Ferrari has nestled its 6.0-liter V12 engine, which produces 650 horsepower and 503 pound-feet of torque, which is mated to a seven-speed F1 transmission, much like the 458 Spider. 0 to 60 is surpassed in around 3.6 seconds on its way to the 208 mph top speed.
Most normal four-wheel drive vehicles route power from one central gearbox out to all four wheels. In the FF, the front and rear wheels each have a separate gearbox. If that sounds complicated, that’s because it is. And, as I mention in my video review, explaining the system – called 4RM — properly would take longer than inventing it did.
Suffice it to say, though, that when Ferrari says it worked hard to retain the rear-drive feel while also adding the versatility of four-wheel drive, it has. That’s because the incredibly intricate system keeps the extra drive-in weight low, close to the road. I feel I should mention that Ferrari engineers actually conceived of 4RM in the 1980s but the technology to properly implement it didn't exist until the mid-2000s.
This, to me, proves the men in Maranello aren't just grown eight-year-olds with a penchant for power, they’re also technical visionaries. Even with its extra door and drive line components, the FF still drives like a Ferrari. Stomp on the throttle, look where you want to go, and the FF got there … fast.
The first distinction Ferrari made with its FF is the body. Don’t call it a hatchback; it’s a “shooting brake,” which is essentially a two-door wagon. It’s a polarizing design for sure. It’s also the first gift – aside from that sensuous, long hood — Ferrari designers gave its buyers: versatility. Unlike anything else in the GT range, the FF actually has room for things on the interior.
And what an interior it is. Not only is the FF interior downright cavernous, it’s also stunning to behold. The press demonstrator Ferrari sent to us was blessed with a brown leather interior accented by white stitching. Often in cars of this level, automakers are keen to cut power-zapping weight. Accordingly, the cars are fitted with stylish but slim cabins.
Attention to details often comes in the form of keenly crafted carbon fiber bits and a thin smearing of leather over the hard seat frames – not enough to keep anyone comfortable for long periods of time. The FF, by comparison, boasts Bentley-level cabin quality with a shout-y Italian flare only matched when the throttle pedal is mashed into the carpets. It’s quiet, comfortable, and fashion-forward, and especially well illuminated thanks to the panoramic glass roof. Honestly, it’s an astonishingly nice place to be.
The only downside to the interior on my press demonstrator was the extremely outdated infotainment unit. That said, Car Play is available now for from Ferrari, so that should improve the user experience a bit. Right now, no supercar maker excels at in-car infotainment, so while the FF’s electronics are outmatched by a lowly Dodge Dart, it is as good as some of its six-figure competitors.
Only a V12
Only a V12 Ferrari could make such noise. While higher pitched and less gravelly than an Aston or Lambo, the Ferrari 6.0 is nonetheless scary. I proved this, in fact, when we were shooting the downtown intro of our review video.
On several occasions, people seemed to think their life was ending for a split second. Or, at the very least, that I’d taken six to eight years off their hearing. Mind you, it’s not that loud — Portlanders were just being melodramatic. But it is loud. And that loudness is a good thing. All too often cars are loud from outside but not as much in.
At full tilt, on a windy road, I could have sworn the tailpipes turned in to face the cabin, filling my ears with the roar of a billion dying hydrocarbons. Of all the brilliant things of the FF, from the engine to all-wheel drive system to its sensuous cabin, the part that impressed me most was its suspension system.
To get to Mt. Saint Helens, the camera crew and I had to drive several hours north of our home in Portland, Oregon. On the way, we traversed freeways, highways, and ill-paved thoroughfares. Not one road or pothole perturbed the FF. This is impressive, but, honestly, many cars can claim such a feat. It was when I had to start driving like a lunatic during filming where the magnetorheological damping system called SCM3 really shone brightest.
With a flip of the steering wheel-mounted switch, the car immediately went from highway cruiser to hard and fast supercar. And it was that sensation that really put the whole car into perspective for me. I’ve enjoyed 600+ horsepower supercars. I’ve enjoyed luxury cars with intricate interiors. And I’ve enjoyed cars that portend to live in two worlds — both sport and luxury — at once. None, though, did it like the FF.
It could quite literally be your comfortable daily driver with room for four, with which you set new lap records or drive to the ski resort on the weekends. Nothing I’ve ever driven can claim the same – at least with the same style, poise, and precision.
