Ferrari is amazingly attuned to their niche buyer…
…and has always understood that the Ferrari brand is focused on building automobiles that transform everyday life into something extraordinary. It has been that attention to their clients that made me think of the now discontinued Twin Turbo V8, the GTC/4 Lusso T. I had driven one back in 2017 and the car still sticks in my mind as something special; a Ferrari for the man or woman comfortable with who they are, projecting an image of understated elegance.
When recently reading a Harris Poll done for another luxury car manufacturer, Ferrari seems right on track with the GTC/4 Lusso.
- 90% of Americans feel modern luxury should be both beautiful and highly functional.
- 70% of Americans believe when it comes to modern luxury, less is more.
Yet when I ask people how they like the GTC/4 Lusso T, they often, lamentably, say the same thing; they haven’t driven one, and that’s a mistake.
Where some might say the GTC/4 Lusso T is a bit, well… grand, the Lusso is only 12 inches longer than an 812 Superfast and those 12 inches are functionally designed to add lifestyle value to the car. About the size of a Porsche Panamera, the Lusso has actual honest-to-God space for four adults, and those same rear seats fold flat for bikes, surfboards, golf clubs, skis. You name it, and it can probably be stuffed into the Lusso. Real room for the things you treasure in life, like dogs and families.
The interior of the new Turbo V8 has to be one of the best around. My ride was trimmed in a breath-taking red, and defines what a supercar cockpit should look like. Strikingly handsome inside, this car is Nirvana with a thoughtful blend of high-tech meets sumptuous style. Definitely find one with the optional sunroof as it helps brighten the cabin and avoids claustrophobia.
Luxurious and practical, never lose sight of the GTC/4 Lusso T as a Ferrari, a driver’s car, and with 602 HP, 561 lb-ft of torque at 3,000 rpm, searingly fast out of the blocks with a 0-60 time around 3.5 seconds, razor-sharp around corners, and quiet at 130 miles per hour…(I’ve heard). Where less becomes more is Ferrari’s decision to drop the front wheel drive on the Turbo V8, shaving 120 pounds off the V12 in the process. That lighter weight makes the Turbo V8 and the V12 a near dead heat to 60 miles per hour, even with the difference in horsepower (Turbo V8-602 vs V12-680).
Those that miss the glorious V12 exhaust note should know Turbo V8 has its own distinct Maranello sound and above 4000 RPM’s, it’s shattering. And pocketing the $40,000 price point difference makes the Turbo V8 sound that much sweeter than the 12. Though no one will care, the Turbo V8 uses 25% less fuel. There’s that.
The original V12 also has a separate transmission for the front wheels, and this might make for an easier go when you headed for the chalet, when it develops a problem, it’s going to cost a lot of money to rebuild.
Ferrari understands that life is complicated, and that those who can afford a Ferrari shouldn’t be relegated to using them only on the weekends. Your amount of drive time should be spent enjoying every minute on the road, be that an expressway or the twisty bits. The GTC/4 Lusso T checks all those boxes.
Ferrari’s new Purosangue will of course steal away the crowd that has always wanted a fast but practical Ferrari, which means the GTC/4 Lusso is soon to be a steal. From an MSRP into the mid-$300,000, a very nice, low miles machine is now less than $200,000. By fall, 2024, these cars are headed for $150,000, and damn the repair bills.
