11/01/2026

theSunday Special XIV ON SUNDAY JAN 11, 2026

6.5 litre naturally aspirated V12.

Passenger 8.8-inch touchscreen.

unwieldy once moving. Weight transfer is predictable, and the chassis communicates clearly, encouraging confidence even when conditions are less than ideal. DRIVING A LEFT-HAND-DRIVE SUPERCAR IN KL: A REALITY CHECK As accomplished as the 12Cilindri Spider is, driving it in Kuala Lumpur high lights a reality that is often overlooked in supercar reviews. This is a wide, long, left-hand-drive Ferrari, and Kuala Lumpur’s urban envi ronment does not always accommodate such proportions gracefully. Narrow lanes, tight parking entrances, toll booths, and dense traffic require constant vigilance. Judging the left side of the car, particu larly near kerbs and obstacles, demands a level of concentration that never fully relaxes. The Spider’s size, combined with its LHD configuration, means you are always acutely aware of your surroundings. Lane positioning becomes deliberate rather than instinctive, and sudden manoeuvres by other road users require anticipation rather than reaction. It is not stressful, but it is engaging in a very different way from driving the same car on wide European roads. This Ferrari rewards patience and precision just as much as speed. ROOF DOWN: THE CAR AT ITS MOST HONEST With the roof lowered, the 12Cilindri Spider transforms. The V12’s soundtrack fills the cabin, unobstructed and intoxicat ing, while wind management remains impressively controlled even at higher speeds. On open stretches of highway, the expe rience borders on theatrical. The sound, the acceleration, and the sense of occasion combine into something deeply memora ble. This is where the Spider justifies its existence, not as a lap-time chaser, but as an emotional machine designed to heighten every moment behind the wheel. COMFORT AND USABILITY: SURPRISINGLY CIVILISED Despite its performance, the 12Cilindri Spider is remarkably usable. The ride is compliant, the cabin is well insulated, and the infotainment system is intuitive once familiar. Storage space is limited but practical enough for a weekend escape, reinforcing the car’s grand-touring credentials. Fuel consumption is predictably sub

This distinction matters because it defines how the car feels from the driver’s seat. The engine is not behind you; instead, its mass and character are communicated through the steering, the chassis, and the long bonnet stretching out ahead. Producing around 830hp and revving to approximately 9,500rpm, this V12 delivers its performance without turbochargers or electrification. Power builds progressively, and the reward for letting the revs climb is one of the most evocative soundtracks available in any modern road car. In an era increasingly dominated by forced induction and hybrid assistance, the 12Cilindri Spider feels defiantly analogue in its response, immediate, linear, and emotionally rich. PERFORMANCE: EFFORTLESS SPEED, IMMENSE CAPABILITY On paper, the figures are predictably staggering. A 0-100kph sprint dispatched in under three seconds and a top speed well beyond 330kph places the Spider firmly in supercar territory. But numbers alone fail to capture how approachable the performance feels. The eight-speed dual-clutch transmission shifts with remarkable smoothness, espe cially in comfort-oriented drive modes. Around Kuala Lumpur, this makes the car far more usable than its output might suggest. Throttle response is keen but not abrupt, and low-speed drivability is excel lent for a V12 of this calibre. When the roads open up, particularly on expressways outside the city, the Spider reveals its true nature. Acceleration is relentless, yet never frantic, and the sense of stability at speed is deeply reassuring. CHASSIS AND HANDLING: GRAND TOURING WITH GENUINE FINESSE Ferrari has engineered the car to bal ance high-speed touring comfort with genuine dynamic capability. Four-wheel steering, advanced traction systems, and adaptive suspension all work cohesively to give the car a breadth of abil ity that suits both relaxed cruising and committed driving. On Kuala Lumpur’s variable road sur faces, where smooth asphalt can give way to uneven concrete without warning, the Spider remained composed and confi dence-inspiring. The suspension filters out imperfections without disconnecting the driver from the road, and the steering delivers excellent feedback without feeling nervous. Despite its size, the car does not feel

15.6-inch digital instrument cluster.

H-Pattern gear selector.

12Cilindri Spider feels like Ferrari saying, unapologetically – this is who we are. And for those fortunate enough to expe rience it, even on the challenging roads of KL, it is a message worth hearing.

stantial, but anyone considering a natu rally aspirated V12 Ferrari is unlikely to be counting litres per hundred kilometres. A DEFIANT CELEBRATION OF THE V12 The Ferrari 12Cilindri Spider is not about compromise. It is about celebration, of engine character, of mechanical purity, and of Ferrari’s long-standing V12 heri tage. Driving it in Kuala Lumpur underscores both its brilliance and its demands. It is sublime on open roads, commanding yet civilised, and utterly intoxicating when driven as intended. In a world rapidly moving toward elec trification and homogenisation, the

SPECIFICATIONS Engine: 6.5 litre naturally-aspirated V12

Power: 830PS Torque: 678Nm

0-100kph: 2.95 seconds 0-200kph: 8.2 seconds

PRICE (AS TESTED): RM5.1 MILLION We like: The 0-100kph dash, smooth gear shifts and responsive throttles. We don’t like: Exhaust notes could be a lot louder.