A convergence of ancestral craft and high-performance engineering defines the latest offering from Maranello’s flagship personalization program. The Ferrari 12Cilindri Tailor Made, specifically commissioned for the South Korean market, represents more than a bespoke automotive commission; it is a three-continent collaboration involving the Ferrari Styling Centre in Europe, the curatorial vision of COOL HUNTING in North America, and the artisanal mastery of four visionary artists in Asia. Over a two-year developmental phase, this project sought to bridge the gap between the visceral mechanical soul of Italy and the nuanced, spiritual aesthetic of Seoul, resulting in a vehicle that functions as a piece of “road-going art.”
The iridescent shimmer of South Korea’s coastal waters finds a literal translation in the “Yoonseul” paint scheme, a finish developed specifically for this unique vehicle. Inspired by the Korean word for sunlight sparkling on sea waves, the paint transitions through a spectrum of green, violet, and blue highlights. This shifting palette references both the ancient heritage of Celadon ceramics and the neon-soaked, future-forward energy of Seoul’s contemporary districts. In person, the car’s surface does not merely reflect light; it absorbs and reinterprets it, creating a visual rhythm that changes as the vehicle moves through different environments, echoing the fluidity of K-pop and the city’s electronic music scene.
Textile artistry takes on a structural dimension through the work of Dahye Jeong, the 2022 Loewe Foundation Craft Prize winner. Her signature horsehair weaving—a practice deeply rooted in Korean tradition—has been reimagined for the 21st century. Inside the cabin, a hand-woven work of Mongolian horsehair is integrated directly into the dashboard, marking a rare instance where an independent art piece is structurally embedded into a Ferrari interior. This tactile experience extends to the seats and floor mats, which feature a new 3D-effect fabric that mimics Jeong’s delicate, transparent patterns. Even the glass roof utilizes screen-printed motifs to create an interplay of light and shadow, casting complex geometries across the passengers that shift with the sun’s position.
Translucency serves as a vessel for memory in the vehicle’s exterior and interior details, curated by artist Hyunhee Kim. Reinterpreting traditional wedding trousseaus through a contemporary lens, Kim has replaced standard materials with ethereal, semi-translucent acrylics. This treatment is visible in the Scuderia Ferrari shields, the wheel caps, and the rear Prancing Horse—a level of customization never before seen in a factory-made vehicle from Maranello. The center tunnel mirrors this effect, housing a handmade dedication plate featuring traditional calligraphy. For the collector, Kim also crafted a bespoke luggage case for the boot, containing a customized key that bridges the gap between the driver’s hand and the artist’s visual language.
The stark purity of white lacquer provides a rhythmic contrast to the car’s vibrant exterior, a detail inspired by the research of contemporary artist TaeHyun Lee. Known for his modern interpretation of ancient lacquering techniques, Lee’s influence is felt in the 12Cilindri’s unique white brake calipers—a first for the brand—and the matching white shift paddles. These elements provide a high-gloss, reflective surface that emphasizes the layering and depth of the materials. This choice of white is not merely aesthetic; it is a nod to the spiritual concepts of transformation and the bridging of artisanal tradition with the clinical precision of modern racing technology.
Translating the visceral roar of the 6.5-liter V12 into a visual language, the sound artist duo GRAYCODE, jiiiiin have mapped the engine’s acoustic frequency onto the car’s bodywork. The V12’s soundtrack—an unmistakable hallmark of the Ferrari 12Cilindri—was captured and transformed into a graphic livery rendered by Maranello’s artisans. Using a transitional paint one shade darker than the base “Yoonseul” coat, the livery adds a layer of visual depth that seems to pulse with the engine’s 9,500 rpm limit. It is a literal visualization of the 830 cv heart beating beneath the reverse-opening bonnet, turning the physics of sound into a permanent aesthetic feature.
This bespoke creation honors the lineage of front-engined V12s while pushing the boundaries of what a personalization program can achieve. While the naturally aspirated Ferrari 12Cilindri initially arrived as a tribute to the legendary Gran Turismos of the 1950s and 60s, this South Korean edition elevates the platform into a dialogue about global culture. By integrating certified horsehair, complex lacquers, and acoustic visualizations, the project proves that the future of luxury lies in the synthesis of disparate disciplines. It is a testament to the fact that performance and poetry are not mutually exclusive, but rather two sides of the same high-speed coin.