Cars
Maya’s Dream Drive
Welcome to Lazise on the eastern shore of Lake Garda. How many V12 Ferraris have made the pilgrimage here, we wonder, in almost eight decades since Enzo Ferrari created the first in 1947?
This classically beautiful environment has an inescapable sense of history, but Ferrari has always understood that history itself is forged anew through constant innovation. And now the 12Cilindri Spider is writing a bold new chapter.
Framed in one of the town’s beautiful piazzas, it looks strikingly futuristic yet timeless. With a roof that can open to the elements in just 14 seconds, it retains a distinct coupé-like profile thanks to its sweeping rear buttresses. The new Verde Toscana and Terra Antica colour scheme mimics the stunning hues of the hills above Lake Garda.
Watch Maya explore the 12Cilindri Spider on Lake Garda’s surrounding roads
More than anything, the 12Cilindri Spider looks ready to perform. And primed to pilot it is Maya Weug, one of the stars of the Scuderia Ferrari Driver Academy. In 2021, she made history aged 16 by becoming the first female driver to join the Academy, and she’s since proven her mettle on track. In 2024, she raced in full Scuderia Ferrari HP livery, winning her final race of the year and securing third place in the Formula One Academy championship.
Maya begins by following the road out of town, hugging the lake. It’s the perfect environment to appreciate the 12Cilindri Spider’s easy-going nature as a grand tourer, with specifically calibrated suspension making the ride smooth and comfortable.
But the hills and hairpins are beckoning. Here, Maya starts to explore the performance potential of this extraordinary 6.5-litre naturally aspirated engine. How does it feel to experience 12 cylinders and fully 830 cv?
“The acceleration is incredible,” says Maya. “There’s just no end to it. It’s a crazy feeling on these roads, revving up to 9,500 rpm – and it feels much faster with the roof down! But at the same time, it feels really safe… you feel in full control. That’s one of the most amazing things about this car.”
Maya drove the 12Cilindri Spider during a break from her F1 Academy campaign
Even at lower engine speeds, a beefy 678Nm of torque – 80 per cent available at just 2,500 rpm – ensures effortless urge. Aspirated Torque Shaping adds further flexibility, significantly boosting torque delivery in selected gears.
Ferrari has also made huge strides in tuning the soundtrack of this iconic V12 engine, using equal-length exhaust tracts and six-into-one manifolds for each cylinder bank, delivering a rich howl. “The sound of a V12 is something you so rarely hear these days, and it’s amazing how good it makes you feel,” Maya affirms.
Just as deliciously, the 12Cilindri Spider’s eight-speed transmission blips the throttle on down shifts, crackling off rock faces as the landscape rises and the road begins to twist. The ratios are shorter in lower gears, and noticeably quicker.
With a 20mm shorter wheelbase than its predecessor, the front-to-rear weight distribution is delicately balanced at 47.8 per cent to 52.2. Maya is especially struck by the independent rear-wheel steering. “In hairpins you feel how precise it is, like a race car. In high-speed corners you feel very connected to what the car is doing.”
The roof-down drive gave Maya ample chance to enjoy the 6.5-litre V12 soundtrack
Maya also comments on the Spider’s brake-by-wire and ABS Evo system. “It’s very easy to brake late into corners without locking up the tyres. Even after driving these roads many times, there’s no fade, no overheating, no change in behaviour. That’s so important for a road car.”
What does she think about the twin active aerodynamic flaps at the rear, which deploy when speed and acceleration sensors dictate? “You can really feel the extra downforce,” says Maya. “It gives much greater stability through corners, much more grip, and helps when braking and putting the power down.”
As the sun sets over Lake Garda, Maya reflects upon her day at the wheel of the 12Cilindri Spider. “I feel like a little kid again,” she beams. “This car has so much power but so much control. I could really push it to its limits and feel in control and safe. I really enjoyed it!”
Her broad smile says it all.