The 612 Scaglietti has the soul of a sporty berlinetta and the dimensions and design of a luxurious, surprisingly roomy Grand Tourer. The most important objective for the new 2+2 project was to ensure the car would have the handling and road-holding normally expected of Ferrari's more sporty models. To achieve this the body has been built entirely of aluminium, which provides extremely high structural rigidity while significantly reducing weight. Compared with the 456M, the 612 Scaglietti weighs 60 kg less and the rigidity/weight ratio is 60% higher.

The V12 is positioned as far back as possible in the engine compartment to optimise weight distribution. For the first time CST - Control for Stability and Traction - makes its appearance on a Ferrari, a unit that governs all the car's safety systems (ABS, ASR and EBD) and Skyhook dampers to ensure maximum control. But a Ferrari always puts the driver first and so it's also possible to disengage the CST.

The 612 Scaglietti design features scalloped sides, reminiscing the legendary 375MM - a gift from the director Roberto Rossellini to Ingrid Bergman.