Ferrari F12tdf

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 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, road holding and agility, the new Berlinetta is second to none.

The F12tdf's performance is assured by the 780cv, naturally-aspirated V12 derived directly from the F12 Berlinetta's multi-award-winning engine. The car's exhilarating dynamic behaviour, specifically its lateral acceleration in corners, is due to an 8% increase in the ratio of the front tyres compared to the rear ones.

The car's natural tendency to oversteer as a result of the change in tyre sizes is compensated for by the innovative rear-wheel steering system - known as the Virtual Short Wheelbase, which is integrated with the other vehicle dynamic control systems - that guarantees the steering wheel response times and turn-in of a competition car while increasing stability at high speed.

Cornering speeds are also higher thanks to the significant increase in downforce, +87%, which has reached unprecedented levels for a front-engined V12 Berlinetta. 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 minute 21 seconds, according to Ferrari themselves.

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 30.5m and from 200-0 in 121m.

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 F12tdf is equipped with a specific version of the F1 DCT with 6% shorter gear ratios that deliver 30% faster upshifts and 40% faster downshifts.