Updated: Added video of the FF in development. Gotta love seeing a Ferrari in the snow, and we never tire of hearing a V-12 wail. Jan. 21, 3:15 p.m. EST
This is the replacement for the Ferrari 612 Scaglietti. It has four seats, all-wheel drive and a glorious V-12 putting down 660 horsepower. It is more than a car. It is the howitzer Maranello is aiming at the super-sedans its competitors are building
Say what you will about the styling, which was done by longtime collaborators Pininfarina, but you cannot deny the performance potential of Ferrari's first all-wheel-drive car. Nor can you deny its importance as the company faces increasing competition from the likes of the Aston Martin Rapide, the Porsche Panamera and the Bentley Continental GT. The company clearly believes it must expand its lineup to include a, dare we say it, "versatile" super car.
And versatile is exactly what Marenello calls the FF, for "Ferrari Four."
Ferrari calls it the "most powerful, versatile four-seater ever," and says it "ushers in an entirely new GT sports car concept." It is more than a car, says Ferrari, it is "a decisive break with the past" and "not so much an evolution as a true revolution."
Yeah yeah. So what's it got under the hood?
The 6.3-liter V-12 is good for an Enzo-like 660 horsepower and 503 pound-feet of torque. Tasty numbers, those, and the FF will be the most powerful stallion in Ferrari's stable. Look for zero to 62 mph in 3.7 seconds. Top speed is pegged at 208 mph. Ferrari claims a power-to-weight ratio of 2.7 kilos per pony.
Cars like this aren't built for efficiency, and the FF consumes 15.4 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers. That works out to 15.2 mpg by our math. Look for emissions of 390 grams of CO2 per kilometer. On both counts, the car fares better than the 612 Scaglietti flagship it replaces, even though it makes an additional 120 horsepower.
Other tasty bits include the F1-derived gearbox and, of course, the all-wheel-drive system. Ferrari calls it 4RM and claims it weighs less than a conventional four-wheel-drive system. It's integrated into the car's electronic dynamic-control system, providing optimal performance on all terrain under all conditions. In other words, it's got one hell of a nanny watching over you.
"The result is that owners will be able to enjoy the FF’s prowess over a wide range of uses: city driving, on low grip or snow-covered surfaces and on the track," Ferrari says.
All that and room for four people and luggage. The FF has 15.9 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats up and almost twice that with them down. Despite the added tech and cargo capacity – which is accessed through a wagon-style tailgate – the FF weighs 3,946 pounds dry. That's about 100 pounds less than the 612.
The shooting-brake design is gorgeous, as pretty much everything by Pininfarina is, and it reminds us of the 250 GT SWB Breadvan we love so much. But it's a radical departure for Maranello and sure to incite tremendous debate among the tifosi. We'll let you go at it in the comments.
The FF makes its official debut at the Geneva auto show in March. Look for it in European showrooms this spring and in the United States this fall. No word on price, but figure it'll be north of 250,000 euros.
Photos: Ferrari
See Also:
- Photo Gallery: 11 Reasons to Make Silly Amounts of Money
- Video: Ferrari's Breadvan Is the Sound of Angels Singing
- Another Beautiful Ferrari You Can't Have
- Enjoy Some Gratuitous Ferrari 599 GTO Porn
- Video: Ferrari 599 GTO on the Track
