Ferrari
F12tdf
Ferrari
revealed the F12tdf which pays homage to the Tour de France, the legendary
endurance road race that Ferrari dominated in the 1950s and '60s, particularly
with the 1956 250 GT Berlinetta which won four consecutive editions in a row.
It was a race that rewarded cars that combined maximum performance with the
driveability and ease of use that enabled the competitors to race for hundreds
of kilometres a day over fast, tortuous roads and on circuits. The F12tdf is
the ultimate expression of the concept of an extreme road car that is equally
at home on the track, and just 799 will be built.
The
Ferrari F12tdf is a concentration of technical innovations which involve all
those areas central to Ferrari's DNA: engine, aerodynamics and vehicle
dynamics. As a result, in terms of acceleration, roadholding and agility, the
new berlinetta is second to none.
Designed
by the Ferrari Styling Centre, the new F12tdf has particularly imposing yet
sensual forms, the product of Ferrari's continuous commitment to melding
sculptural beauty with functional demands.
All
of the bodywork panels, from the chiselled nose to the tail, have been revised.
Wider front and rear tracks also give the car an even more aggressive stance.
Ferrari's
engineers sought to create an extremely agile and powerful car which could also
be driven by less expert drivers. They drew on the wealth of experience built
up in the XX programmes which are dedicated to developing extremely high
performance cars driven by non-professional drivers.
To
enable even gentlemen drivers to make full use of the performance, Ferrari
developed its new Virtual Short Wheelbase system. Debuting on the F12tdf, the
rear axle is active, allowing the rear wheels to pivot around a vertical axis. Using
model-based control logic developed entirely in-house by Ferrari, the rear axle
steering automatically adjusts the rear wheels, working out the optimal
steering angle as a function of the steering wheel angle, speed of steering
inputs and vehicle speed.
The
Virtual Short Wheelbase improves the car's responsiveness to make it feel more
agile, with instantaneous turn-in that can be best appreciated on twisty roads
and on more technically challenging tracks while, at the same time, improving
stability at high speeds.
The
engine is the F12berlinetta's 6262cc 65° V12 on which Ferrari engineers worked
to boost maximum power output from 740 cv to 780 cv at 8,500 rpm, yielding a specific
power output of 125 cv/l. The engine's sporty response is assured by a maximum
torque figure of 705 Nm (up from 690 Nm) at 6,750 rpm with 80% already
available at 2,500 rpm, resulting in unparalleled, progressive pick-up all the
way to the red-line at 8,900 rpm. Numerous modifications have been developed
for this engine, starting with the use of race-inspired mechanical tappets and
variable-geometry intake trumpets used on Formula 1 cars which help boost volumetric
efficiency at high revs. The Ferrari F12tdf is equipped with a specific version
of the F1 DCT with 6% shorter gear ratios that delivers 30% faster upshifts and
40% faster downshifts.
A
radical redesign of the bodywork, interior, engine, transmission and running
gear, along with the abundant use of carbon-fibre inside and out, has slashed
110 kg off the car's overall weight. All of these factors combine to produce
record performance figures: 0-100 km/h in 2.9 seconds and 0-200 km/h in 7.9
seconds in addition to a substantial boost in lateral acceleration. The F12tdf
laps Fiorano in just 1'21".
Outstanding
stopping distances are guaranteed by the adoption of the new Extreme Design
one-piece brake callipers already seen on the LaFerrari. This new-generation
system means the car can brake from 100-0 km/h in just 30.5 m and from 200-0 in
121 m.
The
car's uncompromising sportiness is expressed with the same degree of purity in
the deliberately Spartan cockpit. The wrap-around effect that embraces the
driving position is intensified by the use of carbon-fibre housings for the
instruments and satellite pods. The door panels have been pared back to a
single carbon-fibre shell, while the glove compartment has disappeared to be
replaced by simple knee padding. Alcantara rather the traditional leather was chosen
for the cabin trim, technical fabric for the seats and patterned aluminium
instead of mats for the floor, once again with the aim of saving every last
ounce of weight.