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New Models

2021 Ferrari 812 Competizione: 9500rpm supercar revealed in first official images – UPDATE

Ferrari's front-engined flagship debuts in May, with a 9500rpm redline, 610kW and wild track-focused styling.


UPDATE, 6 May 2021: The special-edition Ferrari 812 now has a name: Competizione.

Click here to read the full reveal story, covering both the coupe and its Competizione A targa-topped sibling.

Our original story continues unchanged below.


22 April 2021: A "special version" of the 2021 Ferrari 812 has been revealed in first official images, ahead of its full unveiling on 5 May 2021, at 10:30pm AEST.

While the upcoming supercar's name has yet to be officially confirmed – with media unofficially dubbing the model 'VS', short for 'Versione Speciale' (special version in Italian) – Ferrari has confirmed it will sit above the current 812 Superfast in its range, as the "ultimate expression" of the brand's front-engined coupes.

Powering the 812 VS is a reworked version of Ferrari's naturally-aspirated V12 engine seen in the Superfast, tuned to develop 610kW (up 22kW), with a redline of 9500rpm – the highest of any road-going Ferrari engine ever produced, beating the LaFerrari's 9250rpm.

No performance figures have been announced, however expect the 0-100km/h time to fall a few tenths from the Superfast's 2.9-second claim.

Extracting the VS's additional rpms and kilowatts are a raft of internal changes, including the use of "state-of-the-art materials", a new valve timing mechanism, and a more aggressive exhaust system.

Drive is sent to the tarmac with help from "class-leading" vehicle electronics and chassis systems, including "independent" steering on all four wheels, an "extensive" use of carbon-fibre, and version 7.0 of Ferrari's Side Slip Control driver electronics system.

Housing the hi-po powertrain and advanced chassis technology is a reworked exterior styling package, with the 812 Superfast's body overhauled with the aim of increasing downforce.

Up front, new air intakes sit within a more aggressive bumper fitted with a deeper splitter, while towards the rear there's an aggressive lower diffuser, a taller integrated lip spoiler, dual outboard exhaust tips, and an assortment of vents covering all regions of the rear bumper.

The Superfast's glass rear window has been replaced by a single-piece aluminium structure that fits flush with the car's roof, featuring vortex generators said to improve aerodynamic efficiency and channel air where required to cut lap times on track.

There's also a large carbon-fibre 'blade' running across the bonnet which, while not explicitly detailed in Ferrari's initial announcement, likely serves to improve engine cooling, increase downforce, or both.

Inside, the 812 Superfast's dashboard and door card designs have been retained, though the door card's internals have been revised to shave weight, while a new automatic gear selector derived from the Roma coupe features in the centre console, with a layout inspired by a traditional H-pattern manual gearbox.

The 2021 Ferrari 812 'VS' (with the final name still to be confirmed) will be unveiled in full on 5 May 2021 at 10:30pm AEST, with the reveal event to be broadcasted live across Ferrari's social media channels.


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Alex Misoyannis

Alex Misoyannis has been writing about cars since 2017, when he started his own website, Redline. He contributed for Drive in 2018, before joining CarAdvice in 2019, becoming a regular contributing journalist within the news team in 2020. Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flicking through car magazines at a young age, to growing up around performance vehicles in a car-loving family.

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