A SPECIAL edition Ferrari is being released to commemorate the brand's performances in one of France's most demanding endurance races.

Only 799 examples of the F12tdf will be built and each is a tribute to the legendary 250 GT Berlinetta which dominated the Tour de France road race in the 1950s.

Based on the current F12berlinetta the tdf is decscribed as close to a road going race car as is legally possible.

It has a top speed of more than 210mph, can accelerate from 0 to 60 in just 2.9 seconds and comes with its steering set up to replicate the quick turn in of a circuit car.

Power comes from a 6.3-litre V12 which develops 770 horsepower and it is transmitted to the rear wheels via a quick-shifting dual clutch transmission.

The result is a car which can hit 125mph in less than eight seconds from a standing start and has lapped the 1.86-mile Ferrari test track at Fiorano near Maranello in just one minute 21 seconds.

Despite the awesome performance the F12tdf can stop from 60mph in 30.5 metres and can be reined in from 125mph in just 121 metres thanks to a braking system taken from the LaFerrari.

Like the F12berlinetta the tdf has stunning design yet to cope with the extra performance its aerodynamics have been enhanced with a larger spoiler, additional underbody tweaks and a complex front splitter taken from competition design.

Downforce of 230 kilos is generated at 125mph - 30 per cent more than the regular F12 - and to assist high speed stability the F12tdf has a wider track and an active rear axle.

To keep weight down - it is 110 kilos lighter than the F12 - more use of carbon fibre has been made with the cockpit stripped out to the bare essentials.

The leather upholstery has been replaced with Alcantara and the mats removed leaving an exposed aluminium floor while the wheels are made out of lightweight alloy.

Fuel consumption is rated at 18.3mpg with emissions of 360g/km.

Pricing for the F12tdf has still to be announced but can be expected to be more than the £241,000 it costs for the F12berlinetta.