Ferrari 612 Scaglietti cagliet

Will Ferrari’s front- engined bruiser live in the 599’ s shadow much longer?

COST NEW £170,500 VALUES NOW £68,000-£99,000

There’s an urban myth that Ferraris should always have two seats, ride hard and be edgy. Part of the prancing horse DNA, they say. Perhaps that’s why the four-seat, smooth-riding and unflflappable 612 Scaglietti hasn’t yet been hailed as a modern Ferrari icon. But I reckon it’s one of the most underrated cars of the 2000s exactly because it does everything so smoothly. Launched in 2004 to replace the 456 GT, the front- engined dry-sump V12 612 harks back to the Daytona and Superfast. Long, elegant and lush, at £170,500 it was Ferrari’s most expensive model of the day and debuted to an 18-month waiting list. But that was before the 458 and 599, and prices have fallen back significantly. GP Cars in Hertfordshire has a 2004 F1 in silver with 30k miles and 10 stamps in the book for £70k. Compared to many classic Ferraris that strikes me as a relative bargain.

Despite the 612’s easy- driving demeanour, great brakes, crisp turn-in and settled ride it’s good for 199mph and sixty in 4.2 seconds. In Modena’s tradition of Grandes Routiers the 612 is a devastatingly potent machine capable of slicing through large chunks of Europe in a single day. The optional HGT-S pack turns the 612’s urbanity into well-bred mischief with louder exhausts, suspension and gearbox upgrades.

There’s a tremendous poise and balance to this car that makes it such an accomplished and complete package, including a 240-litre power- closing boot, satnav, reversing camera, parking sensors, two occasional rear seats and even a driving position that always feels perfect. Both body and chassis are all-alloy and it weighs about the same as a Mercedes CLK, hence the constant feeling of sprightliness. Contemporary testers weren’t kind to the 612’s looks but see one in the metal and that enormous sweeping Scagliettisaluting side scallop looks sensational.

I’ve never liked paddleshift boxes; and while the 612’s F1 won’t make you look like a seven-year- old is driving, the six-speed manual is a much more gratifying proposition. Simple and uncomplicated, the lever click- clacks through the chrome gate like Ferraris of old. Trouble is the semi-auto was the default option for most buyers and there are only 27 rhd manual 612s in the UK. Values reflect this and DK Engineering has a 2004 manual in Rubino Red with 36k for £83k. Daytona seats are another worthwhile option along with the wonderfully indulgent fitted luggage set. The carbon ceramic brakes give extra bite when charging hard but when you get the bill for new pads and discs you may wonder why you didn’t stick with the standard anchors.

But for me the 612 Scaglietti is all about presence. It isn’t lithe like a 458 or swoopy like a California Spider – it radiates this hardcore halo of restrained muscle. Menacing and purposeful, it speaks from another time when manual frontengined V12 Ferraris were what Cote d’azur playboys and tycoons parked outside the casino in Monte Carlo before going inside and bravely losing their shirts.

While the market obsesses on 458s and 599s, take a long hard look at the 612. Prices are starting to move but there’s still time to bag one of the few manual cars for under £100k. Buy one of those 27 right-hookers at the right money soon and you could end up owning it for free.