History & character

Unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in October 1994, the F512 M brought to a close the line opened ten years earlier by the Testarossa. The 'M' for Modificata heralded a thorough revision of the 512 TR: fixed headlamps beneath glazed covers in place of the pop-up units, a reprofiled bonnet with twin NACA ducts, a smooth rear panel and four round tail lights. Built only until 1996, with a mere 501 examples produced, it remains the rarest of the three variants and the last production Ferrari to feature a flat-twelve engine mounted amidships.

Beneath the rear bonnet, the 4.9-litre flat-12 gained titanium con-rods, forged pistons and a raised compression ratio: 440bhp, up from 428bhp on the 512 TR. The chassis followed suit, with lightened Koni dampers, aluminium hubs and drilled ventilated discs assisted by ABS. The five-speed manual gearbox benefited from revised synchromesh and a modified, more precise gearchange. Behind the wheel, the F512 M retains the family's commanding stance, yet proves altogether livelier when driven in earnest.