Mega V12s for (not) every budget | Six of the Best

Go big or go home, right?

By PH Staff / Saturday, 25 July 2026 / Loading comments

Ferrari Monza SP2, 2022, 75 miles, £3,250,000

You don’t need a V12 these days to conjure up a preposterous amount of power. Turbocharging (or tactfully positioned e-motors, if you must) will get you to a four-figure output. And pure EVs will go further than that. But none of these solutions possess the regal, God-given ferocity of 12 cylinders. This is why any OEM that wants to sit at the point where standout luxury and supreme performance intersect still builds one. Case in point, the naturally aspirated 6.5-litre engine that powers the spectacular Monza SP2. Sure, you could have the F140 in all manner of other Ferraris - including the likes of the much cheaper 599 and FF - but you get 810hp from it here, and a body that befits the theatrical amount of noise. Shock and awe, in every sense.

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Brabus G800 Widestar, 2013, 10k, £174,950

Of course, you don’t necessarily have to have your V12 packaged in limited edition supercar. Mercedes has a rich heritage when it comes to 12 cylinders, and its twin-turbocharged 6.0-litre M279 motor has appeared in plenty of other formats - but you simply can’t beat the absurdity of the G65; proof that the G-wagen could truly go places (conceptually, literally) where no other 4x4 would dare. With more than 600hp (!) it was already the world’s most powerful SUV before Brabus got its hands on it and extracted somewhere in the region of 800hp (!!) for the aptly named G800 Widestar. We don’t like to think how it drives - but we do like looking at it. And reflecting on just how much car it is for £175k.

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Lamborghini Aventador Ultimae, 2022, 2k, £749,995

We do know how the Ultimae drives, though: back in 2022, big John H called it the ‘perfect Lamborghini’. And with due respect to the formidable Revuelto that replaced it, that might still be true today. After all, you got 780hp courtesy of an atmospheric 6.5-litre V12 that sounds like an ‘80s-era F1 car if you stoke it beyond 8,000rpm. Which is something you’re going to do a lot because the Aventador encourages you to take scandalous liberties with its towering performance. Despite harnessing SVJ power, it never seeks to overawe you; until you get out, that is. In sumptuous Arancio Bruciato, even in pictures, it looks mind-boggling. And as safe a place for £750k as a Swiss bank vault.

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Rolls-Royce Wraith Black Badge, 2021, 7k, £229,950

Where would Rolls-Royce be without the 6.6-litre turbocharged V12 supplied to it by BMW? In a much worse place, that’s where. It is very hard to claim to sell unparalleled opulence without the most opulent of engine layouts. Indeed, while its newer battery-powered models have been well received, Rolls has recently assured its buyers that the option of a V12 is going nowhere. For a perfect example of why, you need look no further than the 632hp Wraith. The Black Badge nudged torque output to 642lb ft; all the better to waft you up your tree-lined driveway. This one hasn’t even cracked 7k in five years, which is pretty much par for the course. Ditto the £230k asking price.

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Aston Martin Vantage V12, 2009, 35k, PH Auctions

Just in case your trousers aren’t equipped with pockets like the Mariana Trench, there are more affordable ways into V12 ownership. In modern terms, our recommended option is Aston Martin, not just for the availability of old Vantages, but because it simultaneously gains you access to the prospect of a manual transmission. And while we wouldn’t suggest the combination is for everyone, there really is nothing so wonderfully analogue as shifting gears behind a 5.9-litre engine. This one, in Hammerhead Silver, and with just 35k on the clock, has already made its way under the PH hammer so you better act quick if you want to know why ‘wonderful, wonderful, wonderful’ was such an apt summation of the V12’s appeal.

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Bentley Continental GT Speed, 2014, 70k, £33,225

Obviously if you’re hoping to access 12 cylinders on a (comparative) shoestring, the best way to do it is by abandoning the ‘vee’ bit of the equation. VW liked the concept of a W12 because it meant they could effectively fuse two VR6 engines together, the resulting 6.0-litre unit delivering all kinds of manufacturing and packaging advantages. Needless to say, it filled out the engine bay of a Bentley Continental GT splendidly, and in second generation Speed format supplied the car with 625hp. We very much like this one in Thunder Metallic - but the underlying attraction is the price, which is a smidge over £33k. Considerably less than you’ll pay for a new VW Golf GTI in 2026. And for three times the pleasure.

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