Mat Watson's Ferrari V12 reunion hits a launch-control snag

Four generations line up on carwow's runway, but getting them off the line proves almost as revealing as the finish.

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carwow Story of October 25, 2026Trari Newsroom

Why this story? One of the most watched videos since yesterday, with 732,057 views.

New Ferrari 12C v 812 v F12 v 599: V12 DRAG RACE

Video summary

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0:29Watson compares the four Ferraris' engines, power, weight and original prices.
1:36The first standing start exposes the F12's launch-control problem; warming its oil follows.
6:46Rolling races begin in automatic Sport mode, followed by an exhaust sound check.
9:00A manual third-gear rolling race adds gear changes and rev-limit timing to the test.
13:17The drivers test braking, then compare the two convertibles' roof-opening speed at 15:26.
17:15The final standing quarter-mile race begins; Watson gives the recorded results afterward.

The Ferrari F12 has plenty of power. What it won't give its driver is a clean launch. An "Operation not admissible" message interrupts carwow's gathering of front-engine V12 grand tourers, turning a straight-line speed test into a lesson in getting expensive machinery to cooperate.

Mat Watson drives the 812 GTS, with Al in the newer 12Cilindri Spider, Nuri in the F12berlinetta and Guy in the older 599 GTB Fiorano. The comparison has drawn about 732,000 views since yesterday, offering Ferrari enthusiasts something a specification sheet cannot: these generations accelerating, braking and making noise together.

The F12's reluctance becomes a running complication. Crew member Sam sends Nuri along the runway to warm the oil, but launch control still refuses to play along. Nuri resorts to building revs against the brakes instead. Later, a rolling race in manual mode brings another variable when Al struggles with gear changes and hits the rev limiter.

Those moments have shaped the comments. Viewers ask for regular carwow drivers to handle the cars, arguing that more consistent launches would make the comparison easier to judge. Others turn to the F12's styling, particularly its rear lights.

There is more here than the standing starts. Automatic-mode rolling runs separate acceleration from launch technique, an exhaust sound check lets each V12 have its say, and the oldest Ferrari stops shortest in the braking test.

The final quarter-mile run gives the 12Cilindri a narrow victory over Watson's 812, although their recorded times are identical. Before that, the two convertible drivers find another contest: whose roof can open faster.

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