Ferrari 812 GTS Novitec Spyder

The 812 GTS is the open-top version of Ferrari's last great front-engined V12, and Germany's Novitec workshop takes it further still. The 6.5 litre naturally aspirated engine is tuned to 840 horsepower and 751 Nm, sent through a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox to the rear wheels. That gives you 0 to 100 km/h in 2.8 seconds and a top speed of 345 km/h, with throttle response that stays sharp right through the rev range.

What you notice first is the noise and the response. A big naturally aspirated V12 reacts to the throttle the instant you ask, and the Novitec exhaust lets it sing all the way to the top. With the hard top down the sound surrounds you rather than reaching you through glass. This is a focused two-seat car that carries a soft weekend bag, so think of it as a statement drive for evenings out.

Dubai is where a car like this earns its keep. An evening cruise along the JBR strip, the slow roll down the Palm where every phone comes up to film it, then an open run on Sheikh Zayed Road once the road clears. The dry desert air and warm tarmac suit a naturally aspirated engine, and there is space here to actually stretch second and third gear.

Renting makes far more sense than owning one unless you plan to drive it constantly. You skip the registration, the insurance, the depreciation and the bills that come with keeping a tuned Ferrari serviced. The price you see covers insurance and delivery, so we bring it to your hotel or villa full of fuel and detailed, then collect it when you are finished.