Ferrari Supercar Adds Power, All-Wheel Steering

Ferrari SpA’s new F12tdf supercar is lighter, faster and more powerful than the standard F12 Berlinetta on which it’s based. The limited-edition tdf model—named after the automotive Tour de France that Ferrari dominated from 1956 to 1964—also gets improved handling.  

The Berlinetta’s naturally aspirated 6.2-liter V-12 engine has been modified in the F12tdf to increase output 5% to 769 hp. Peak torque jumps from 508 lb-ft to 520 lb-ft at 6,750 rpm, with 80% available at 2,500 rpm. The car redlines at 8,900 rpm.

Engine changes include race-inspired mechanical tappets and variable-geometry intake trumpets similar to those used in Formula One cars to help boost volumetric efficiency at high revs.

The 7-speed dual-clutch transmission also has been enhanced. It gets 6% shorter gear ratios, which Ferrari says results in 30% faster upshifts and 40% faster downshifts.

The F12tdf sprints from zero to 62 mph in just 2.9 seconds and hits 124 mph in 7.9 seconds, while the relatively pokey Berlinetta clocks in at 3.1 seconds and 8.3 seconds, respectively. With a top speed of 211 mph, the F12tdf can zoom around Ferrari’s Fiorano test track in one minute and 21 seconds—trimming two seconds off the Berlinetta’s fast-lap time.

The use of carbon fiber in place of aluminum body components helps reduce vehicle weight by about 240 lbs. The F12tdf also benefits from a new aerodynamic package that produces 87% more downforce, Ferrari says.

To improve cornering capability, the F12tdf is fitted with wider front tires (jumping from 255 mm to 275 mm). While this improves longitudinal acceleration by 18% to 0.70g and lateral acceleration by 14% to 1.43g, it also creates an “oversteer” effect that makes the car more challenging to handle around turns for most drivers.

To counterbalance this, Ferrari is adding an all-wheel-steering system in which the rear wheels are turned in the same direction as the front wheels in certain situations. The system, which Ferrari calls passo corto virtuale (Italian for virtual short wheelbase), uses an internally developed algorithm to adjust the angle of the rear wheels based on vehicle speed, steering wheel angle and the speed of steering inputs.

The addition of rear-wheel steering, which is integrated with the car’s other dynamic controls, improves the F12tdf’s high-speed stability, steering response and cornering capabilities, Ferrari says.

Porsche and a few other manufacturers offer similar technologies on some high-end performance cars. In addition to high-speed maneuvers, these applications typically include a low-speed function in which the rear wheels are turned in the opposite direction of the front wheels to aid in parking and other tight turns.

Ferrari plans to build 799 of the special-edition F12tdf models. Pricing hasn’t been announced.