Ferrari 612 Scaglietti

Why it matters

Introduced in 2004 as the successor to the 456M, the 612 Scaglietti honored coachbuilder Sergio Scaglietti while moving Ferrari's four-seat flagship into a new structural era. Its spaceframe and body were constructed entirely from aluminium, reducing mass and increasing rigidity despite the car's generous cabin and luggage capacity. The 5,748 cc naturally aspirated V12 produced 540 cv at 7,250 rpm and sat entirely behind the front axle; paired with a rear-mounted six-speed transaxle, it created a 46:54 front-to-rear weight distribution. Customers could choose Ferrari's electrohydraulic F1A transmission or, in a very small number of cars, a six-speed gated manual. Pininfarina's design used deeply scalloped flanks inspired by the one-off 1954 375 MM built for Ingrid Bergman, giving the long 2+2 a visual identity distinct from the smaller two-seat berlinettas. Ferrari quoted 0–100 km/h in 4.2 seconds and a maximum speed of 320 km/h. Later cars gained the One-to-One personalization program, a glass electrochromic roof and the faster SuperFast transmission. The 612 proved that authentic rear accommodation and continental refinement could coexist with a front-mid-engine Ferrari V12.