The Ferrari 612 Scaglietti is one of my all-time favorites. The blend of performance with luxury enables it to do so much, so very well indeed. From the space inside, to the extra room in the back too, to the way it genuinely provides full four seat capacity, it’s just an extremely well rounded motor car. Overall, it appeals to people who want a big, classic V12 coupe but also want something a step beyond the Bentley Continental GT. When it was launched in 2004, it proved to be a more controversial design than its predecessor, the 456GT, which was a beautiful and much admired Ferrari. The 612 though, is a big step forward in terms of quality. The 5.7-litre V12 engine is unusually refined and produces 540bhp. A lot of that controversy surrounded its size; the Ferrari 612 Scaglietti is significantly larger than the 456M it replaced, though the obvious benefits here are in all that extra passenger space. Indeed, this helped Ferrari broaden the market for this machine, with its new found GT credentials helping more people justify it. The Ferrari 612 Scaglietti is produced entirely from aluminium, which means it is relatively lightweight for such a commodious four-seater. This helps handling agility no end, with the 612 offering a good drive that fully lives up to the Ferrari ideal, particularly in later iterations. Performance from the mighty V12 is also substantial: it can top 195mph, and accelerates to 60mph in just 4.3 seconds. Typically for Ferrari, both six-speed manual and semi-automatic F1 shift gearboxes are available; the latter by far outsells the former. A regular automatic is not available. Drivers can be a bit disappointed by the F1 semi-auto gearbox in the 612. However, from 2007, the F1 gearbox was improved and the HG TS handling pack made available. Both these really transform the car. Later in 2007, the big screen navigation and Bose sound system really completed the improvements, and make the 612 Scaglietti the ultimate four seater coupe GT. On the whole, it appeals to people who want a big and classic V12 coupe, but also want something a step beyond the Bentley Continental GT. It’s a level above, say, an Aston Martin DB9. In terms of market position, only the Bentley Brooklands seeks to offer a four seater coupe at a similar price, but of a completely different character. The above is extracted from a 68 page luxury car market report that can be found on www.clivesutton.co.uk.
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