First Ever V12 Ferrari With a Retractable Hardtop.

The new 2020 Ferrari 812 GTS is the spider version of the Ferrari 812 Superfast, from which it takes both its specifications and performance.

Firsts

Not only is the new 2020 Ferrari 812 GTS Spider the first ever V12 Ferrari with a retractable hardtop, Ferrai claims it is also the first ‘production series’ front mount V12 convertible since the classic Ferrari 365 GTS4 Daytona’s of 1969. This all assumes you do not count the 448 examples of the 550 Barchetta Pininfarina produced in 2000, the 559 examples of the Superamerica in 2005 or the 80 examples of the SA Aperta in 2010 as production series.

Ferrari’s V12 spider history

The Ferrari V12 spider history features some iconic models which began in 1948 with the 166 MM, a competition GT that won the two most prestigious endurance races in the world in 1949: the Mille Miglia and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The last in that long lineage was the 1969 365 GTS4, also known as the Daytona Spider because of Ferrari’s legendary victory in the 1967 24 Hours of Daytona when two works 330 P4s and the NART-entered 412 P took the chequered flag side by side to occupy the top three places.

Retractable hardtop features

The retractable hard top opens in 14 seconds at speeds of up to 45 km/h and does not impede upon the interior dimensions, maintaining the same cabin space as the 812 Superfast. The rear electric screen acts as a wind breaker making the car comfortable with the top down. With the roof closed, the rear electric screen can be left open so occupants can still enjoy the naturally aspirated V12’s sound.

There was huge focus on minimising both turbulence inside the cabin and aerodynamic noise to ensure occupants could converse undisturbed even at high speeds. As with the LaFerrari Aperta, two small L-shaped flaps on the upper corners of the windscreen generate a coherent concentrated vortex that creates outwash in the velocity field immediately above the rear screen, thereby avoiding excess pressure behind the occupants’ heads.

Exterior and aerodynamics

Aerodynamically, the 812 GTS posed two main challenges for the Ferrari designers. How to guarantee the same performance as the 812 coupé version with the top up and, at the same time, ensure maximum passenger comfort with the roof down.

In terms of aerodynamic performance, the retractable hard top and its stowage compartment, required that the rear of the car be modified. Thanks to meticulous re-sculpting of the tonneau cover surfaces and, most importantly, the integration of a triplane wing into rear diffuser to create efficient suction (and thus downforce) from the underbody, the aerodynamic engineers were able to compensate for the downforce lost by the removal of the 812 Superfast’s rear wheelarch bypass duct, (the air intake of which was behind the quarterlight on the 812 Superfast).

Drag, on the other hand, was cut by using the air vents on top of the rear flank to efficiently channel excess pressure build up out of the wheel well.

Engine and performance

The 812 GTS is the spider version of the 812 Superfast, from which it takes both its specifications and performance, most notably the V12 engine which, thanks to its ability to unleash a massive 800 cv at 8500 rpm, is the most powerful engine in its class! 718 Nm of torque guarantees impressive acceleration virtually on a par with that of the 812 Superfast while the 8900 rpm rev limit means that sporty driving is undiminished.

As on the 812 Superfast, these performance levels were achieved in part by optimising the engine design and in part by innovations, such as the use of a 350 bar direct injection system, and the control system for the variable geometry inlet tracts, developed on naturally-aspirated F1 engines. These systems allowed the increase in displacement from 6.2 to 6.5 litres to be exploited to maximise power output whilst retaining excellent pick up even at low revs.

Overall, performance levels are very close to those of the 812 Superfast, with 0-100 km/h acceleration still under 3 seconds and 0-200 km/h in just 8,3 seconds. The Ferrari 812 GTS’s maximum speed is the same as the berlinetta’s at 340 km/h.

Exhaust changes for the convertable

Due to the open air nature of the 812 GTS drivers are more able to hear the V12’s characteristics and so the geometry of the exhaust system was evolved to increase and balance the sound from the engine and tailpipes. Exhaust-wise prevalence was given to combustion order harmonics by modifying the geometry of the centre extension pipes. All the pipes in the 6-in-1 exhaust manifold to the monolithic catalytic converter are of equal-length and this optimises the sound by giving predominance to the first order combustion harmonics.

Ferrari 812 GTS Price

Sale date and price are yet to be announced however the price is expected to start northwards of US$335,275.