Ferrari FF: A Taste of Future DreamsWhen it comes to my dream garage, my ultimate goal is to have in it three supercars. All Italian: A V8, a V10, and a V12. The Maserati Quattroporte Sport GTS may not be considered a supercar as much as it is a sports saloon. However with a 4.7L Ferrari V8 stemming from the unit used in the F430 / Scuderia, the California, and the 458 Italia I hope we can agree it shares the same beating heart as those Italian Supercar. Purchasing the Quattroporte in late 2015 initiated step 1 and got the ball rolling.
Steps 2 & 3 include a V10 Lamborghini and a V12 Ferrari. With a large number of Gallardo's having been produced with different iterations and the Lamborghini V10 continuing its life cycle in the Hurucan, plans are to acquire the V10 last. That defaults to the V12 Ferrari being Step 2. Ever since I saw the Ferrari FF I knew I wanted one. I loved the way it looked and I've always adored V12 Ferraris. The announcement of the GTC4 Lusso was a comforting moment, knowing that Ferrari will be continuing the overall design theory of a 4 seat 4 wheel drive V12 Ferrari, YES PLEASE. Now with a price often reaching $400,000, used with ~15,000 miles is the only way to go. My theory is to always wet the appetite and know what you're working for. With that said I rang up a Ferrari dealership and was forthcoming with my situation and timeline. An FF test drive was scheduled and off to Chicago I went. After spending some time pouring over the car and taking it in, I hopped in and started it up. I must imagine I am well acquainted with how OB-GYNs feel when a baby cries its first breath of life because that is how I feel every time I hear a supercar engine startup and roar to life. The 6.3L V12 in the FF is no exception to that statement. Turn the key, foot on brake, press the red 'Start' button, V12 roars to life, pupils dilate, heart races, and every molecule in me wakes up. Caffeine is out of a job when I'm in one of these cars. As petrol heads and gear heads, supercars are made to push our buttons and for me none do that better than Ferraris. It was a short drive spanning no more than 15 miles or so, however I was in love by the time I was back at the dealership. The amount of road presence this car has on the road beckons belief. The engine was incredibly smooth and sounded good at all RPMs. Not as vocal as the Maserati's V8 below 4000 RPM, however once in access of that, nothing comes close to the symphony being conducted by your right foot. The engine seemed to rev forever and did so effortlessly. The redline on the car seems more of a manufacturing suggestion than a mechanical limitation. The FF weighs the better part of 4000 lbs however never once felt it. It accelerated like it was in a vacuum and the serving up of speed was relentless. Every gear felt the same and seamed to pull just as hard. Acceleration in an FF is somewhat dizzying simply because the lateral G's never eased. Breaking was strong and very linear. I didn't throw the car into any corners given I was on public roads however I could tell the steering was perfectly weighted and the car did exactly what I was asking it to. The defining moment of the test drive though was when I opened the windows as I drove under a bridge; a ritual common to all petrol heads when driving a car with a tuneful engine. In 1st gear between 7 and 8,000 RPM, the engine note was NOTHING short of a miracle. The FF had the howl of the V12 Formula cars. It screamed. I've heard my fare share of supercars and watched a good deal of videos online with cars revving and blasting through tunnels and yet I was still floored at the sounds emitted from the car. It was an assault on the senses in the best of ways. Upon returning I parked the FF between a 458 and a 488 GTB, both fine examples of car art however neither distracted from the presence of the FF. I loved this car and every minute of driving it. The experience truly was a teasing taste of future dreams. I can't wait to one day own and share such a car with family and friends. |
2014 Ferrari FF
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