Think of the Ferrari 612 Scaglietti as a kind of a thank-you note to the man who penned some of the most famous and memorable designs to come out of the Maranello scuderia. (Interestingly, Scaglietti is no longer in the design business, so former rival Pininfarina penned the bodywork as a tribute to their comrade.) Like Sergio Scaglietti’s most famous design, the 250 SWB, his namesake car is a front-engine, rear-drive coupe powered by a large-bore V12—in this case, a 5.7-liter unit. Unlike its predecessor, and indeed unlike any Ferrari previously, the 612 is constructed entirely from aluminum, using the lightweight metal for the space frame chassis as well as the bodywork. Ferrari engineers also pushed the wheels way out to the corners, and moved the engine back in the chassis, for better weight balance. Even though the 612 is a big 2+2 grand tourer, it doesn’t feel so large behind the wheel, retaining a nimbleness that’s characteristic of modern front-engine Ferraris despite its seeming bulk. Few people deserve such an honor, and the 612 is proof that Scaglietti certainly does.
