Photo: Isot on Ferrari Chat via rosso812 on Instagram
As you're well aware, Il Commendatore used to race for Alfa Romeo prior to 1932, after Alfredo was born. He founded Scuderia Ferrari back in 1929, yet Ferrari the automaker would have to until the 1940s. The very first automobile to be produced by Ferrari was the 125 S, with 125 standing for the displacement of each cylinder in cubic centimeters and S meaning Sport.
Somewhat inspired by the Auto Avio Costruzioni 815, the 125 S race car paved the way for the company's road-going cars, beginning with the 166 Inter grand tourer of 1948. Similar to its forerunner, the 812 Superfast also packs a free-breathing V12 up front and rear-wheel drive. In roughly a day's time, it will be replaced by a new breed of gran turismos in Miami, with the fixed-head variant dubbed F167.
Ferrari expert Marcel Massini understands that Ferrari Cavalcade International participants are invited to the grand reveal. Based on a release published by the Prancing Horse of Maranello back on April 23, his account is 100% correct. "An eagerly awaited world premiere will take place," reads the cited release, but it's not clear whether the 812's replacement will be revealed in both coupe and open-top flavors in Miami.
Leading up to the eve of the debut, plenty of prototypes have been snapped by the carparazzi with Roma body panels or series-production bodywork hiding under a helluva lot of camouflage. Based on those pictures and insiders who shared a few interesting details about the F167 on the Ferrari Chat forum – including Massini – pixel artist Alberto Tosi has produced a set of renderings.
Going by the alias Isot on Ferrari Chat, he proposes a 365 GTB/4 Daytona-like front end for the long-awaited super grand tourer. If the real thing does hark back to the fabulous-looking berlinetta from the late 1960s and early 1970s, dealers will certainly go "ka-ching" at the reveal event.
Photo: Isot on Ferrari Chat via rosso812 on Instagram
Speaking of dealers, the order books for the F167 opened prior to the unveiling, yet certain dealers refuse deposits. For the time being, that is. Knowing the Maranello-based automaker, select customers have already seen and been offered the opportunity to place an order for the 800-plus-horse newcomer.
Also imagined with extremely thin LED taillights and with a retractable hard top à la 812 GTS, the F167 is believed to spin all the way to 10,000 revolutions per minute. Rather than a new engine or an electrified version of the 6.5-liter V12 we all know and love, hearsay suggests minor upgrades for the F140-series engine introduced by the 812.
Taking the lessons learned from the 812 Competizione and Daytona SP3 could result in 850 metric ponies or 838 mechanical ones. Given the recently teased Vanquish-spec Aston Martin twin-turbo V12, which makes 835 ps (824 hp) and 1,000 Nm (738 pound-feet) of torque, 850 ps seems reasonable for the naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12.
The jump from 9,500 rpm in the 812 Competizione to 10,000 rpm in the F167 should be fairly straightforward, but alas, Ferrari still has a long way to go until it can dream of duking it out with Cosworth's 12,100-rpm V12 engine. Known as the Cosworth GMA, said mill powers the Gordon Murray Automotive T.50 and the lesser T.33, with the latter being limited to 11,100 revolutions.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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