The Ferrari F512M turns 30, but in the fortieth anniversary year of the GTO and the Testarossa, of which it is the last descendant, this birthday passes almost silently. The comparison with the other two is cumbersome, even if she certainly doesn’t lack charisma. The problem is that some stylistic choices made for it were not excellent brushstrokes on the bodywork of the 512 TR and Testarossa, of which it is heir.
This prevented it from entering the hearts of enthusiasts like the other two, even though in terms of engineering and performance it is the most advanced of the species. It’s certainly not an ugly car, but the addition of the new front end and the different treatment of the rear mirror have introduced expressive codes that are not well harmonized with the original lexicon.
Even the best sometimes make mistakes, but this is partially to the designers’ defence Pininfarina the fact is that it is really difficult to make adjustments to automotive masterpieces such as the Testarossa, even if the 512 TR seems to disprove this.
The Ferrari F512M made its debut at Paris Auto Show of 1994. Enthusiasts immediately highlighted the lower quality design compared to its progenitors. Even the alloy wheels were disappointing, not so much for the helical alchemy, which was overall pleasant, but for the unfortunate fit into the general graphic body. The changes made to the passenger compartment are detailed, almost identical to the very successful one of the 512 TR. Other interventions focused on performance refinement, touching on the mechanics.
Il V12 engine from 5 liters of displacement it gained further muscle tone, reaching 440 HP of maximum power, compared to 428 in the previous step. We are well ahead of the 390 HP of the Testarossa. The effects on the performance front are positive and tangible, also thanks to the lower weight, with acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.7 seconds and from 0 to 1000 meters in 22.7 seconds. The maximum speed was pushed into the territory of 315 km/h.
Even if it doesn’t inspire as much as its progenitors, the Ferrari F512M commands higher prices on the collectors’ market due to its rarity. In fact, only the model was built 501 specimens: enough to make it the least widespread variant of the Testarossa lineage. Also playing in its favor is the fact that it was the last production “red” (limited edition excluded) powered by a 12-cylinder engine placed behind the passenger compartment. A plus of no small importance.
Source: www.autoblog.it
