Everyone loves a Ferrari, right? I think at this point we can anticipate at least one new Ferrari model every year. That is a good thing. There is a plethora of older Ferrari’s to be done, but at the rate Ferrari is pumping out new cars, Hot Wheels can barely keep up.
So here is our new Ferrari of 2013. Maybe there will be another, but for now it is the F12 Berlinetta. I have made the point several times here that Ferrari, at least in my mind, has had a design renaissance, and they are finally beautiful again. Gone are the over the top, may too masculine monster machines, and back are cars that hearken back to the beauties of the 60’s – rip-roaring engines encased by super sexy looking lines. Every boy’s dream…
So now we have the 599XX/GTO, the superb 458 Italia, the California, the FF (which some don’t like, but I really do), and now the F12 Berlinetta. What a car it is. It contains many of the newer design queues of the FF, but looks even better. I was hoping, and expecting, Hot Wheels to put one together quickly, and they did not disappoint.
And now we have it, in hand. There they are…the beautiful lines, the wave-like front fenders, the sloping rear, the exposed teeth and smile on the front grill and the…wait…what is that…no, Hot Wheels, you didn’t…oh, you did…darn it…and…large rear wheels. Sigh…
Yes, I know large rear wheels are a signature Hot Wheels move. But it appears so is realism, at least lately. There has been a great deal of attention paid to proportions, lines, and looks, and the F12 is no exception. So why the large wheels? It takes what would have been a near perfect casting, and throws the looks off quite a bit.
As I was photographing the model, I found some angles I was quite fond of, and they were mainly those that deemphasized the large rear wheels. I take pride in not being a complainer, so I will stop. I know the large rears have to happen on some models, I just wish it wasn’t this one.
Thankfully its cousin with very similar design queues, the Ferrari FF, did not fall victim, and it ended up being one of my favorites of 2011. Comparing the two would have been a little better had the F12 shared the FF’s proper proportions all around but it makes sense to show them together.
So there is my complaint. It doesn’t happen a lot, and I still like everything else about this model quite a bit. Enough to add this current and all future versions to the collection. I just hope Kyosho does one soon…
(Hot Wheels Batch E is now available at Wheel Collectors…)
Hot Wheels Ferrari F12 Berlinetta (2013 Mainline):
Together with its cousin, the FF:
The lack of details on the back pisses me more than the large wheels.
I thinks it's the layers of paint that does that, but since i only collect red Ferraris, i guess i gotta deal with it…
I am seriously disappointed by the back of the F12, too; it looks like it was melted or something like that. I can't understand how they managed to make such an awesome front and body overall and mess up the rear so bad 🙁
I wouldn't say the FF is a downright hideous car (Mattel executed that one perfectly), just never was into the hatchback/shooting brake styles.
The F12, on the other hand, is not only one of the sexiest Ferraris, it is also already one of the sexiest automobiles to have ever been sketched up on a drawing board. I too would prefer smaller wheels in the back as well, but on this car it looks pretty seamless, so I can deal with that. As a Ferrari specialist, I gotta get this casting now.
Love the F12 casting. The back does look overpainted, it seems the 458/458 Spider has the same issue. Large wheels in back do not loook right, but not terrible either – it is a Hot Wheel.
On another note, I found one yesterday. The card has “FERRARI F12BERLINETTA” rather than “FERRARI F12 BERLINETTA”. Likewise, the base has “Ferrari F12berlinetta”, instead of “F12 Berlinetta”. Error or not enough spaces for the name? I am curious of yours is the same.
awesome car red hot colour amazing rims are too good
Rims Financing | 16, 24 26 inch rims
the back of F12 is just too overpainted. i got 3 units of this car. Then i've stripped out the paint, spray 2 thin layer of white color and 2 thin layer of red, the shape is look even better. trust me, Mattel did a good job on this casting, but sadly this 1st edition of F12 just overpainted at the back.
MIOR HEZRI-malaysia
It's not an error, F12berlinetta is the official name of this car.
I found one today that has no emblems on the side. No Ferrari emblem, no gray door handle, and no gray name stripe. Is this an error? Has anyone else found one?
Perfect post Great Ferrari of 60s
a beautiful casting, but i dont like the rear too much, it looks melted and the DBRW (Damn Big Rear Wheels) syndrome makes it look awkward. But overall a must-have!