Ferrari 812 GTS set at $675,888

FERRARI Australasia unveiled the new folding-hardtop 812 GTS at its Artarmon dealership on Sydney’s north shore this week, close to 12 months before right-hand-drive examples are set to reach Australian customers during the fourth quarter of 2020.

Resplendent in Rosso Corsa Red – not the GTS’s gunmetal-grey ‘Grigio’ launch colour – and fresh off the boat from its debut in Dubai, the 812 GTS’s Asia-Pacific unveiling coincided with its Australian pricing reveal.

At $675,888 (plus on-road costs), Ferrari’s open-top V12 flagship will command an 11 per cent price premium over its 812 Superfast coupe sibling, which starts at $610,000 plus on-roads.

Ferrari Australasia’s newly appointed sales manager Peter Sutton confirmed to GoAuto at the GTS’s local reveal that you do not need to have owned another Ferrari in order to purchase an 812 GTS, as per the Superfast.

“We are taking small orders on the vehicle through made-to-order business,” said Mr Sutton, adding that only a limited number would be available across what is expected to be a two-year lifecycle.

However, he said “we anticipate (the GTS) will be a similar volume to the Superfast, maybe more”.

“I think there’s a Ferrari for every different Ferrari owner – some people like the coupes, some people like the spiders,” he said.

“The portfolio’s expanding to meet different needs … (and) there’s definitely a market for (the 812 GTS), that’s the reason why we’re doing it.”

Based on the exquisite 812 Superfast coupe, the new 812 GTS (for ‘Spider’) is one of five full-production Ferrari models unveiled during 2019 and marks the Italian supercar manufacturer’s return to series-production, V12-engined, open-top motoring after an absence of half a century.

As such, the 812 GTS is far from a cut-and-shut makeover. Most of the rear sheetmetal is new, and while it maintains the flavour of the Superfast’s core styling, the chunky rear buttresses, vertical (and retractable) rear window and long body-colour back section give it almost a ‘landau’ appearance.

It broadens the 812’s appeal – particularly when lowering the back window and basking in the V12’s exhaust symphony – while displaying a unique styling personality.

Under the GTS’s swooping bonnet sits the most powerful V12 in the world – the same 6.5-litre front-mid-mounted powerhouse featured in the 812 Superfast. Producing 588kW of power at 8500rpm and 718Nm of torque at 7000rpm, the performance of the open-top 812 GTS is barely affected by its nominal weight gain of 75kg.

Ferrari claims the seven-speed dual-clutch-equipped 812 GTS is capable of 0-100km/h in less than 3.0 seconds and 0-200km/h in 8.3 seconds.

Despite the alterations to its rear-end aerodynamics, Ferrari claims the GTS’s top speed is identical to the Superfast’s – in excess of 340km/h.

That folding hardtop is so neatly packaged that it does not impinge on the coupe’s impressive two-seat cabin space, and it can be electrically opened or closed within 14 seconds, at speeds of up to 45km/h.

Along with Ferrari’s usual plethora of optional extras, the 812 GTS will be available in Australia with three different wheel designs, each measuring 20 inches in diameter.

2019 Ferrari 812 pricing*

*Excludes on-road costs