2019 Ferrari 812 GTS 6.5L V12 7AT (800 HP)

Vehicle Overview

Two years after the introduction of its flagship model, the Gran Tourer 812 Superfast, Ferrari unveiled the open-top version of it, traditionally named GTS.

While the era of naturally aspirated engines was coming to an end, the Italian automaker released the 812 Superfast with its most powerful atmospheric production engines ever. But there was a problem with that. Its grand tourer was usually very well insulated from the exterior sounds, and that included the engine’s music.

So, the only way its customers could listen to it was to drive with their windows down. But when that was not good enough for them, the car manufacturer released the 812 GTS. Now, the recipe was complete and kept its customers happy.

The 812 Superfast followed the long lineage of high-performance vehicles made for long distances, such as the 365 GTB4 (Daytona), the 456, or the F12. As a result, it had the powerplant in front of the cabin but behind the front axle, meaning that it was a front-mid-engine vehicle. That resulted in a very long hood, where the automaker’s designers placed two discrete air-intakes next to the headlights. The entire front fascia was carried over from its coupe sibling, or Berlinetta, as Ferrari named that type of bodywork.

From its profile, there were the same vents behind the front wheel arches that extracted the air from inside the wheel wells. But from the waistline up, it was different. The power-retractable hard top could be concealed behind the cabin at the touch of a button, and the driver and their passenger sat exposed under the sky. Behind them, Ferrari placed two safety arches neatly concealed by two humps in the back.

For the two-seat cabin, Ferrari opted for expensive, luxurious materials such as leather, carbon fiber, and aluminum trims. In front of the driver was the same instrument cluster with a large rev counter that took center stage and was flanked by two TFT displays for additional data gathered from the vehicle’s onboard computer. Like in the 812 Superfast, there was a small screen in front of the passenger displaying the information for the audio system, the tachometer, the speedometer, and other data that they didn’t need but wanted to see.

The retractable hard top could be retracted in just 14 seconds at speeds of up to 45 kph (28 mph) at the flick of a switch. Finally, at the back, the automaker made additional changes to compensate for the lack of a fixed roof. As a result, there was a new diffuser underneath the bumper.

Under the hood was the same naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12 that powered the 812 Superfast. The insane specific power of 123,14 PS/liter (121.45 hp/liter) was obtained at a stratospheric 8,500 rpm. All the power was sent to the rear wheels via a seven-speed automatic (dual-clutch) gearbox via an electronically-controlled limited-slip differential.