Say hello to the Ferrari 812 GTS - the first true convertible V12 Ferrari in 50 years

Ferrari

Look, ma! No top!

• The Ferrari 812 GTS is the convertible version of the 789-horsepower 812 Superfast, the most potent Ferrari ever made.
• The Ferrari 812 GTS enjoyed a significant design rework so that the mechanical drop-top wouldn't compromise style or performance.
• It's been 50 years since Ferrari unleashed a proper V12, front-engined convertible since the 365 GTS4, or the "Daytona Spider."
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

It's been a while since we've seen a front-engined V12 Ferrari in drop-top form. The 812 Superfast is a stunning machine, but if you like, it's now possible to use the epic car for open-air motoring.

Enter the 812 GTS, effectively the first Ferrari since the 1969 365 GTS4 to combine 12 cylinders with a convertible layout. That car was more popularly known as the Daytona Spider.

Read more: I drove a $474,000 Ferrari 812 Superfast to see if the most powerful Ferrari in the world is worth the price tag - here's the verdict

The 812 GTS gets a retractable hardtop that can open in 14 seconds at speeds of up to about 30 mph, Ferrari said in a statement. The rear compartment has been adjusted to avoid compromising the 812 Superfast's already somewhat limited luggage space, and there's a special windscreen that can be raised and lowered depending on whether the top is up or down.

Ferrari

Open-air V12'ing.

"On the spider version of the 812 Superfast, the entire rear of the car - roof, tonneau cover and luggage compartment - has been redesigned," Ferrari said in a statement.

"The idea was to lend the car a new blend of sleekness and balance, thanks to two buttresses beneath which the roof movement mechanism is stowed. The buttresses were designed to visually embody a sense of forward thrust and lend the side windows a signature look that would set the spider apart from the berlinetta."

Ferrari

Ferrari luxury on the inside.

A convertible V12 hasn't been available in the regular Ferrari lineup for five decades, but in a statement the automaker noted that a few one-offs have featured the configuration.

"[F]our special series limited editions have been launched: the 550 Barchetta Pininfarina in 2000, the Superamerica in 2005, the SA Aperta in 2010 and, most recently, the F60 America, of which just ten were built to celebrate Ferrari's 60th year on the American market in 2014," Ferrari said.

Ferrari

The rear compartment and trunk-deck was redesigned.

The 812 GTS carries the same hulking powerplant as the Superfast, a 2018 Business Insider Car of the Year finalist. The 789-horsepower V12 makes the 812 the most potent Ferrari in history. When I tested the car last year, I enjoyed a $474,000 version, although the base version of the vehicle stickers at about $370,000.

Expect a similarly equipped 812 GTS to cost a bit more when it goes on sale.