Ferrari has filed a dozen names with the Italian patent office, including 12Cilindri MM Aperta and 12Cilindri GTO. The first suggests a convertible inspired by the Mille Miglia, while the second evokes the legendary 250 GTO. This follows the launch of the Luce, its first electric car, although the brand assures that combustion and hybrid engines will continue to dominate its sales. The move could anticipate special editions or simply be a name protection strategy.
The V12 engine as the technical basis for the new names 🏎️
The 12Cilindri nomenclature directly points to the 6.5-liter naturally aspirated V12 engine, the block that already powers the 12Cilindri coupe with 830 hp. The GTO variant, if it materializes, would receive adjustments to the intake, exhaust, and electronic management to increase power and reduce weight. Meanwhile, the MM Aperta suffix would imply a retractable roof and specific tuning for open-road driving. Ferrari uses these registrations as a legal strategy, but history shows that when a name like GTO appears, a high-performance model usually follows.
The patent office, the new dealership of dreams 😅
Ferrari registers names like someone collecting trading cards in an album: just in case. The 12Cilindri GTO sounds legendary, but it also suggests that someone in Maranello has spent hours Googling to see if the domain is available. Meanwhile, the Luce electric car hits the market, and people keep asking if the next V12 will be the last. At this rate, Ferrari's lawyers will have more mileage on paper than the cars on the road.