Ferrari 12Cilindri Spider: A New Chapter for the Open-Top V12 Grand Tourer
Ferrari has never been a company afraid to reinvent itself, but with the 12Cilindri Spider, Maranello has done something genuinely remarkable: it has looked backwards to move forwards. This stunning open-top grand tourer combines a naturally aspirated V12 engine, a folding hard top, and a design philosophy rooted in Ferrari's most celebrated heritage — and the result is one of the most exciting and emotionally resonant cars the Italian marque has produced in years. We've now driven it on UK roads for the first time, and here's everything you need to know.
A Design Rooted in Ferrari Legend
When Ferrari first revealed the 12Cilindri coupe two years ago, the styling language spoke volumes. The long bonnet, the flowing roofline, and the overall proportions were a clear and deliberate nod to the legendary Ferrari Daytona of the late 1960s — one of the most beautiful grand tourers ever conceived. With the Spider variant, that visual homage gains yet another dimension. Strip away the roof, and the connection to Ferrari's golden era of front-engined, naturally aspirated excess becomes even more visceral.
The 12Cilindri Spider does not simply lift the roof from the coupe and call it a day. Ferrari's engineers and designers have worked hard to ensure the open-top version retains the same structural integrity, the same sense of purpose, and the same visual drama as the fixed-head car. The folding hard top mechanism, neatly packaged behind the two seats, deploys or retracts in a matter of seconds, allowing drivers to choose between a composed, coupe-like interior environment and the full sensory assault of open-air motoring at the touch of a button.
The Philosophy Behind the 12Cilindri
To understand why the 12Cilindri Spider matters, it helps to understand the philosophical shift that Ferrari consciously made when developing the entire 12Cilindri family. The car's predecessors — the F12 Berlinetta and the 812 Superfast — were uncompromising performance machines. They were extraordinary cars, make no mistake, but their characters were defined primarily by raw speed, massive power outputs, and an almost combative relationship with the driver.
With the 12Cilindri, Ferrari has pivoted towards something subtler and, arguably, more sophisticated. The priority here is grand touring in the classical sense: effortless long-distance capability, a more relaxed and melodic character, and a connection to the heritage of cars like the 365 GTB/4 Daytona that made Ferrari famous in the first place. Performance remains, of course — this is still a Ferrari with a screaming V12 — but it is no longer the sole point of the exercise.
This is a significant statement. Brands like Aston Martin and Bentley have long owned the idea of the luxurious, front-engined grand tourer with a prestigious badge on the bonnet. Ferrari is now staking a renewed claim to that territory, bringing with it the added theatre of a naturally aspirated twelve-cylinder engine that no rival can currently match for outright drama.
What Makes the Spider the Better Choice?
The fixed-head 12Cilindri coupe is already a deeply compelling car, but there is a strong argument — now reinforced by our UK first drive — that the Spider is the variant to have. The reasons are fundamentally emotional rather than rational, which is entirely appropriate for a car of this type.
- The V12 soundtrack: With the roof lowered, the naturally aspirated V12 engine's exhaust note fills the cabin in a way that no sound system could ever replicate. At full throttle, the rising crescendo of all twelve cylinders working in harmony is one of the great acoustic experiences in modern motoring.
- The open-air connection: Grand touring has always been about engaging with the world around you — the landscape, the temperature, the smell of the countryside. The Spider's open roof transforms a journey into an experience.
- The visual drama: With its roof down, the 12Cilindri Spider reveals a cabin architecture and a set of proportions that are genuinely beautiful. The long bonnet stretching away from the driver, combined with the tight, sculpted rear deck, creates a silhouette that feels timeless.
- The folding hard top advantage: Unlike a traditional fabric soft top, the retractable hard top ensures that with the roof up, refinement levels inside the cabin are comparable to the coupe. Wind noise is well suppressed, and the car feels equally composed whether you're crossing a continent in comfort or threading through a mountain pass.
Ferrari's Answer to Aston Martin and Bentley
The competitive context here is fascinating. Aston Martin has the DB12 Volante. Bentley has the Continental GT Speed Convertible. Both are superb grand tourers from brands with deep reservoirs of heritage and credibility in this segment. But neither can offer a naturally aspirated V12 in an open-top car right now, and neither carries the specific emotional charge that comes with a prancing horse on the bonnet.
Ferrari knows this, and the 12Cilindri Spider has been engineered with precisely this battleground in mind. It targets buyers who want something more laid-back and characterful than a mid-engined Ferrari supercar, but who also want the brand's full emotional intensity and engineering artistry delivered in a more approachable, liveable format.
The Verdict: A Ferrari for the Ages
The Ferrari 12Cilindri Spider is not the fastest car Ferrari makes, nor is it intended to be. What it is, however, is one of the most complete and emotionally rewarding Ferraris in recent memory. By combining a classically inspired design, the irreplaceable theatre of a naturally aspirated V12, and the freedom of a folding hard-top roof, Ferrari has created a car that speaks to something deeper than lap times or horsepower figures.
If the idea of a more relaxed, heritage-infused, front-engined Ferrari appeals to you — and after our first UK drive, it certainly appeals to us — then the 12Cilindri Spider deserves to be at the very top of your shortlist. This is grand touring done the Ferrari way, and right now, there is simply nothing else quite like it.