Story: Alex Bernstein
The shooting brake: an automotive design few brands have ever pulled off successfully. And even while some love it, the majority of car enthusiasts hate it. In this case, though, the definition of success is pretty subjective; Ferrari is one company that has a track record of perfection.
Replacing the flagship 612 Scaglietti, the FF undoubtedly brings something fresh to the marque’s lineup. Along with the design scheme, reminiscent of BMW’s first-generation M Coupe, comes a crucial first time for Ferrari: four-wheel drive. That’s right—no more smoke shows or the sound of rubber struggling for grip as you mash your foot on the accelerator. Utilizing a 6.3-liter V12 direct-injection engine that stirs up a frenzy of audible pornography all the way to a screaming 8,000 rpm limit, the FF pounces to 62 mph in just 3.7 seconds, and it’ll continue to hustle its boot past 200 mph. With the advanced 4RM four-wheel-drive setup, all 651 horsepower is transferred to the ground without so much as a hiccup, and four bucket seats will keep you and your crew buckled down whether you’re getting sideways or banging gears.
While most exotics are best suited to a heated garage and a bougie-car Snuggie during the inclement months, the FF is ready to go at all times, regardless of the weather or terrain. With the four-wheel drive seamlessly integrated into the electronic dynamic-control systems, the FF can be taken anywhere—as long as ground clearance isn’t an issue, because it’s still a Ferrari, after all.
No doubt, this Maranello-derived beast is packed with new-age tech, including the most advanced magnetorheological damping suspension, SCM3 (basically, a glorified shock absorber with a magnetic field). But where the Italian stallion sets itself apart from its brothers and sisters is not only the extra passenger room, but in luggage space too. It’s the most versatile thing ever to come from our friends at Ferrari.
The famed prancing horse epitomizes everything a supercar should be, and while over the years this horse has galloped in other directions, the FF is still very much the same Ferrari you’d sell your soul for.
