2017 Ferrari GTC4 Lusso Photo by Brian Aitken

Cruising Country Roads in the 680 Horsepower Ferrari GTC4 Lusso

The word Ferrari is not necessarily synonymous with ‘daily driver.’ The growl, the aggression, the intense raw power—it’s a primitive emotion that lends itself so very well to race tracks and swiss alps. But the latest FF successor, the GTC4 Lusso, is an all-wheel-drive Ferrari that is truly, deeply desirable for every single moment.

2017 Ferrari GTC4 Lusso Photo by Brian Aitken

Growl around the Midtown traffic, lunge your way to the office on the East side, and then speed out of the city on an epic Friday evening drive to the country that will have you loving every curve of the road, every twist of the mountain, every inch of your leather cradled body. It’s an intense luxury experience like never before—the power and intensity of a Ferrari in a truly indulgent and comfortable ride, one that happens to fit the whole family for the best road trip of your life. Or at least a crew of four, which is more than we can say for most Rari’s.

“Lusso” means luxury in Italian, and the term is used on this new Ferrari in a purely literal context. GTC4Lusso describes, simply, a luxurious gran turismo coupe whose engine drives all four wheels. We took this baby on a wild ride from Midtown Manhattan to the stunning Wyebrook Farm in the lush green countryside of Honey Brook, Pennsylvania, where Dean Carlson and his wife, Emelie, have created a model of sustainable agriculture, complete with happy, healthy animals, and delectable food.

2017 Ferrari GTC4 Lusso Photo by Brian Aitken

Dean’s motto is: If you want to know where your food comes from, go to the source. It’s the perfect place to bring some Napa cab, check out their Devon cow herd, and literally feel the stress melt away. Not a bad place to park the Lusso and really embrace the juxtaposition of the man made machine next to God’s great creatures either.

2017 Ferrari GTC4 Lusso Photo by Brian Aitken
2017 Ferrari GTC4 Lusso Photo by Brian Aitken

Some crazy beautiful attention to detail really brings the interior to life for a flawless triumph of sporty luxury. Another first from the GTC4Lusso is the new, beautifully balanced Dual Cockpit architecture designed to enhance the shared driving experience. It features both a Driver Cockpit and a Passenger Cockpit separated by a central divider on which are clustered all of the comfort-oriented controls common to both.

Huge attention lavished on the front passenger area includes a Passenger Cockpit—two cupholders?! What a pleasant surprise. It’s also super comfy thanks to softer armrests while larger storage compartments are a practical boost. A dedicated LCD Touchscreen lends it a final, very modern élan. There’s more than just the focus for the driver here—it’s about luxury for all passengers involved, and giving every being in the car that truly personalized Ferrari experience. The final finishes create a relaxing ‘living/driving’ space, with a stunning sun roof that completely enhances the feeling that you are flying…and where we’re going, we don’t need roads.

Well, we do, but the pavement feels like clouds at any rate. The traction is stupendous, the ride quality is remarkable, and the pure power of it all pretty damn breathtaking. In Comfort mode, this Ferrari is impressively quiet and refined around town but the Sport mode really opens up that primitive growl we all love so much.

2017 Ferrari GTC4 Lusso Photo by Francisco Cruz
2017 Ferrari GTC4 Lusso Photo by Brian Aitken
2017 Ferrari GTC4 Lusso Photo by Brian Aitken
2017 Ferrari GTC4 Lusso Photo by Brian Aitken
2017 Ferrari GTC4 Lusso Photo by Brian Aitken
2017 Ferrari GTC4 Lusso Photo by Francisco Cruz

But back to the real beast here. The lusty 6.3-liter V-12 makes 680 hp at an eardrum-tickling 8000 rpm. That power routes through a dual-clutch seven-speed automatic; Ferrari claims a 0-60 time of 3.4 seconds and a top speed of 208 mph. Featuring all-wheel drive and four-wheel steering, this baby is a hatchback unlike any other with maximum revs standing at 8,250 rpm.

On the wide, twisting roads through Pennsylvania’s lush countryside, the GTC4Lusso felt like Ferrari’s vehicle dynamics team had rewritten the laws of physics. There is no understeer. Zip. Zero. No matter how hard you push—and with that magnificent V-12 up front delivering 80 percent of its torque at just 1,750 rpm and an endless surge of power all the way to its 8,250-rpm redline, you can push very hard—it simply goes. A Ferrari coupe, at 193.8 inches long, 78.0 inches wide, and 4,232 pounds, tip toes and dances around meadows like a prima ballerina, breathtakingly light-footed and delicate yet beautifully composed and always tightly controlled.

2017 Ferrari GTC4 Lusso Photo by Brian Aitken
2017 Ferrari GTC4 Lusso Photo by Brian Aitken