Cover Ferrari F12 TRS by Alex Penfold
16. December 2020

The Ferrari F12 TRS – A Very Special And Unique Ferrari

The Collectors Circle is known for consulting collectors all-round the globe and adding value to their car collections. We’ve discussed some of the most sought-after cars and we’ve also written articles about some of the most exclusive vehicles on the planet. But I am sure today’s supercar is mostly unknow even to some petrolheads. I am talking about the Ferrari F12 TRS which is a unique made-to-order Ferrari – only two vehicles are known to exist. Special editions like this are the brand’s way of thanking its most loyal car enthusiasts.

Technically, the supercar is based on the F12 Berlinetta which used to be the fastest road-going Ferrari ever built when introduced in 2012. But the design of the Ferrari F12 TRS is unique. One of the first things to notice is the missing roof and this is why the car is sometimes referred to as the F12 Barchetta (a car that is open topped, without neither a removable nor a foldable top for weather protection). The car is visually inspired by the legendary 250 Testa Rossa from 1957 and similar to the classic car, it has a wraparound windscreen. The front of the F12 TRS looks similar to the F12 but more aggressive thanks to the radical bumper and larger air intakes. My favorite design element of this Ferrari masterpiece is the glass cutout in the hood, allowing to sneak a view of the V12 engine.

The modified rear bumper gives the car an aggressive look from the back as well. The four exhaust pipes are the same as the F12 Berlinetta. Another design element that reminds us of the standard F12 Berlinetta is the T-shaped back with the break light in the middle of the car that characterizes the F12 Berlinetta’s truncated tail. The two humps at the back of the car flow smoothly from the tail of the car over into the headrests of the two seats.

The interior of the one-off supercar stays simple, just like many racing cars. Inside, you won’t find a glove box, an audio system, or central air vents. Carbon fiber, alcantara and leather are the main elements used by the Special Projects division of Ferrari for the utmost quality of the interior.

The performance of the F12 TRS comes from the characteristic V12 front-engine we know from its Berlinetta brother. The 6.3-liter V12 and can sprint from 0-100 km/h in 3.1 seconds and is good for a power output of 740 PS and 690 Nm of torque. At the beginning, it was rumored that the F12 TRS is equipped with a kinetic energy recovery system (KERS) (the same as you can find in LaFerrari) until Ferrari later confirmed that the F12 TRS features the same powertrain and performance specs as the standard F12 Berlinetta on which it’s based.

As mention previously, there are only two Ferrari F12 TRS that currently exist – one in liquid silver (former black car) and one in multi-layer Rosso red (the one in the pictures). Fun fact about the two supercars: they are both owned by the same person – Mr. Sam Li.

Mr. Li, one of billionaire Sammuel Tak Lee’s 7 children, has one of the most exclusive car collections of the world and owns some extremely rare supercars like the Rolls Royce Sweptail (formerly the most expensive new car in the world), the two Ferrari F12 TRS mentioned above and one of three Ferrari F50 GTs (considered by some as the best Ferrari ever made – click here to read the full article) – just to mention a few.

Personally, I am a big fan of the made to order Ferrari F12 TRS and I really like the unique and aggressive styling from both the front and the back. With this jaw-dropping Ferrari, the Enzo Squad showed the world once again how hard it is to beat the brand with the black prancing horse in terms of design.

Summary

Brand:

Ferrari

Model:

F12 TRS (sometimes referred to as F12 Barchetta)

Price:

Original selling price was USD 4.2 million (one of the most expensive new cars ever sold by Ferrari).

Limitation:

Small production batch of only two cars.

When to drive:

The design of the Ferrari F12 TRS is one of the best ever drawn by the Italians. As an owner, I would probably only drive it at exceptional events like the Mille Miglia.

What we love about the car:

The window in the hood, that allows to have a look at the engine’s signature red cylinder heads. It’s all about the details.

Photography: Alex Penfold IG: @alexpenfold