Ferrari 812 special edition revs to 9500 rpm, belts out 819 hp

Ferrari has yet to fully tip its hand regarding most hardcore version of its V-12-powered 812 Superfast, but it has finally graced our waiting eyes with the first photos of this (for now) unnamed beast.

The first fully-electric Ferrari is due to arrive in 2025, but this 812-based limited edition promises to follow the example of the much-loved F12tdf as a track-oriented exercise in naturally aspirated, gas-huffing V-12 performance. We do know that this turnt 812 will use the Superfast’s 65-degree V-12, an F140-family descendant of the powerplant that first debuted with the Enzo in 2002.

Thanks in part to new engine and exhaust components, including a “new valve timing mechanism,” this V-12 will likely be tuned to its highest-ever output: 819 horsepower. (In the 812 Superfast, it’s good for 789.) In good Ferrari tradition, redline is stratospheric: 9500 rpm, the highest of any internal-combustion vehicle from Maranello, and 500 rpm north of the Superfast’s 9000-rpm limit. All these superlatives suggest that this “special version” (Versione Speciale) of the 812 Superfast will be a potent machine, indeed.

The aero package is the most obvious departure from the 812 Superfast. Putting the two side-by-side, the quest for additional downforce is clear. Crazy-looking louvers, scalloped into an aluminum replacement for the standard glass rear window. Vents atop the rear fenders are gone, the rear deck spoiler appears wider and taller, and additional brake vents score the rear fascia, which also hides vortex generators and dual rather than quad exhaust tips. (Not as awesome as the fan in Gordon Murray’s all-out solution, but we’ll take it.) The front air intakes and hood have also been reorganized.

It’s also lighter than the 812 Superfast; carbon-fiber construction was the key to slashing weight, particularly on the body and in the cabin. Next, hidden within the depths of the car’s brain sits the latest (7.0) version of Ferrari’s Side Slip Control traction system. (The 812 Superfast, for those keeping track, arrived with iteration 5.0 at its 2017 debut.)

This “special version” of the 812 Superfast will officially break cover on Wednesday, May 5, so check back here for all the juicy technical details.