Maranello's stunning V12-powered GT is now a tempting modern classic - is it time to take plunge on a used example?
Ferrari’s answer to the Bentley Continental GT and Aston Martin Vanquish in 2004 was a front-engined, long-nosed, rear-drive 540bhp GT that was the closest the firm had ever come to making a 200mph family car.On which note, let’s start with the practical stuff. With four seats, good visibility, soft leather upholstery and as much space up front as its nearly five-metre length would have you believe, the 612 Scaglietti has almost all the hallmarks of a consummate GT car.Almost, because its modest 240-litre boot is nearly half the size of the 450-litre Mercedes CL’s and 115 litres smaller than the Continental GT’s.But do you buy a Ferrari for its boot space? If you look past this shortcoming and regard the 612 as a GT that offers more character and driving engagement than outright utility, then it’s in a class of its own.It’s powered by a 5.7-litre naturally aspirated petrol V12, which redlines at 7500rpm and pushes the 1840kg car to 62mph in 4.0sec. It’s a fearsome, bulletproof engine (with timely servicing) and is as ready to tackle the demands of high-speed cruising, undulating road surfaces and race tracks as the balletically balanced chassis is.The car’s underpinnings employ a reinforced aluminium spaceframe, which makes it lighter than most of its contemporary competition. It weighs a whole 545kg less than the Continental GT, 13kg less than the CL and only 5kg more than the Vanquish.What’s more, 85% of that mass is within its 2950mm wheelbase and the weight is distributed 55% over the front axle and 45% over the rear.This translates to handling prowess. The car’s poise, balance and willingness to play in even the most mundane of situations make it wonderful to hustle around bends, both on a track and on the road.Better still, it combines this with a magnificent V12 that howls and wails with the fortitude of a Vulcan jet on demand, yet at a cruise settles into a relaxed, hushed gait that lets you engage in small talk with your passengers.You might find that the car’s design arises as a topic of conversation. There were plenty of weirdly proportioned GTs being launched when this car came out in 2004 – the Continental GT, CL and Maserati Coupé are no oil paintings – all pandering to the same design ethos, with concave bodies, small, rounded headlights and swage lines on every available surface.The Ferrari was much the same, with most contemporary reviewers using words such as “ungainly†and “awkward†to describe it. Whether or not you agree is your prerogative. In your correspondent’s eyes, it has commendable draws, but it’s far from the prettiest Ferrari ever made.And being a Ferrari, there was only one engine available in a standard trim level, but you could specify it with options such as the HGTS and HGTC trim packs, which cost £7505 and £15,675 respectively.These brought stiffer anti-roll bars, a gearbox with 10%-faster shifts and a fruitier-sounding exhaust.All cars came with leather upholstery, climate and cruise control, a Bose stereo and electric front seats. The drivetrain was offered with the option of a six-speed semi-automatic, but a six-speed manual was also available.Sure, some of the 612’s rivals may be slightly better looking and wear badges that carry a similar degree of car park cachet, but none of them sounds as good, steers as well, feels as lively or has the same split personality as the 612.
