From the  outside, a F12 approaching reminds of the metallic staccato of a 599. Induction dominates until the car storms by and the exhausts add their contribution. From the driving seat,  the two sources combine in a stunning result, modulated with the right foot and the side windows. Windows up, amplitude is well judged, present but not as tiring as a 458 can be after a day of spirited driving. Lowering the driver window acts as a volume button, but also balances the spectrum, adding medium and treble. It then just takes a rock wall to play the role of acoustic mirror to reach dizzying heights. The manettino does not seem to have notable influence on the exhaust acoustics, the F12 does not suffer from the same binary modulation induced by the vacuum valves seen – heard actually – on so many GTs in the past fifteen years.

The twin clutch gearbox, butter smooth in the automatic mode selected by default at ignition, is an integral part of the experience. Parking, maneuvering, low speed evolutions are all handled with an ease and grace that sequential manuals from earlier generations never achieved.  Being picky, it does not totally match Porsche’s PDK2 in city driving, and I would also rank it slightly below the McLaren MP4-12C in this particular domain. Hickups are rare, but just slightly less rare than on these other cars. The shift logic in auto mode is soft and discrete, selecting tall gears whenever possible, but downshifts are prompt whenever the right ankle calls for a more decisive response.

As soon as the paddles are actuated, upshifts are slightly highlighted, underlined with a mechanical feedback that can only be intentional. Ferrari has not sought the transparence of some drive trains. Here, gear changes are felt as soon as the intention to drive has been manifested. Hard downshifts are a pure joy, whether you choose to handle them yourself, or in case of very hard breaking, to delegate them to the management system by holding the left paddle while focusing on your turn-in point.

The breaking system uses the new CCM3 carbon ceramic discs. The initial bite on the pedal is very sharp and takes a while to get used to to avoid jerking the car – and annoying your passenger. Ferrari has for the first time equipped one its GTs of dynamic cooling ducts. Closed in normal conditions to favor aerodynamics, flaps open in the lower front fascia in case of repeated intensive braking to let extra fresh air cool the calipers, and close once the car comes to a stop. A logo appears in the left LCD cluster to inform the driver. Ferrari claims also a 10m reduction in 200-0 km/h breaking distance. Ten meters that can make a massive difference in an emergency situation.

As with other Ferrari V12s, the steering box has a very direct ratio, which I appreciate for the economy of movement and speed of reaction it affords. Assistance is quite pronounced, and I found feedback a bit subdued, but fortunately not neutered. The aptitude of the F12 to metamorphose itself from comfortable GT to an animal on wheels is not the least of its qualities. So is its aptitude to handle much more precarious driving conditions. As we let adrenalin dilute in our blood stream and head for the northern side of the pass, an mountain storm pours on us, dousing the asphalt.