The Gentleman Magazine Issue 3 | June/July | Page 35

gear ratios, these modifications, mean that occupants will
instantly feel the car’s powerful response to the throttle.
On the track, this sharpened response equates to more down-
shifts in the same time interval, when the driver uses the multi-
down function (keeping the steering wheel- mounted Down
shift paddle depressed with the Manettino in Sport position).
Vehicle dynamics
The 812 Superfast is the first Ferrari to introduce Electric Power
Steering (EPS) which, in line with Ferrari tradition, is used to
fully exploit the potential of the car in terms of performance
by integrating it with all of the electronic vehicle dynamics
controls.
The car also sees the introduction of the Virtual Short Wheelbase
2.0 system (PCV) which, starting from the experience gained
with the F12tdf, combines electric front- wheel steering
assistance with the mechanical concept built around tyre
dimensions and the rear-wheel steering. All integrated with the
vehicle dynamics control systems based on Version 5.0 of the
SSC, with the aim of improving the agility and response time to
steering wheel inputs of the 812 Superfast.
The integration of the EPS enabled Ferrari’s engineers to
introduce functionalities to support the driver's performance
experience by means of the primary interface with the road:
the steering wheel.
Ferrari Peak Performance (FPP): when cornering, the steering
wheel torque will provide the driver with an indication that the
car is getting closer to its limit of grip, helping the control of
that dynamic state.
Ferrari Power Oversteer (FPO): in case of oversteer, most
frequently induced while powering out of corners, the steering
wheel torque will give the driver feedback to give steering
wheel inputs that are coherent with realigning the car correctly.
Both functions are aimed at extending the driver's experience
of the performance delivered by the 812 Superfast, while not
interfering with the driver’s control over the steering wheel
input. The driver remains the key to the driving experience.
The mechanical set-up sees the adoption of tyres developed
specifically for Ferrari by Michelin and Pirelli and retain the
same sizes front and rear (275/315) introduced on the F12tdf
to optimize the Passo Corto Virtuale concept.
The Brembo Extreme Design brakes, which previously
equipped the LaFerrari, are the most efficient ever developed
by Ferrari. Combined with the Hi-Performance ABS of the
9.1 Premium ESP, the braking performance from 100 km/h is
improved by 5.8% compare to the F12berlinetta.
Aerodynamics
The 812 Superfast’s aero design is part of Ferrari’s ongoing
commitment to continually improving performance with each
new model, both in terms of speed and augmented vehicle
dynamics for a more exhilarating driving experience.
The development guidelines aimed to achieve exceptionally
high aerodynamic efficiency figures through boosting of the
downforce that influences a car’s stability without increasing
drag as the latter would negatively impact fuel consumption
and maximum speed.
The aerodynamic coefficient values delivered by the 812
Superfast are a significant improvement on those of the
F12berlinetta.
Mobile aero solutions, whether mechanically activated (active
mobile aerodynamics) or activated by the pressure of the air
itself (passive mobile aerodynamics), guarantee very low drag
values. The choices made in this area were heavily influenced
by those debuted on the special F12berlinetta-derived F12tdf,
with which the 812 Superfast shares the same downforce values.
All its aerodynamic coefficients, however, have been improved.
To the side of the air intakes for engine and brake cooling,
is a turning vane on the front bumper which is designed to
channel air flows striking the front of car to ensure they hug
its flanks, thereby reducing the width of the car’s wake. This in
turn appreciably reduces overall drag.
Front downforce generation is entrusted for the most part to a
pair of diffusers just ahead of the front wheels, which increase
the amount of air drawn in by the underbody. To cancel out the
drag associated with them, the diffusers have been equipped
with a mobile aero system. When this activates, it completely
stalls the diffusers, fairing in the wheel. The mobile surface
integrated into the diffuser ramp is activated by the pressure of
the air which, as it enters from the lower intake on the outside
of the bumper, is channelled towards the mobile surface.
When the car reaches a speed where the pressure in the duct
is stronger than the calibrated pre- load of an elastic spring,
the mobile surface opens, thereby reducing the car’s drag and
improving front downforce.
The front diffusers’ capacity to generate downforce is boosted
by generous air evacuation from the front wheelarch along the
side of the car. This vent on the flanks also directs the energised
air flow from the diffusers on the front underbody, preventing
pressure build-ups inside the wheelarch and thus improving
downforce and cutting drag. This effect is maximised by two
sculpted air intakes on the front bonnet by the side of the
headlights. The flow is channelled by a specific duct to the
front section of the inside of the wheelarch, where it reduces
pressure, before energising the flow exiting along the flanks.
The spoiler on the car’s tail also generates downforce. The
trailing edge of the spoiler is 30 mm higher than on the
F12berlinetta as per the F12tdf. However, unlike the latter, it
has not been extended rearwards in depth to avoid changing the
car’s dimensions. This has increased drag but is compensated
for by the unusual gap at the bottom of the rear screen ahead
of the spoiler.
This discontinuity causes a separation in the air flow from
the rear window, creating longitudinal vortices which boost
compression on the surface of the bottom of the windscreen,
thereby reducing drag associated with the downforce
generated by the spoiler. The shape of the rear wheelarch has
also been crafted to guarantee efficient downforce generation.
In fact, the lift naturally generated by the way the body curves
over the wheelarches has been minimised by introducing an
aerodynamic by-pass between