recently-opened GT Sporting Activities Department located alongside the Fiorano track, further strengthening the inextricable link between Maranello’s road-going sports cars and the racing DNA developed over seven decades on the world’s circuits.

Innovative technological concepts applied to the 812 Competizione engine, vehicle dynamics and aerodynamics have raised the bar to new heights. And new independent four-wheel steering delivers exceptional agility and precision in cornering.

The naturally-aspirated 610kW engine pairs impressive power with electrifying delivery and the inimitable soundtrack that Ferrari V12 purists know well. To boost the output of the engine, which has the same 6.5-litre displacement as the 812 Superfast’s V12, several areas have been significantly re-engineered to achieve a 9,500rpm red line while optimising the fluid-dynamics of the intake system and combustion, and reducing internal friction.

The titanium con-rods are 40 per cent lighter than steel versions while delivering the same mechanical resistance; the piston pins, on the other hand, have been given a diamond-like carbon coating to reduce the coefficient of friction to the benefit of performance, fuel consumption and wear. These modifications are combined with a rebalanced crankshaft, which is also 3 percent lighter than the previous version.

The most significant improvements, however, are to the distribution and the cylinder heads, which have both been completely redesigned. The cams now action the valve stems via DLC-coated steel sliding finger followers, which are derived from Ferrari’s F1 experience and were developed specifically for this engine to provide a higher lift profile.

To maintain the traditional incredibly high standard of engine sound to which Ferrari V12 owners are accustomed, the engineers added a new exhaust tailpipe, and unusual and innovative design solution that reinstates the medium-high frequency sound. And in order to deliver excellent acoustics, performance and aesthetics, the exhaust tailpipes are visible to underscore their function and the car’s track-inspired character without impinging on the signature elegance of the design.

Both the 812 Competizione and 812 Competizione A are equipped with a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox, pushing the performance of the latter to new extremes and delivering a new gearshift feeling for the V12. Calibration of the control strategies has reduced shift times by a further 5 percent. Although it retains the same gear ratios as the 812 Superfast, the new car’s changes are even more sporty.

Externally the front air intakes are hugged by the scooped side area of the bumper, which extends forwards along its lower edge, defining the shape of the splitter. Two apertures in the wheelarch, one at the top and one at the rear, reduce pressure and enable the underbody to work even more efficiently. The turbulence is channelled and evacuated by the vent rear of the bonnet’s blade, and by that on the wing.
The 812 Competizione’s distinctive tail-end treatment incorporates a number of innovative engineering solutions regarding the exhaust layout, diffuser geometry, spoiler volume, patented rear screen and the bumper design. The rear diffuser extends right across the full width of the car to guarantee maximum horizontal expansion of the underbody’s aerodynamic flows and hails a distinct break with the solution seen on the 812 Superfast.

The 812 Competizione has a personality all of its own that sets it very clearly apart from the 812 Superfast in terms of its proportions and formal balance. The engineering modifications adopted allowed the Ferrari Styling Centre to give the car a whole new connotation, by choosing styling themes that further enhance its architectural design, sculptural forms and sporty vocation.

One of the 812 Competizione’s many striking features is its bonnet, which has a transverse groove in which the carbon-fibre blade sits. This proved an original way of disguising the air vents for the engine bay, whilst also increasing their surface area. From a design perspective, the choice of this transverse element rather than the louvres seen on some previous Ferrari sports cars, means that the bonnet looks cleaner and more sculptural. This theme also acts as a three-dimensional interpretation of the concept of livery, recalling the signature stripe across the bonnet that characterises certain historic racing Ferraris.

The modified front-end aerodynamics allowed the designers to endow the car with a more aggressive character befitting its limited-edition special status. The car’s nose shows off all of its imposing power with a very wide front grille flanked by the two distinctive and prominent side brake intakes. The carbon-fibre splitter underscores the car’s broad, squat stance, hinting at its impressive road-holding.

The most noticeable aspect of the 812 Competizione’s aesthetic is the replacement of the rear screen by an all-aluminium surface. The vortex generators on the upper surface that boost the car’s aerodynamic efficiency simultaneously create a backbone effect that underscores the car’s sculptural forms. Together with the carbon-fibre blade that traverses the bonnet, this motif changes the overall perception of the car’s volume: the car seems more compact than the 812 Superfast, accentuating its powerful, fastback look. Not having a rear screen also creates a textural continuity between roof and spoiler, providing owners with the opportunity to personalise the car even more with a whole new single continuous graphic livery that runs unbroken its entire length.

Even the rear spoiler now looks more imposing. It is higher but the specific design treatment used also makes the tail look very wide, almost horizontal, giving the rear greater stance. The extremities of this aerodynamic appendage intersect with the line of the rear wings, highlighting their muscular appearance and referencing iconic cars like the Ferrari 330 P3/P4. The bodywork rear of the crests is fluted and this accentuates the three-dimensionality and distinctiveness of the car’s flanks and their forms.

The taillight clusters lend the car a more aggressive and suggestive look. They fit seamlessly into a slit just below the spoiler and contribute to creating the horizontal feel to the rear. The rear bumper is particularly sculptural and characterised by a scoop at wheel height that incorporates two imposing air vents. Three aerodynamic slots have been created along the outer bumper surface rear of the wheels, creating an instantly recognisable styling feature that recalls the shape of the vortex generators on the rear screen.

In terms of its interior architecture, the 812 Competizione has remained faithful to the 812 Superfast, retaining the same general parameters and main dash and door panel interfaces, including the latter’s signature “diapason” motif. The door panel itself has been lightened overall both formally and in terms of actual weight to underscore the sportiness of the cockpit.
The door panel pocket juts out from the main structure almost as if it were a floating element. This creates a sense of lightness and formal and textural continuity with the rest of the cabin. Only a small appendage that connects to the door handle remains as an armrest, but creates a dynamic muscle on the panel.

Right in the central area of the cockpit is a link between Ferrari’s past and future, the iconic gear-gate theme here given a modern twist. This is the first time it has appeared on a V12 car and is very much mirrors the spirit of the 812 Competizione and the marque’s tradition.