Ferrari GTC4Lusso cuts $45K from FF

Ferrari’s second shot at a four-wheel-drive four-seater may no longer wear the FF name, but its latest GTC4Lusso is $46,000 cheaper than before.

Announcing a $578,888 plus on-road costs sticker, Ferrari Australasia anticipates many more buyers will choose the GTC4Lusso than the FF because, according to the local arm’s boss Herbert Appleroth, the new design “won’t polarise as many clients.”

While the long and wide dimensions of this Italian ‘shooting brake’ remain generally unchanged, the styling alterations are squarely aimed at appealing to a wider audience.

The interior changes, meanwhile, are intended to perhaps woo the other half of the owner/driver, with a 10.25-inch display screen and lashings of leather designed to take the GTC4Lusso off to hunt down Bentley shoppers, according to Appleroth.

Ferrari’s four-wheel-drive system now adds four-wheel-steering pinched from the F12 tdf limited edition halo model, and the GTC4Lusso also scores a new F1 Trac 9.0 traction and stability control system.

A higher compression ratio of 13.5:1 (up from 12.3:1 previously) for the prancing horse’s 6.3-litre V12 raises power by 21kW/14Nm.

It now kicks out 507kW at 8000rpm and 697Nm at 5750rpm, the latter of which seems peaky particularly in this age of turbocharging, although the company is quick to point out that 80 per cent of torque is available from 1750rpm.

Continuing to drill its grunt through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission to 245mm front/295mm rear 20-inch Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres, the GTC4 Lusso claims a 3.4-second 0-100km/h – three-tenths faster than before.

Although the 1920kg new model is 40kg heavier than the FF, weight distribution remains unchanged at 47:53 front/rear.

Ferrari Australasia is targeting another record year of sales in 2016 following last year’s record tally of 167 units.

The company is down just five sales to May 2016 compared with last year, but Appleroth believes that with the wait list for the new 488 GTB growing, along with the imminent arrival of the GTC4Lusso and sold-out F12 tdf, the company can make up the ground.