Signed a contract on a 612 OTO today

makeshiftUK

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I have put 1000 kms on the 612 in the past week so its time to share a few impressions. For context, about 650 kms were autoroute, 300kms on 2 or 3 lane D (departmental) roads, and 50kms around and in Paris. Weather has been cool but dry.

Fuel economy: 16.6 liters/100km (about 17 imperial mpg)

The Maserati would routinely do 10.5 l/100km but the 612 is coming in as expected so no surprise really. The tank is 106 liters, so the number of fuel stops doesn't change much, just the amount and cost. But in the end, for 1000 km i spent an extra 100 euros on fuel which in the context of the the total cost of ownership is not that relevant.

Noise level ( i have a dB meter): at 130 km/hr on the A71, the 612 is 2dB quieter than the Maserati. The sound insulation is quite effective as the external exhaust noise to my ear is a bit louder (612 has sports exhaust)

Suspension and handling: The 612 feels stiffer than my GT, both in sport and comfort. Both are great handling cars but the 612 is flatter through the corners.

Transmission: I had a QPV with the F1 box before my GT with the ZF, so I shouldn't have been surprised by the differences, but for the first 50 kms I was. The ZF is a very smooth transmission and when in Paris traffic, it was sublime and I never felt that it gave away much when in sport manual. After getting back into the F1 groove, things have settled nicely and Paris on the way out was much better than Paris on the way in last Friday. As my 612 is a later one with the upgraded engine, transmission and clutch the performance especially when shifting at high revs is fantastic.

Engine: The torque and power of the V12 is in a different league to my GT. It will shove you into your seats and full throttle in 3rd gear is an experience to behold.

Infotainment...no real difference with my GT. I bluetooth stream via the IPOD cable and use my phone for navigation. The usability of the system is poor (as is usual for these BOSE systems) but the sound is not too bad.

We went to dinner on Saturday in Paris and while driving in the center of town we were not attracting too much attention. She is a discreet Ferrari which is what we wanted.

Put the winter tires on today so we will see how she handles the next few months.

I love the way she looks and so far she has been a flawless performer.

Bill


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Loved reading this and the rest of the thread... I look at your 612 with admiration and pure envy. Enjoy.