Ferrari’s 12Cilindri already feels like a statement car in an era moving quickly toward electrification.
The next, sharper VS version could make an even more pointed one if Ferrari gives it the rumoured three-pedal, gated-shift arrangement linked to its modern dual-clutch transmission.
That would make the 12Cilindri VS less about a huge power leap and more about how the driver connects with one of Maranello’s defining engine formats.
At a glance
- Ferrari is testing a more focused 12Cilindri VS, also known as Versione Speciale.
- The car is expected to use the naturally aspirated 6.5-litre V12 with a modest increase over the standard car’s 819 hp output.
- A simulated gated manual using an 8-speed dual-clutch gearbox and clutch pedal is rumoured for the VS.
A sharper 12Cilindri built around the V12
The 12Cilindri VS is expected to keep the same broad mechanical foundation as the regular 12Cilindri, with Ferrari’s naturally aspirated 6.5-litre V12 at its centre.
In standard form, that engine delivers 819 hp and 500 lb-ft of torque, numbers that already place the car firmly in Ferrari’s front-engined flagship tradition.
The VS is tipped to move output closer to the 850 hp mark, but a relatively small horsepower increase isn’t likely to define the car.
Ferrari’s special-series V12 models tend to be judged as much by response, character and driver involvement as by the final line on a spec sheet.
The simulated gate is the real talking point
The most intriguing possibility is the adoption of the three-pedal simulated manual arrangement associated with the 12Cilindri Manuale.
It isn’t a conventional manual gearbox in the old mechanical sense.
The system still uses Ferrari’s 8-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, but allows the driver to operate it through a 6-speed gated shifter and a clutch pedal.
Those physical inputs are translated into digital commands, giving the driver the theatre of a gated shift while retaining the speed and packaging of a contemporary dual-clutch setup.
For purists, that distinction matters.
For Ferrari, it could be a clever way to reintroduce the rituals people miss without giving up the performance envelope expected of a current V12 supercar.
Where the VS would sit in Ferrari’s modern line-up
If Ferrari follows through, the 12Cilindri VS would occupy a very specific place in the brand’s catalogue.
It would not simply be the faster version, but the more intense and deliberately engaging one.
The appeal would be strongest for collectors and drivers who see the naturally aspirated V12 as more than a power unit.
In that context, the simulated manual would become a central part of the car’s identity, not a nostalgic add-on.
It also raises a more interesting question for modern performance cars.
As electronics become more capable, driver engagement may increasingly come from how brands shape the interface rather than from purely mechanical simplicity.
Details & Specifications
| Brand | Ferrari |
|---|---|
| Model | 12Cilindri VS |
| Engine | Naturally aspirated 6.5-litre V12 |
| Standard 12Cilindri output | 819 hp and 500 lb-ft of torque |
| Expected VS output | Around 850 hp |
| Transmission under discussion | 8-speed dual-clutch automatic with simulated 6-speed gated manual operation and clutch pedal |
| Driver interface | Digital signal operation from physical shifter and clutch inputs |
The 12Cilindri VS is shaping up as a car where the numbers may tell only half the story.
If the gated digital manual reaches the finished model, Ferrari’s next special V12 could become one of its most talked-about modern driver’s cars precisely because it blurs the line between old ritual and new engineering.
