Ferrari 612 Scaglietti

The Ferrari Scaglietti- An Exotic Beauty

One of the more recent Ferrari models to grace the streets, her sleek lines and clever design epitomize the design philosophy of her Italian manufacturer. The power of her engine and how she drives, both in the raw power of the open road and the winding, stop-and-start drives in the city, will impress even the most jaded drivers. This sort of car will never cease to impress, and is worthy of a second look, even years after her production stops.

What features are new to this model?

The Scaglietti is only the second Ferrari to have an all-aluminum frame, leaving it lighter, with better weight distribution, and sitting better over its wheels than its rivals from other companies. With paddle-shifting that contains automatic options, this car comes out swinging with obvious changes that make it seem like a great step forward.

But it doesn't stop there. An F1 gearbox is among the new features, with smooth steering that requires only a light touch, meaning it dances through traffic like a car half its size, despite it being the largest car Ferrari had, to date, produced. You don't have to fight every ounce of power out of this car, either. Her engine is responsive, and her power never feels far from hand, even while idling at a stop light.

And don't think too much of driving at night. A deep mechanical purr is the biggest thing you'll be hearing from this car. Most Ferraris will give you a deep roar from the exhaust, or a constant grumble from the engine, but the Scaglietti is somewhat different. She still has her throaty sound, that satisfying growl that people expect from a sports car. But she isn't going to wake the neighborhood if you gun the engine.

The electrochromic roof, which can be adjusted to be darker or lighter based on how much light you want filtered out. The in-dash entertainment system, which will be covered more later, is also a new feature, and one that should be mentioned here.

Models- one-offs and limited production designs

There were two one-offs designed based on this car, that generally came with the same basic design as the production model. The differences between the two were limited to things like custom headlights, and some changes to bodywork or internal features, but as a general rule they weren't too noticeably different.

There were also two or three different limited production runs. The Sessanta, a design that was for the 60th Anniversary of the company. The Cornes 30th Anniversary edition was a 20-car run that was done for a company's 30th anniversary importing into Japan. There is also the police edition, which is included here- with a unique paint job and the modifications one would expect from a company like this.

You do have to remember this about these models of cars and this company. They put all they can into the basic model of cars, so other than anniversary or special order vehicles, you won't often see additional or separate models. These cars in and of themselves are quite good, high-quality vehicles, so don't feel cheated by the lack of options.

Looking good- how's her power?

As a V12, the Scaglietti is not going to be a lightweight car. Quite the opposite, weighing in at just over two tons, but as was mentioned earlier- it's a smooth car to drive.

At 7250 RPM her horsepower maxes out at a nice 522. Similarly her torque tops out at 434 lb-ft, at 5250 RPM. It's doubtful the average driver will notice that, however, because her power- as was mentioned earlier- comes to your hands fast, and you will never notice those numbers. What you'll notice is how she follows your hands without hesitation, and she dances through traffic like a car a fourth her size.

In the city she gets about 10 mpg, and 14 mpg on the highway.  Her maximum speed is estimated to be just a few points below 200 mph. Some people say that the steering is too light, too responsive for some people, who might prefer the older style of Ferrari, that said the day-to-day driver will be thankful for the change, thankful for the lower skill required to drive even just in traffic.

Okay, she has the engine- how's the interior?

With standard safety features- seatbelts, headrests and in-car systems to keep thiefs out and you safe in a crash. No crash-test information can be found at this time, but Ferrari is not a company known to cut corners, to leave out safety features or remove or skip anything that should be included in their cars, or indeed that customers MIGHT want.

Other than those, the biggest thing most new drivers will notice is the aforementioned entertainment system. Built into the center console, with a fair-sized screen and features that other cars would only dream of. Rear-view cameras, 30gb of built-in storage, and connections for your phone, and Bluetooth connectivity. It is also connected to your dash and receives all the information displayed there, and can act as an auxiliary display for that info if you want it to.

Some final thoughts!

Another Ferrari that does not disappoint. In size and in features this car is arguably one of the more impressive models to come out in the past decade. A beautiful car that holds inside it a fair amount of things that, even alone, would be talking points in lesser cars. In this car they're just another part of the package that this awe-inspiring car holds.

All in all, it's still worth buying today, if you can find a used car. It's doubtful anyone would want to part with it, because anyone who drives and owns one could tell you that this article is no exaggeration, but nonetheless, if you have the ability to pick one up, then do so- it is a purchase you will not regret for a long time.