New Ferrari GTC4 Lusso T review - V8 turbo brings new dimension to epic GT
If you look back at Ferrari's[1] long and illustrious history, you'll struggle to unearth a single one of its road cars to be offered with a choice of engines or drivetrains. That's all set to change with the launch of the new GTC4 Lusso T.
Powered by a de-tuned version of the 488 GTB's[2] turbo V8, the Lusso T sits beneath the existing V12-engined GTC4 Lusso[3] – ditching the trick all-wheel-drive system for a rear-driven, rear-wheel-steer setup with 603bhp and 561lb ft.
Opinions of the new GTC4 Lusso T will vary depending on how you look at it. For some, the prospect of a more financially accessible four-seater Ferrari will be a suitable trade off for sacrificing a glorious V12 with a ballistic soundtrack, visceral performance and four-wheel-drive security. For others a turbocharged V8 engined Ferrari GT car just isn't the done thing, which is why they'll be happy to hear that twelve-cylinder engines still feature strongly in Ferrari's future plans.
Engine, transmission and 0-60 time
Despite losing four cylinders and two of its driven wheels, the GTC4 Lusso T is only fractionally slower than the more expensive 12-cylinder car. Thanks to Ferrari's Variable Boost Management system, turbo lag is all but eliminated – with the 1865kg four-seater revving cleanly to its 7500rpm red line – 500rpm shy of the 488 GTB and 750rpm less than the GTC V12.
The Lusso T sprints from 0-62mph in 3.5 seconds – just one tenth slower than the V12. The V8 packs 603bhp and 561lb ft of torque, versus the 12-cylinder's 681bhp and 514lb ft. Performance is effortless and remarkably linear, but it misses out on the flagship car's ear-piercing crescendo at the very top end.
Lifting the seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox from the existing GTC4 means you get the same thumping changes in Sport mode, while leaving it in auto allows the Lusso T to cruise like a Bentley Flying Spur. Engineers have removed the V12's four-wheel-drive system but retained the rear-wheel-steer setup – making ithe car appreciably more agile.
Technical highlights?
The turbocharged Lusso T uses Ferrari's clever Variable Boost Management system, proven already on the fantastic 488 GTB. It allows the GTC to almost entirely eliminate turbo lag, with instant throttle response in any gear. The new car also gets a lightly honed version of Ferrari's Side Slip Control 3.0 (SSC3), giving the GTC4 Lusso T a more playful nature than its V12 sibling. There's an e-diff for the rear axle but no track mode in the manettino settings.
As we've said, the four-wheel-steer system is carried over from the more powerful car, too, primarily improving agility – rather than high-speed stability as it does in the F12 tdf.
What's it like to drive?
In a word? Lovely. Then again, California aside, all of today's Ferrari's are. By ditching the bulky four-wheel-drive system and installing a (slightly) less powerful V8, Maranello's engineers have been able to save 55kg and move the smaller engine further back in the engine bay for a more favourable (46:54 front:rear) weight distribution. With less bulk over the nose, the GTC4 Lusso T feels more agile than the V12, maximising the same sharp steering and keen turn-in that allow the V12 to defy its bulk so well.
The turbocharged motor is so effective that the loss of a quartet of cylinders and the addition of two turbochargers is barely noticeable. Along the mountain pass of our test route in northern Italy it conquered everything it came across with equal enthusiasm to a V12, with no need to leave third gear.
Those used to the GTC's V12 will miss its top-end climax and that glorious spread of power and torque that only a dozen cylinders can deliver, but the turbo V8 is astoundingly punchy and remarkably flexible. That the turbo's swelled torque requires less effort to maintain a serious pace will be a benefit to many, and a key reason in favour of opting for eight over twelve cylinders.
Losing the four-wheel-drive setup doesn't make the Lusso unruly like, say, an F12 Berlinetta. Grip is excellent, actually, with only really rough roads troubling the rear tyre's grip on the surface and the Lusso's composure. That said, if you flick the Mannetino switch to 'ESC off', it will wag its tail progressively and controllably on the exit of a tight bend and arc wider still in faster, more open curves. But the GTC4, V12 or V8 isn't about tail wagging and vaporising rear tyres, but it does show a deftness to the big Ferrari's dynamics that many will be pleasantly surprised to discover.
On first acquaintance the steering feels overly quick, darting between turn-in and apex with unexpected speed that requires a few turns to recalibrate your senses, but there's huge grip to lean on and the front end is keener to react and fix itself to your chosen line. Combined with the rear-wheel steering the GTC V8 builds huge confidence in your own and its ability.
Downsides? Just the one. It comes when you're comparing the Lusso T to the V12 in regards comfort and long distance refinement. Where the former feels sharp and alert when you're working the chassis and pushing up to the edge of its ability, the trade off is it feels fidgety and less settled on straighter, more calmer roads. Even with the dampers in the 'Bumpy Road' setting, the GTC is frustratingly susceptible to broken tarmac, shattering the calm expected of Ferrari's GT car.
Price and rivals
At £199,285, the V8 GTC4 Lusso T is £31,145 cheaper than the £230,430 V12. That's a significant saving, though UK legislation means it won't be any cheaper to tax. You might get a few more miles per gallon, however, and all UK cars come with a four-year warranty and seven-year servicing package.
Direct rivals are hard to pinpoint, though Aston Martin's Rapide S seems a logical starter for 10. The Brit-built GT costs from £147,950 but loses almost a second in the 0-62mph dash, despite its 552bhp naturally-aspirated V12. A Bentley Flying Spur V8 is slower still, while the Porsche Panamera Turbo offers more comparable performance from just £115,400.
References
- ^ Ferrari's (www.autoexpress.co.uk)
- ^ 488 GTB's (www.evo.co.uk)
- ^ GTC4 Lusso (www.evo.co.uk)
- ^ evo's best supercars (www.evo.co.uk)
