Ferrari’->ke252s first AWD model, the Ferrari FF,->ke3753 was launched back in 2011 at the Geneva Motor Show.->ke228 It was essentially a successor to the 612 Scaglietti and, outside of being AWD, it also strayed away from Ferrari’s traditional coupe->ke141 styling. With its shooting-brake-like design and foldable seats, the FF offered 28 cubic feet of cargo room, while still packing a V-12 engine with impressive performance numbers – something you just don’t see from exotics of this caliber.

Even with its unusual design, the FF turned out to be pretty successful, and was set for a facelift that would debut for the 2016 model year. Since the announcement of the FF’s upcoming facelift, we’ve seen the spy shots->ke166 and heard all the rumors. Just a couple months ago, we even created a rendering depicting what the facelift might bring to the table. For what it’s worth, our rendering really wasn’t that far off, but Ferrari had a big surprise in store for us to go along with the long-awaited redesign.

Along with the release of official photos ahead of the car’s debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March, Ferrari also announced that the Ferrari FF is no more. Yes, you read that right, the redesign also comes with a new name. Say goodbye to the FF and say hello to the Ferrari GTC4Lusso. There are some other sweet surprises to go with the name change as well, so join me as I take an in-depth look at the new GTC4Lusso on the inside and out.

Updated 03/02/2016: Ferrari unveiled the new GTC4Lusso at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show.

Click past the jump to read more about the Ferrari GTC4Lusso.

2016 Ferrari GTC4Lusso

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2016 Ferrari GTC4Lusso
  • Engine/Motor: V12
  • Horsepower: 680 @ 8000
  • Torque: 514 @ 5750
  • Transmission: eight-speed twin-clutch
Pros
Cons

Exterior

At first glance, you might be tempted to say that the GTC4Lusso looks just like the old FF, but when you take a closer look, that isn’t the case at all. Up front, the entire front fascia has been changed. Instead of having a grill with vertical and horizontal slats, the grille on the new GTC4Lusso only has vertical slats and appears to float in the middle of the fascia. Those corner vents from the FF are also gone, and a large front lip gives the front end an aggressive look while providing some downforce at higher speeds. The headlights are the same at the fenders, but the lenses are extended inward at the bottom, wrapping around the end of the hood. When it comes to the hood, those body lines from the FF remain, but wrap around and come together in the front. It's a clean look and a design cue that the car should've had from the very beginning.

On the sides, those small fender vents have been replaced too. Instead of having a small cutout with mesh in the middle, there are three gills that protrude from the significantly longer vents. Adding to the sculpted look from the hood, a sharp body line connects the muscular fenders to the muscular shoulders in the rear. Down below, a sharp body line extends from the lower, rear corner of the front wheel arches through the middle of the door, eventually terminating at the rear wheel arches. The side skirts are also more aggressive and give a 3D appearance to the bottom of the car.

Even more significant changes come to light around back. You can’t tell so much from viewing the sides or front, but from the rear, you can tell the roof has been lowered a little. A small overhang now covers the top of the rear hatch, and the rear end now has a flatter appearance overall. Normally, I don’t like when shooting brake designs go with a flatter back end, but for the GTC4Lusso, it really works. The fenders wrap around to the rear and turn into another overhang that sits gracefully over the new high-mounted brake light. The design of this overhang leads me to believe that it actually offers a little bit of downforce at higher speeds.

The GTC4Lusso still has circular taillights like the FF, but they are now twin units that aren’t sunk into the rear end quite as much. Below the taillights, the vertical vents on the corners are gone, and horizontal vents take their place. Finally, there's that crazy rear diffuser attached to the bottom of the rear fascia. It’s almost something you would expect to see on a track car, and compared to the FF, it's a huge departure and much more aggressive than what we expected to see. Instead of being centered in the middle of the fascia, this rear diffuser takes up the whole width of the rear fascia. Twin exhaust outlets sit at each corner. Interestingly, the left exhaust outlets are actually spaced farther apart than those on the right. Moving toward the center of the diffuser, there's a single fin on each side. In the center, the diffuser almost looks like it was originally designed for a center exhaust outlet or to accommodate a parachute. Obviously, there is no parachute, but aside from a center exhaust outlet, it's what comes to mind as I look at the diffuser.

Exterior Dimensions

Length

4,922 MM (193.77 Inches)

Width

1,980 MM (77.95 Inches)

Height

1,383 MM (54.44 Inches)

Dry weight

1,790 KG (3,946 LBS)

Weight distribution

47-53% front/rear


Interior

Despite all of the spy shots we received, we had yet to see shots of the interior. Now that Ferrari has dropped the official press release announcing the new model, we also get a look at the inside, and boy is it a sight to see. Right away, you’ll notice the dash has a similar shape but is refined so much that the word sexy immediately comes to mind. The HVAC vents are still round and have a five-spoke design in the middle, but protrude from the dash like chameleon eyes. Instead of a three-vent unit sitting above the infotainment screen, a single vent sits on each corner – opening up room for that significantly larger, 10.25-inch touchscreen unit. That infotainment system has been completely updated over the previous unit, including a new 1.5 Ghz Jacinto 6 processor that is eight times more powerful than before, 2 GB of ram, and the ability to control it with the screen or with the physical buttons and rollers below the screen. Apple CarPlay connectivity comes standard, as does satellite navigation with 3D maps, the ability to control the HVAC system, and the ability to display different types of content at one time via Split View.

The most interesting part, however, is that passenger display on the dashboard. This display is a full HD 8.8-inch, touchscreen display that displays performance information. It enables the passenger to interact with the onboard system by changing music selections and inserting points of interest into the navigation system while the main display is in use – essentially turning the passenger into a real co-driver.

The steering wheel is also a bit different, with the insert around the Ferrari logo having an oval shape. All buttons from the FF carry over, as does the flat bottom, but the material used is much darker than what we saw on the FF. The center console has changed significantly as well. Instead of buttons sitting ahead of the handles on the console, they have been integrated into the handle on the driver's side, making way for a storage compartment in the middle. This looks so much better than what we saw on the FF.

Wraparound seats look to offer plenty of comfort for those riding in the front or rear, and I should point out that despite the lower roof, it certainly looks like rear passengers won’t have to worry about headroom. Two round vents on the rear of the center console supply warm and cool air from the HVAC system for rear passengers. All in all, this cabin is absolutely beautiful and rather inviting visually and functionally.

Drivetrain

The GTC4Lusso comes with a 6.3-Liter 12-cylidner engine that pumps out 680 horsepower and 514 pound-feet of torque. That’s about 20 horsepower and 16 pound-feet less than we originally expected. Maximum horsepower comes in at 8,000 rpm, but 80 percent of the car's maximum torque is on tap at just 1,750 rpm. All that power and torque is sent to all four wheels trough Ferrari’s Evo four-wheel-drive system, which also brings rear-wheel steering, slip side control, an electronic differential, and SCM-E dampers. All that combined with Ferraris in-house controller software means the GTC4Lusso offers effortless handling, even in snowy and wet conditions – not that many of us would consider taking this beast out in the middle of a blizzard anyway, but it goes to show that the car can easily be controlled in most low-traction conditions. The 6.3-liter pushes the GTC4Lusso to 62 mph in 3.4 seconds on the way to a top speed of 209 mph.

Rumor still has it that we’ll also see a V-8 version of the GTC4Russo at some point, but so far Ferrari has remained silent about that possibility. We’ll be watching, however, as it would certainly make sense to present a cheaper, less powerful entry-level model.

Drivetrain Specifications

Type

V12 - 65°

Overall displacement

6262 cc

Max. power output

680 HP @ 8,000 RPM

Max. torque

514 LB-FT @ 5,750 RPM

Maximum speed

335 KM/H (208 MPH)

0-100 km/h (62 mph)

3.4 seconds


Prices

With the outgoing FF priced from around $300,000, I expect the GTC4Lusso to fetch slightly more before options are added – maybe around $310,00 or so. But, should the GTC4Russo receive the rumored turbo V-8 engine, expect it to retail from under $250K.

Competition

Aston Martin Vanquish

With no high-performance shooting brake available from other manufacturers, the GTC4Lusso essentially competes in a niche all its own. When it comes to front-engined, V-12-powered sports cars, however, the Aston Martin Vanquish is more than suited to give the GTC4Lusso a run for its money. In its second generation since 2012, the Vanquish gets its juice from the same naturally aspirated, 5.9-liter V-12, which is updated to 568 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of twist for the 2015 model year.

Granted, the upgrade is far from impressive, with only three extra ponies and eight added pound-feet, but a new Touchtronic III, eight-speed automatic saves the day by slashing a half-second off the Vanquish’s 0-to-60 mph time, taking it down to only 3.6 seconds. On the other hand, the Vanquish doesn't feature AWD and it lacks the gadgetry of the GTC4Lusso. Pricing is set from around $300,000 in the U.S.

Read our full review on the Aston Martin Vanquish here.

Maserati GranTurismo

The GranTurismo may be a little slow for the GTC4Lusso, but I'm taking it into consideration as a potential rival for the rumored turbo V-8, entry-level version. This sexy Italian grand tourer hides a high-revving 4.7-liter V-8 under its hood and uses a ZF six-speed automatic to send 454 ponies and 380 pound-feet of torque to the rear wheels. 60 mph comes in 4.6 seconds, which would make it a bit slower than a V8-powered GTC4Lusso, but a worthy competitor nonetheless. As far as top speed is concerned, customers will have to settle for 185 mph. Pricing for the 2015 Maserati GranTurismo begins from $126,500

Read our full review on the Maserati GranTurismo here.

Conclusion

I have to admit – Ferrari did a fine job in creating the GTC4Lusso. It retains some of the original look of the FF while bringing so much more to the table. I love the new front end, and that rear end is just about as sexy as it gets. The rear diffuser is so aggressive that I’m surprised it doesn’t look out of place, but it fits the car quite well. Personally, I would never take a $300,000 Ferrari out in questionable conditions like snow-covered roads, but I think it's great that Ferrari has a car that can be driven in all conditions without worry. I’m not so sure about that rear-wheel steering, though. It may make it easier to drive for some maneuvers, but it seems like it leads to the potential for more expensive repairs. Then again, if I’m buying a $300,000 Ferrari, I probably have enough money that it really wouldn’t be a concern. Regardless, the GTC4Lusso brings a lot more to the table than I thought it would, and I’m rather pleased with the work Ferrari put in to make this car that much better compared to the FF.

Updated History

Updated 02/08/2016: Ferrari dropped the official details on its new GTC4Lusso – a.k.a. the company's new four-seater sports car. The car will be making its official debut at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show, with sales to begin later in the year.

Updated 02/03/2016: Ferrari dropped a new teaser image for the upcoming FF facelift scheduled to be unveiled later this month at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este.

Updated 12/07/2015: Based on the recent spy shots and speculations, we created a rendering for the upcoming Ferrari FF facelift. We hope you like it!

Updated 11/30/2015: A new report on the next Ferrari FF indicates that the facelift will come with a "surprise" for its fans. Speaking to Indian Autos Blog, Enrico Galliera, Senior Vice-President Commercial & Marketing, Ferrari SpA, said: "we’re working to further innovate the car, it’s too early to say when and how. But our clients will have surprise in the future." While he did not offered any other details, it is believed that the car's output will be increased to about 700 horsepower, while the 7-speed double-clutch transmission will be replaced by a new 8-speed unit.

Rendering

Teaser Image

Spy Shots

February 10, 2015 – First testing session