► 2016’s most wanted cars, #12 Ferrari F12 TDF
► Ferrari F12 goes on a diet, and muscles up with 769bhp
► Limited to 799: you’ll do well to get hold of one
What is it?
Not a turbodiesel, despite silly name. In fact ‘tdf’ stands for Tour de France, an endurance road race Ferrari used to serially win in the ’50s (well, they couldn’t call it F1 right now, could they?). They’ve basically taken the F12 berlinetta and turned it up to 11. It’s road legal, but if you don’t live at Nardo you’ll struggle to exploit it.
Aerodynamics
They’ve gone to town – doubling the F12’s aero efficiency by reshaping every panel and then punching clever holes all over the place. Race-car brainpower abounds in the front splitter, dive planes, floor wings, louvres and the bonnet’s signature aerobridge. The rear spoiler’s got huger, and the rear diffuser’s three ‘active flaps’ can now eat unsuspecting small mammals.
Powertrain
F12’s naturally aspirated 6.3-litre V12 gets pumped from 730bhp to 769, with 520lb ft of torque from 2500rpm. The engine’s been race-fettled using F1-inspired variable-intake geometry trumpets (no less), and the F1 dual-clutch ’box has been wholly remapped, with 6% shorter ratios, 30% faster upshifts and 40% faster downshifts.
Performance
It’s as insanely quick as you’d hope, hitting 62mph in 2.9sec and achieving ‘in excess of 211mph’, putting it in LaFerrari territory minus the hybrid gubbins. More curious is that the front tyres are wider than the rears, quashing understeer but surely making lurid oversteer inevitable? Enter ‘Virtual Short Wheelbase’ – Ferrari’s first rear-wheel-steer system.
Interior
Here’s where you can see for yourself how they’ve saved a massive 110kg over the F12. Instrument pods and doors are carbonfibre, floor mats are bare aluminium and they’ve even pinched the glovebox. Few loved ones will be impressed at having to hold the tin of boiled sweets while you enter the gravel trap backwards.
Can I buy one?
If you’re quick – they’re making just 799. It’s vulgar to talk about price, so Ferrari doesn’t, but you needed £240k to nab the boggo F12, so this bad boy will surely start with a three. The bigger question is why would you? With more bulges than Lou Ferrigno’s trousers it’s surely the louchest, most taste-averse Ferrari yet.