Hardcore Ferrari 812 Briefly Spotted On The Streets Of Maranello

812 GTO and 812 VS – these are a couple of names floating around on the interwebs that Ferrari might use for its hardcore variant of the Superfast. The former needs no introduction as Gran Turismo Omologato was made famous by the iconic 250 GTO in the mid-1960s before being used again roughly 20 years later for the 288 GTO and about a decade ago for the 599 GTO.

As for the other moniker, VS stands for "versione speciale," which is Italian for "special version." Ferrari has also used it in the past for cars such as the 375 MM Berlinetta Speciale, 348 Speciale, 458 MM Speciale, and others. It's not known for the time being which of the two will be used, unless Ferrari will go with something completely different. Hopefully, it won't be La Superfast.

There's new evidence showing the 812 Superfast will become, well... faster. Caught near Ferrari's headquarters in Maranello, this menacing black prototype had a manufacturer plate and a beefier rear diffuser. The noise the car made was also a tad different, either because of the modified engine or the stricter emissions regulations applicable in Europe.

A gasoline particulate filter is likely planned for the meaner 812, and it should be the same story with all Prancing Horses sold on the Old Continent going forward. While enthusiasts certainly don't like where things are going, we should all be thankful Ferrari has found a way to keep the V12 alive.

They're becoming a dying breed considering BMW is expected to axe the M760i with the next-gen 7 Series while Mercedes will only use it on Maybach S-Class models. Other brands still offering a V12 include Bentley, Rolls-Royce Aston Martin, Pagani, and Lamborghini. With the downsizing trend in full swing, the list could get shorter in the years to come.

Not only are we glad Ferrari is keeping the V12 alive, but the naturally aspirated 6.5-liter will likely be massaged to deliver more than the 800 hp and 718 Nm (530 lb-ft) it offers in the 812 Superfast. Corroborated with a possible weight loss, the new 812 GTO / VS should be an absolute rocket, not that the standard model is a slouch... The coupe will allegedly be complemented by a cabrio version representing an upgraded derivative of the 812 GTS featured in the video.

Ferrari hasn't even acknowledged the car's existence, so we don't know when it will be revealed. For what it's worth, two debuts have been confirmed for 2020. One of them might be the SF90 Stradale Spider, while the other could be this spicy Superfast.