Ferrari 4WD FF revealed

[Jason[98.EL]]

IT'S A Ferrari, but not as we know it. This is the first 4WD Ferrari.
Famed for its two-seater, rear-wheel-drive supercars, the Italian manufacturer has revealed its first four-wheel drive, the four-seater Ferrari FF.



The latest addition to the Maranello prancing horse fleet is also a hatchback or "shooting brake", but unlike any normal hatchback.

Its 6262cc direct-injection V12 engine delivers 485kW of power that slings the red missile from standstill to 10km/h in just 3.7 seconds and a maximum speed of 335km/h.

But the main point of difference in the "Ferrari Four" is the addition of four-wheel drive for the first time which places it in even closer competition with all-wheel-drive Lamborghinis.


Ferrari's patented 4RM four-wheel drive system is claimed to weigh half as much as other systems to provide a balanced weight distribution of 53 per cent over the rear axle.

While no details of how the drive system works have been released, it is believed Ferrari favours a part-time system.

This could be a system that is activated by driver selection, when slip is detected in the rear wheels or engaged at lower speeds then kicks into rear-wheel-drive for better fuel economy and performance.

It is integrated with the car's electronic dynamic control systems and has the latest version of Ferrari's magnetic suspension damping system and Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes.

Carsguide has published spy photos from Carparazzi of the car heavily disguised but looking frumpy in the rear end.
However, with the covers removed it appears Italian design house Pininfarina has produced a sleek supercar that looks like an aerodynamic version of the 1970s Jensen Interceptor.

It has generous space for four passengers and even 450 litres of luggage. With the rear seats down, luggage space increases to 800 litres.
The new four-seater gran turismo style puts it in direct competition with the emergence over the past few years of other four-steer GTs such as the Porsche Panamera and Aston Rapide.

The FF will make its official debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March and will arrive in Australia early next year. Australian importer Ateco says it will replace the 612 Scaglietti in its four-car line-up.

The current Scaglietti sells here for $698,000, but the FF's drive system is expected to boost that price. It would join Ferrari's current Australian line-up of California Convertible ($459,650), 458 Italia ($526,950) and 599 Fiorano ($677,250).

The Italian manufacturer is currently enjoying record sales in the US and China and in Australia, Ferrari sold 126 cars last year, up 21.2 per cent which is double the market trend.

Ateco spokesman Edward Rowe says the FF will appeal to "people who want a Ferrari that is able to used across a broad range of uses. What's been happening over the past 10-15 years is Ferrari owners' average mileage they drive has been increasing significantly every year and Ferrari owners want to be able to use their cars in a much wider range of uses," he says.

"The idea of this car is it's fully capable of going to a high-speed performance day and then take you and your family and skis in the car down to the snow for a ski weekend. This illustrates the enormous breadth and ability of this car."

Rowe says the FF is "still a true supercar" in performance and handling. "It remains a true mid-engined Ferrari but at the same time it's like no other Ferrari that's gone before it."

Rowe says they already have "double figures" of customers "putting their hand up" for the FF.

Ferrari FF

Price: TBA
Engine: 65-degree 6262cc direct-injection V12
Power: 485kW @ 8000 rpm
Torque: 683Nm @ 6000 rpm
Dimensions (mm): 4907 (l), 1953 (w), 1379 (h) Dry weight: 1790kg Weight distribution: 47% front, 53% rear Top speed: 335 km/h
0-100km/h: 3.7 sec
Economy: 15.4L/100km
CO2: 360g/kmFerrari FF

like the top speed

Jason

[Polyal]

That's pretty cool, I do like the concept of a shooting brake. Reminds me of a Jensen interceptor, just good looking. I could have done without the Awd, but you could imagine the owners heading to the alps.

Anyone know where the shooting brake term came from?

[Spitfire 6.2]

Originally Posted by Polyal

Anyone know where the shooting brake term came from?

From Wikipedia.

A Shooting-brake, or "Shooting Break", is a three-door car body style with a squared-off rear. They generally have a rear liftgate like a wagon or a hatchback although one or a pair of side-hinged doors is also sometimes seen.

The term originated with custom built 2-door luxury estate cars altered for use by hunters and other sportsmen such as golfers, riders, and polo players requiring easy access to larger storage areas than offered by the typical automobile boot.

Top Gear (magazine) has described a shooting brake as "a cross between an estate and a coupe" (sic — see coupé).


Etymology

In the early 19th century, a brake was a large carriage-frame with no body, used for breaking in young horses. By the late 19th century the meaning had been extended to a large waggonette designed for country use. A "shooting brake" carried a driver and gamekeeper facing forward and up to six sportsmen on longitudinal benches with their dogs, guns and game carried alongside in slat-sided racks.
[edit] History

An early manufacturer of shooting breaks was Albion Motors of Scotland. There are existing examples of custom-built Bentley S2, Mercedes 300, and also the Aston Martin DBS. The 2010 Mercedes Benz "Shooting Break" concept car previews the upcoming 2011 CLS wagon.

VG, a small US coach builder, offers a model named VGD "Shooting Brake".

Some modern manufacturers, such as Audi, have recently referred to some concept cars as shooting brakes or shooting breaks. In French-speaking countries estate-bodied cars (including those with five doors) are often referred to as "break" models (note the different spelling), short for "break de chasse", or "hunting break".


Examples

* Aston Martin (various models)
* Bentley (various models)
* BMW Z3 coupé/M Coupe
* BMW 1 Series 3dr Hatchback
* Ferrari FF, The first four-wheel drive Ferrari
* Jensen GT
* Reliant Scimitar GTE
* Sunbeam Break de Chasse and Hillman Break de Chasse
* Lancia Beta HPE (High Performance Estate)
* Lotus Elite Types 75 and 83
* Lynx Eventer (made from Jaguar XJS)
* Morris Minor Traveller (estate / station wagon)
* Volvo 480
* Volvo 1800 ES estate
* Third generation Volkswagen Scirocco
* MGB GT, MGB GT V8, MGC GT

[SM1DY]

Originally Posted by Jason[98.EL]

from standstill to 10km/h in just 3.7 seconds

I'd wanna hope so...

I like the look of it, but I also like the Porsche Panamera and BMW X6 so I'm a bit off.

[flappist]

Actually it looks like a model car from one of those 1960's puppet shoes like Joe 90 or Thunderbirds etc.......

[Trendseeker]

When I spotted the headline on the SMH website earlier today I clicked on it expecting to see a mean-looking SUV style (4WD) vehicle. I have to say I was surprised to see this retro sixties E-type Jag looking thing.

According to Drive, they already have 10 orders in Australia and the price won't leave much change from $900,000.

Here is the link to Drive.

http://smh.drive.com.au/motor-news/f...121-19z2u.html

[Falc'man]

Originally Posted by 2008WhiteSR

When I spotted the headline on the SMH website earlier today I clicked on it expecting to see a mean-looking SUV style (4WD) vehicle. I have to say I was surprised to see this retro sixties E-type Jag looking thing.

Same here. "AWD" is the more appropriate term.

[block58]

Immediately reminded me of a BMW 1-series, with the front end of a Peugeot and the rear end of a Lotus Elise. Definitely a different look for Ferrari, not one I can agree with though.

[3vXT]

AWD Ferrari? Something about that makes me want to stab myself in the heart with a stick. It does look good though which can't be said for everything Ferrari does in recent years.

[Mr Hardware]

[geckoGT]

Originally Posted by Mr Hardware

agreed

[cheap]

What is this "thing"? It looks like they borrowed styling from Alfa, BMW, Nissan and Mazda to name a few...

10 people/orders in Australia, each to their own

Look at the front photo, it looks like a very very angry face

[RS027]

"U… G… L… Y… You ain’t got no alibi!!! You UGLY… You UGLY"


Man, that is hideous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[tex]

Agreed, it is no thing of beauty that thing. Yuk.

[FPV8U]

Ferrari should stick to cars like the F430 & the 550 Maranello that thing is disgusting.

[Rev28K]

First "production" 4wd - they had 4wd mules back in the 80's

First "production" shooting break - the Sultan of Brunei's brother had a couple of 456's modified by Pininfarina to become hatches

[Nikked]

Looks like a cross between the Z3 and z4 Coupe's

[Rev28K]

That original post had the line "It remains a true mid-engined Ferrari but at the same time it's like no other Ferrari that's gone before it." in it. Seems like quite a trick for a front engined V12.

Interesting to see how the Porsche Panamera/Aston Martin Rapide/Ferrari FF/Maserati Quattroporte/Lamborghini Estoque wars will pan out. The Porsche is fugly and heavy but seems to go and handle very, very well for its size.

Edit - the previous Ferrari 4WD was the 406 mule and tuners have converted a few Ferrari 400 GT's in to 4 doors.



From Evo's website:

Meet the shock new Ferrari FF, a replacement for the 612 Scaglietti.

As well as being the first four-wheel-drive Ferrari, it’s described as the company’s most versatile four-seater ever, and has unexpectedly been unveiled with best in class cabin space and boot capacity figures. It’s not a hardcore supercar to sit above the Ferrari 458 Italia, then; it does, though, come with a typically potent power source under that long front bonnet.

Powering all four wheels for the first time is a naturally aspirated 6.3-litre V12 direct injection engine, with 651bhp (at a typically howling 8000rpm) and 504lb ft of torque. Those figures are enough to hustle the 1790kg FF (dry weight) from 0-62mph in a claimed 3.7sec, while the top speed is a distinctly supercar-esque 208mph. Though aiming for that four up and full of luggage is probably ill-advised…

With Ferrari’s HELE stop-start system fitted (as debuted on the Ferrari California), CO2 emissions are 360g/km while the FF will achieve 18.3mpg.

Ferrari’s first all-wheel-drive system, patented 4RM, is said to weigh 50 per cent less than a conventional setup, helping maintain close-to-ideal weight distribution (47/53 front/rear). It works in tandem with the car’s numerous electronic dynamic control systems, adjusting torque distribution between the four wheels depending on conditions and terrain. The FF also boasts a magnetorheological damping system and carbon-ceramic Brembo brakes.

FF is an acronym of Ferrari Four, signifying its seat and driven wheel count. At 4907mm long, 1953mm wide and 1374mm high, it’s almost identical in size to the V12 four-seater it replaces, the rear-drive Ferrari 612 Scaglietti. With its rear seats down, though, it boasts almost three times the boot capacity (800 litres) while with the seats up (450 litres), it can hold more than a Renault Scenic.

The Ferrari FF makes its world debut at the 2011 Geneva motor show in March, when we can expect further details, including cost and on-sale dates. We’d wager FF production to begin in 2012, though, with prices around the £250,000 mark.

[FG XR]

ewww...

I was expecting something like an X5 BMW when i saw the topic

[TheInterceptor]

I was expecting somtihng like the Cayenne, not the Panamera.

Car looks like vomit...although the specs look brill.

[Bossxr8]

The Herald Sun had an article calling it the worlds most expensive bush basher four wheel drive.

Is that the dumbest thing ever written.

It would struggle to cross a pebble without grounding itself.

[gcg2503]

[ryanstev]

Originally Posted by Rev28K

That original post had the line "It remains a true mid-engined Ferrari but at the same time it's like no other Ferrari that's gone before it." in it. Seems like quite a trick for a front engined V12.

The engine will be behind the front axle, which means it's mid engined.

[FTE72]

I bet it will look damn good in the flesh.
I must not see the ugly that others do, I think it looks quite sharp. A nice quick grocery getter.

[Rev28K]

Originally Posted by ryanstev

The engine will be behind the front axle, which means it's mid engined.

I always thought of that as a front-mid design (RX7, C5 Corvette, Porsche 944, etc.). Mid engined I (and I bet most other people too) think of the engine being behind the driver either transverse or Inline, the weight distribution can skew towards 40/60 front/rear (like a rear engined Porsche 911) but that's sometimes the nature if the beast.

The design does look very reminiscent of the first gen M-coupe, which I liked and was styled a little bit after a Nike runner. Maybe they should show it with the 66ish (?) 250 GTO "breadvan" to try and play up the heritage angle.

(edit) I just looked on the net and it looks like the breadvan was a modified 250 GT SWB that was created by ex-Ferrari personnel during the palace coup and it isn't officially recognized as a Ferrari. I still like it regardless.

[Rev28K]

Apparently there is going to be a real Ferrari engined SUV

http://theage.drive.com.au/motor-new...128-1a7tr.html

Maserati will sell it. Based on Jeep/Chrysler underpinnings. Top end ones will compete price wise with Porsche Cayenne Turbos. And the top of the line model will have the 6.0 litre V12 from the Ferrari 599.