FERRARI

F512 M: the best and rarest of the Ferrari Testarossa

Which is the best of the Ferrari Testarossa? Enthusiasts and collectors bow to the first, the most famous and of which more than 7,000 examples were made, and the later F512 TR, but the greatest maturity of the project came with the third and last, the F512 M, from which one can say that it showed the maximum development of the vehicle.

The only one in the series that does not bear the Testarossa name (the 'F' was for Ferrari, the 'M' for modified, like some sports cars of the past), received small but important aesthetic changes, as well as several technical evolutions that continue to be made. of him one of the most coveted models of Maranello.

Presented at the Paris Motor Show in October 1994 and defined as the most advanced Testarossa ever produced by Ferrari, the F512 M was also the last car from Maranello to be equipped with the V12 engine with dual 180° valve timing, introduced for the first time. time in 1973, in the Ferrari F365 GT4/BB and taken here to its maximum evolution.

Compared to the previous F512 TR (1991-1994), the engine was renamed the F113 G and kept its displacement of 4,943 cm3 (82 mm in diameter and 78 mm of stroke), but brought with it small measures of weight savings. . These include a new lighter crankshaft, titanium alloy connecting rods, forged pistons and a new stainless steel exhaust system.

Thanks to these modifications, the F512 M weighed 130 kg less than the F512 TR, of which 60 kg were saved with the engine alone, whose compression ratio was increased from 10:1 to 10.4:1 and allowed to increase the power from 428 to 440 hp at 6,750 rpm, the maximum achieved by Ferrari's 'flat' V12.

In this way, the car was able to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in just 4.68 seconds (15 tenths less than the previous model) and to reach a top speed of 315 km/h, while the braking system was finally equipped with ABS as standard.

If the changes to the powertrain were barely visible but substantial, those made to the design were much more striking and at first not all enthusiasts appreciated. The front featured a redesigned, more rounded grille and a new exposed headlight fairing with a Plexiglas cover, which replaced the traditional retractable headlights.

At the rear, the shorter grille gave way to new pairs of circular taillights without caps, while the 18-inch alloy wheels featured a new five-spoke helical design.

Autonews