Ferrari’s new 612 Scaglietti HGT was bound to be extremely fast and absolutely thrilling to drive. But would it be practical for the real world? Darius Sanai reports

There is a widely discussed view that there are certain luxury goods for particular phases of your life. Watches, for example. A man might purchase a Tag Heuer when racing around the world in his 20s; move on to an IWC in his 30s; mature into a Jaeger-LeCoultre in his 40s; and treat himself to a masterwork by Patek Philippe or A Lange & Söhne in his 50s.

This works for cars, too, or it did until recently. A Porsche Boxster was for your 20s; the first Ferrari needed to come in the 30s, when you were still young enough to want to drive like Schumacher; then it was onto Bentleys and the like. That didn’t stop many mature men from purchasing a Ferrari; but they seemed rather out of place pootling around in a car proudly showing off its Formula One roots.

So it was with great interest that I approached the latest version of Ferrari’s top-ofthe-range model. The 612 Scaglietti HGT has everything you’d expect of the world’s raciest car brand, including a top speed in excess of 200mph (300km/h), racing suspension, hi-tech carbon ceramic brakes and a V12 engine. The ‘HGT’ specification, new for 2008, designates further tuning of the bits that make it go around corners fast. It also looks stunning, a necessity given that a secondary purpose of a Ferrari is as a kind of mating call.

But the Scaglietti is not the kind of roadracing car that looks silly wrapped around anyone over the age of 45. It’s a proper four-seater, with luxuriously-clad rear seats; it’s swathed in leather made by Poltrona Frau; its looks are less ‘look at me’ and more elegantly understated. Painted in a classic Ferrari colour, a classic Ferrari colour from the 1950s, as mine was, it is quite beautiful, but to the untrained eye didn’t scream ‘Ferrari’.

The aim of the Scaglietti is to pamper four people as well as thrill the driver. A family Ferrari, in other words, and a car to please the 60-something as much as the 30-something.

So did it work? The first test of a practical car is whether you can carry your weekend baggage in it, without piling it on top of your passenger (as I once had to do in an older Ferrari; my wife forgave me eventually). The 612 passed with flying colours. Not only is the boot big enough for a set of golf clubs, you can also order it with its own collection of bespoke luggage, comprising three suitcases, a suit carrier and a vanity case, all embossed with Ferrari 612 Scaglietti logos. These allow you to fit enough in for a long and glamorous trip.

Next up was the ultimate driving test. Not the Monza Formula One track, but rush-hour weekend traffic out of London. The 612 may be able to travel faster than a Boeing at takeoff, but would it be a pleasant experience crawling at the same speed as a white delivery van?

The 612 was a revelation: the F1-style paddleshift was, unlike its previous incarnation, smooth, responsive and refined. And cruising along with the traffic was a delight: the cabin was quiet, light, and luxurious. Not as roomy as a limo, but then private jets sometimes aren’t as spacious as first class…

At this stage you might be wondering when the real driving, the sensory experience, is starting: this is a Ferrari review after all. So here we go. Noise: perfect. There’s a headturning V12 roar that makes everyone look when you fire up or accelerate (which you expect of a Prancing Horse), but it’s quiet when cruising (which you don’t). Smell: wonderful – the scent of rich leather (but not of petrol). Performance: magnificent, although the best of the V12 comes at high revs, between 4,000 and the 7,500rpm redline. As you’d hope, it gets faster the faster you go: it seems to get from 100 to 160mph (around 160 to 250km/h) in a blink.

Handling: fabulous, though this isn’t a particularly wieldy car, being long and wide. Give it the right road of sweeping curves and it’s super-sharp, corners flat (especially when you press the Sport mode button) and exits as if fired by a catapult; a damp surface makes the tail dance under full throttle in low gears.

Does the Scaglietti have any faults? Well, when we loaded the children up in the back and stuck their favourite CD on the super-flashy Bose system, the rear speakers were too bass-oriented to pick up the tune of Baa, Baa, Black Sheep, which provoked some complaints. So there you are: this is a Ferrari for every stage of your life, except when your kids are at nursery school.

LUX RATING: 19/20

 

RIVALS

Bentley Continental GT Speed

Rapid, relaxed, smooth and luxurious. But it’s not really a sports car that you’d take for a blast around a track.
www.bentleymotors.com
LUX RATING: 18/20

Mercedes CL65 AMG

As fast as the Scaglietti, as comfortable for four, and, without doubt, more hi-tech, but less involving to drive.
www.mercedes.com
LUX RATING: 18/20

Gulfstream IV jet

Even quicker from London to Nice, and even more of a status symbol. Hard to park.
www.gulfstream.com
LUX RATING: 19.5/20