If you are a car guy, there are few things as sonorously exquisite as a Ferrari V12. I’ve had the privilege of driving a few over the years, most notably the 812 Superfast and the Ferrari GranLusso, and it’s a car I like to get non-car people into because it will almost always convert them into car people. It will convince even the most the eco-conscious into considering the beauty of of old school, gas-powered, ICE-powered cars, much like having a slice of an exquisitely marbled rib eye will make you think you could never be a vegetarian 365 days a year. Excess every once in a while is good for the soul.

So I’m glad that, even with the electrification horizon coming up fast on the car industry—new EPA rules state that over 60% of all new cars sold in the U.S. need to be all electric by 2032– Ferrari has double-downed on the vrooom with the unveiling of the sinuous, futuristic 12Cilindri, and the convertible 12Cilindri Spider last night in Miami. Yes, as the on-the-nose name indicates, this is indeed a fully gas powered V12, maestro.

The front of the 12Cilindri echoes the old Ferrari Daytona.

Designed by Ferrari’s chief design officer Flavio Manzoni and his team, the car echoes the legendary 365GTB/4, the Ferrari Daytona Grand Tourer of the late 60s and early 70s, and mixes in a dash of futuristic modernity of the same era. During last night’s unveil in a tent filled with dozens of Ferrari owners on South Beach sipping champagne to a live sax player and a DJ duo, reference images of Stanley Kubrick’s seminal space film 2001: A Space Odyssey were shown on large screens when Manzoni talked about inspiration for the new car. The movie was released in 1968, the same year as the first Ferrari Daytona.

While the mod, space age styling is certainly enough to make you consider whether you really need to save for college tuition–pricing in Europe is in the $400,000s– it’s all about that engine. I mean, you don’t name the car 12Cilindri for nothing. The 6.5-liter power plant is the latest iteration of Ferrari’s F140 V-12 which was first used in the Enzo nearly 20 years ago. This V12 puts out 819 horsepower at 9,250 rpm and 500 pound-feet of torque at 7,250 rpm. Somehow, the car meets all emissions standards without the need for a hybrid to exist. And the redline comes at 9,500 rpm, officer.

The rear of the car is graphic and futuristic.

From some angles, the car gives off a full-on muscle car vibe. Walk around it more, and its elegance becomes more apparent: the wrap around windows echo the visor of a helmet; the rear has a bold geometric pattern unusual for a Ferrari; there is a front hinged clamshell engine cover that gives the car spaceship energy when open; the rear end is razor-like, and instead of the Daytona's round headlights, there are surprising thin rectangular ones; the trunk is surprisingly spacious, with room for a rolling luggage and a large duffel–making it a true grand tourer.

Inside, it is a cocoon of carbon fiber and leather, much like the Roma’s. And much like the Roma, the cockpit is mostly digital with the exception of the very analog-feeling H-pattern gear selector found in the SF90. As has been a feature in Ferraris for some time now, the passenger gets their own display with speed and RPMs to accentuate the fear/thrill of high speeds while not being able to steer.

The cockpit of the 12Cilindri.

Back in 2017, it was rumored that the 812 Superfast might be the last Ferrari V12. That is certainly not the case. There is a mini backlash against electric vehicles and companies have adjusted–Hertz has sold over 20,000 electric vehicles to make more room for gas-powered cars, GM stopped selling its Chevy Blazer EV, Ford is scaling back the sale of it’s electric truck to make more room for Broncos and the like. And while Ferrari is committed to electric–it’s first fully electric model could be unveiled next year–there’s no doubt that the V12 is the heart and soul of the brand. It's hard to imagine a Ferrari without that symphony of sound just as much as it is to imagine a world where people are enthusiastic about electric cars. Will there be a day where gas-powered cars are no longer sold? Probably. But until then, enjoy the ride. It's a loud one.

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