Acquiring a Ferrari means experiencing the thrill of driving a car with great performance and lightning-fast acceleration. Normally, a car from the Maranello car manufacturer boasts a V8 or V12 under the hood, capable of exciting anyone who gets behind the wheel. Yet, in history there was a Ferrari that was unable to exceed 15 mph (24 km/h): the F12tdf. This is a car that was built by the Italian brand, a prototype based on the F12 Berlinetta modified to make it a test mule.
Ferrari F12tdf: the 2014 prototype goes up for auction
Once its work was done, the engine was detuned until it no longer exceeded 15 mph (24 km/h). Later, after the car had exhausted its “career”, it was imported by a dealer in the United States who used it as a display vehicle.
However, there are some questions that arise spontaneously, starting with the most important one: why was the speed limited to 15 mph? And why wasn’t it approved for road use? Questions to which it is difficult to find an answer, consequently the modified F12 Berlinetta remains one of the greatest mysteries in the history of the Prancing Horse. It is also necessary to understand if its powerful 6.3-liter V12 engine will ever be able to return to its original 780 horsepower, or if it has somehow been destroyed forever.
In the meantime, the Ferrari itself has been put up for auction on the Bring a Trailer website and 24 hours before the auction closes it has reached a figure of over $400,000. However, it is still an “economical” way to win a Ferrari F12, considering that the model in question has reached auction figures of up to $1.4 million. Moreover, it is an original model and a one-of-a-kind piece. However, it will be impossible to have fun driving it, considering that it does not exceed 15 mph (24 km/h).