Meet Ferrari's hardcore 830PS special edition 812

Firstly, the engine. With redesigned internal componentry, a new valve timing system and a new exhaust, the V12 now produces 830PS (610kW) and revs to 9,500rpm. That makes it the most powerful, highest-revving Ferrari road car engine yet – yes, more than the V12 in the LaFerrari and the twin-turbo V8 in the SF90 Stradale. Top speed and acceleration specs are to be confirmed.

Handling-wise, this hardcore 812 derivative runs a new all-wheel-steering system which Ferrari claims allows independent steering at each wheel. That works together with Side Slip Control v7.0, premiering on this model for the first time, to make the car as agile and tractable as possible. Yes, weight has been reduced with, per Ferrari, extensive use of carbon-fibre, though no number has been quoted.

Of course most striking is that styling, particularly the omission of a rear window in favour of a single-piece alloy structure, complete with vortex generators. In an age of digital rear-view mirrors, this actually shouldn’t be entirely surprising.

The whole treatment of the car, from the gaping inlets and gurning jaw at the front, to the monster diffuser – and odd exhausts – at the rear, is aimed at maximising downforce. To the detriment of aesthetics? We do miss the traditional Ferrari quad pipes but some elements are quite nice, less fussy than the F12tdf that precedes it. The whole thing is way more aggressive than the Superfast, without resorting to jutting race-style wings and canards.

On the inside, it’s the familiar 812 layout festooned with hardcore limited-series Ferrari standard fare. That’s to say, a whole lot of carbon, a whole lot of Alcantara, a lot less sound deadening and we suspect, the option to omit carpet. One new element in this cabin over the Superfast is the H gate-style controls, borrowed from the SF90 and Roma – a nice touch.

More details, including its name, will be released when the car is fully introduced on 5^th May during a live-streamed introduction event. Quite the wait. That said, this is a 9,500rpm-revving V12 Ferrari. It’ll probably be worth it. Any guesses on that name and indeed, why they’ve chosen to keep it under wraps? Your guess is as good as ours.