Ferrari F12 Berlinetta
Ferrari F12 Berlinetta front three quarters View Ferrari Official site

The Ferrari F12berlinetta, a painfully beautiful car recently unveiled by the storied Italian automaker, was tested by Scuderia Ferrari Formula 1 drivers Fernando Alonso and Filipe Massa, both of whom were staggered by its speed and power.

The F12berlinetta, which the Chicago Tribune says will sell for upwards of $300,000, shot around the Fiorano test track in a blistering 1 minute and 23 seconds, beating the lap time of the Ferrari 599 GTO, the previous record holder with a time of 1 minute, 24 seconds, and making it the fastest road car from Ferrari by one second.

Neither racer was able to maintain a straight face when they got back out of the 12-cylinder car at the test center -- each broke into an enormous grin.

Alonso, a two-time Formula 1 world champion, had nothing but praise for the car as he pushed it around Fiorano, a drill that was recorded in a Ferrari promotional video.

Ferrari's are famous for their performance, design and their engine sound, which is very sexy to hear, Alonso said during the drive while also praising the breaking and traction.

After the drive, Alonso's final evaluation was enthusiastic.

I don't know what to say, fantastic, fantastic. It's really an extraordinary driving experience, he said and then hesitated momentarily before saying, Bella, bella.

Massa, who with Alonso helped develop the car, was equally impressed.

Fantastic acceleration. The car's performance is really strong, Massa said.

What impressed two of the world's top drivers so thoroughly? The front-engine F12berlinetta boasts a top speed of greater than 211 mph and is powered by a 730 horsepower, 6262 cubic centimeter engine.

Beyond its staggering top speed, the Ferrari F12berlinetta has pickup to match. It will do 0-62 mph in 3.1 seconds, a mere 0.2 seconds slower than the Lamborghini Aventador and just 0.6 seconds slower than a Bugatti Veyron.

Ferrari said that, just like its F1 engines, the F12berlinetta engine boasts low levels of inertia to ensure that the engine revs rapidly. It also says the new car consumes 30 percent less fuel than the 599 GTB Fiorano. This reduction in fuel consumption, though, would provide only an estimated 14.3 mpg in the city and 19.3 highway for the F12berlinetta.

The F12berlinetta will debut at the Geneva Motor Show next month. Until then, Ferrari has a cinematic introduction for the car and a video of the Alonso and Massa test drive.