New Ferrari Unveiled

It has four wheel drive. It has four seats. It has two doors. Its engine is a 6.2 directly injected V12 and is going to be packing a claimed 660 cavalli, with a new class leading weight ratio of 2.7 horses per KG. The thing will probably nudge 200 MPH and will pull away to sixty in around 3.7 seconds.

And we love it.

Its shell has been drawn by Pininfarina and as far as we are concerned and despite it’s disturbing resemblance to a BMW Z4 coupé, we think that it’s a brilliantly innovative move in a market courted by the Panamera and the Rapide.

The 612 Scaglietti, the front engined V12 ‘daddy’ Ferrari it is due to replace has been much maligned of late, and even accused (unfairly we think) of being ugly and outdated for a while now.

Funnily enough, the 612 didn’t photograph very well but looked much better up close and personal – and get it out on the open road and you quickly scoffed at the detractors. It was always a class act an a true Grand Tourer capable of giving the kids the road trip of their lives along with lucky mum and dad.

The FF on the other hand, certainly looks much more pretty in the pictures that as we write are darting all over the automotive blogosphere. We wonder wether in the steel it will remain as striking.

For us, the visage naturally recalls the Scag and its V12 cousin the 599 GTB Fiorano – but with 458 Italia-like lamps. The rear three quarters is the bit that evokes most closely the Z4, with flowing arch and highly raked hatch.

It’s not exactly a Breadvan, but most resembles the grand tradition of gentleman weekend sportser as exemplified by Aston’s Shooting Brake specials, commissioned by clients with outdoor pursuits in mind as well as supercar aspirations and a huge bonus.

While the use of four wheel drive evokes the image of a long distant, go anywhere, almost practical Ferrari, you won’t expect to see many of these in the backwoods of Patagonia: though check out the beautiful HD video on the launch site and be amazed at the quality and the ambition of those brilliant adventurers from Maranello.