New 2011 / 2012 Ferrari 612 is 4×4 Shooting Brake

The 2011 / 2012 Ferrari 612 will be a 4x4 Shooting Brake (render by Vandenbrink design)

It now seems clear that the next generation Ferrari 612 will arrive at Geneva 2011 and be a 4×4 Shooting Brake with 650bhp

Last month we had an email in from Argentina pointing us towards spy shots published by Autoblog Argentina which seemed to be of an all wheel drive Ferrari 612. Which tied in very well with the story we ran over a year ago when we reported that a 4×4 platform for the next Ferrari 612 was a certainty, just six months after we reported Ferrari were working on four wheel drive hybrid propulsion system.

But the Ferrari 4×4 setup is very different to the permanent all wheel drive system used by Lamborghini. The Ferrari electronic system is designed to kick in only when the electronics sense a slip differential between the wheels. In those circumstances the front wheels kick in drive to stabilise traction.

Ferrari chairman Luca di Montezemolo recently said there will be a “very different Ferrari” at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show, and it now seems certain that will be the successor to the 612 Scaglietti. But the changes won’t just be to the drive train and the addition of electronic all wheel drive.

According to sources who’ve seen the next generation 612, it’s almost a Shooting Brake in design. That is a real departure for Ferrari, but will add hugely to the 612’s practicality. Not only will the 2011 / 2012 612 (or whatever it may be called) be able to transport four in comfort, but their luggage can now go too.

Ferrari 612 4x4 testing in Argentina

Power for the bigger, 2011 Ferrari 612 looks set to come from a 6.3 litre V12 delivering something in the region of 650bhp. That will be enough to hurl the lighter 612 to 60mph in around 3.5 seconds, yet offer both lower emissions and better economy than the current car.

And talking of emissions and economy, the new 612 looks likely to be the first Hybrid Ferrari to hit the road, although we don’t expect that to happen until 2013. When it does, it will use the HY-KERS setup we saw on the Ferrari 599 at Geneva this year, which stores recovered energy in a small set of batteries to give a 100bhp boost in short bursts as required.

It’ll cost a chunk more, but the 2012 Ferrari 612 looks like it may well show the Porsche Panamera a thing or two.