2018 Ferrari GTC4Lusso T First Drive Review: Escape from New York

“My job is hardly work sometimes,” is a common refrain heard around the Motor Trend office. Example: On a Tuesday afternoon, my inbox pinged, “Wanna drive a V-8 turbo Ferrari wagon up the Hudson River Valley? Please LMK ASAP.” Hmm. What would you reply? “YOLO, OMW!” So on Sunday morning, I was boarding a flight from Los Angeles to New York and flying first class across the country to drive the 2018 Ferrari GTC4Lusso T. First stop: the Upper East Side of Manhattan—but it was pouring buckets of rain in the city. IKR?

T Time

That “T” in GTC4 Lusso T is what differentiates this new car from the 2017 GTC4Lusso (no T) we initially drove in Europe in 2016, and again, Stateside earlier this year. According to Ferrari, those lusso (luxury) grand touring coupes’ all-weather mission remains: sure-footed stability and versatility with room for four adults propelled by an iconic Ferrari V-12. That naturally aspirated 6,262 cc. V-12, good for 680 horsepower/514 lb-ft of torque, is driven through two transmissions to all four wheels. The GTC4Lusso also features rear-steer hardware originally seen on the weaponized 770-hp F12tdf. After his drive, international bureau chief Angus MacKenzie wrote: “Right now, Ferrari might just have the best bunch of chassis engineers in the business. Yes, the GTC4Lusso is that good.”

Sharing the two-door four-passenger hatchback (aka “shooting brake”) versatility of the V-12, the new GTC4Lusso T’s mission, however, is to provide a 30 percent increase in fuel efficiency (true, according to the EPA) plus additional agility and quicker responses. How? With less overall and more rear-biased weight (46/54 percent front/rear), the front, midmounted turbocharged V-8 is driven through a transaxle and rear-wheels alone—emphasis on rear. The rear-steering hardware also comes along, but software was recalibrated to emphasize its sporting goal. Suddenly, I was concerned for tomorrow morning’s rainy day drive in a car that starts at $260,750 and was $336,000 as it sat. I was comforted to learn that the Lusso T also features Ferrari’s third-generation Side Slip Control—an overlord of electronics controlling front/rear steering and roll rates, dampers, throttle, transmission, traction/stability-control systems, and an electronic differential. And of course, there is a Wet setting on the revised steering wheel’s now-famous manettino selector. So there’s that. Sleep well, beast.

Almost Blue

Throwing the blackout curtains aside in the morning, I was pleased to find a gauzy white/blue sky, inky, black streets, and no rain. After a breakfast briefing, we walked out of the hotel to find a pair of new GTC4Lusso Ts at the curb that were covered in dewdrops, one Grigio Titanio Metallizato (sliver) and one Blu Mirabeau—the one I chose. Firing up the flat-plane crank V-8, it settled into a gentle staccato idle. I loaded the drive route on my iPhone and enabled Apple CarPlay. Side note: If you thought Porsche was guilty of absurd option prices, CarPlay—standard on a $19,730 Honda Civic—is a $4,219 option. Coincidentally, the GTC4Lusso T’s optional Panoramic Glass Roof is $20,249, or $519 more than the entire Civic. Yes, really. The standard 10.25-inch high-definition touchscreen infotainment display is remarkably quick to respond to left/right swipes, unpinch zooms, and all other taps without hesitation or latency. There are also two rollers and four buttons. Additionally, our car was fitted with an optional 8.8-inch passenger touchscreen ($5,906) that displays navigation, chassis, entertainment, or performance data. In nav mode, it can operate independently of the main screen so a passenger can locate and input a detour or new destination then send it to the main screen without interrupting the driver’s display. Kinda cool.

Back on East 76th Street: the car’s quick-revving motivator is a DOHC 32-valve twin-scroll twin-turbo V-8 displacing 3,855 cc. Closely related to the engine in the outgoing Ferrari California T and incoming Portofino, they’re all part of the F154 dry-sump V-8 family. The 3,902 cc. 661-hp, 561-lb-ft version in the 488 GTB helped propel it to win Motor Trend’s 2017 Best Driver’s Car. Like that gem, the Lusso T’s V-8 is tuned to deliver near-zero turbo lag, and in this case provide “just” 602 horsepower at its 7,500-rpm rev-limit but the same gut-flattening 561 lb-ft of torque at 3,000 rpm. That’s 47 lb-ft more than the non-T Lusso’s V-12. The V-8 features variable-length intake runners and equal-length exhaust headers, and the once-controversial turbos provide variable boost based on throttle/gear positions. In gears three through seven, the engine produces ever-more torque after each upshift to ensure that rush of acceleration never diminishes with those taller gears.

One left turn later, and while puttering down Madison Avenue in Comfort mode with the transmission in auto, the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic nonchalantly dispatched low-rev shifts as well as a doing fine job getting the 4,100-pound car moving gently forward from a stop. The auto stop/start system isn’t what we’d call seamless, however, but it can be and was easily disabled. I further rounded off all NYC potholes by selecting Bumpy Road mode from the steering wheel button that softens the magnetorheological (MR) dampers, and the resulting ride is absolutely plush—even on 35 aspect-ratio tires on forged 20-inch wheels. A Ferrari that drives as quietly and smoothly as a Volvo wagon? Indeed. Will it be any fun when it matters?

Now We’re Rolling

Turning left onto East 97th, cutting through Central Park, and then E 96th, put us on the Hudson Parkway in Riverside Park. I flicked the car into Sport, and the throttle and exhaust note grew sharper. In the thinning traffic, I let my shoulders relax a little as speed increased and real progress was being made. It was a truly crisp, vibrant day for a drive along the Hudson. For a Californian, seeing the leaves changing color, flitting about on the Parkway, and occasionally pasting themselves on the windshield, was lovely. As with most driver controls, a switch on the steering wheel activated the wipers. Then I began noticing how active, almost hyper-active, the rear-steering truly was. At 50-60 mph, I’d thumb the turn signal (on the steering wheel), barely nudge the wheel for a lane change, and zip, I’d be in the next lane. Switching back to Comfort mode (again, on the wheel) settled the car noticeably. There would be time for that later.

Passing through Riverdale (yes, it exists and my daughter would’ve lerved a pic!), I made my way to the Taconic Parkway and headed north to Yorktown. There, the route veered off onto Bear Mountain State Parkway and into the state park. The road began to climb and bend, but the speed limit was posted 40 mph, and the locals were taking it very seriously. Why? It was mostly a double-yellow two-laner, so I settled in and noticed the local constabulary sprinkled throughout. Ah-ha. Thank you, locals. A half-hour later, I found myself alone on Seven Lakes Drive in Harriman State Park. Finally, I could stretch the Lusso’s legs. Sport mode: check. Firmed up dampers; check. The car took a deep breath and came alive for the first time that day.

Adios, Dr. Jekyll. Helloooooo, Mr. Hyde!

Having recently driven a 488 GTB, I already appreciated how versatile the F154 V-8 is. It can change from purring pussycat to ferocious lion in an instant, but I hadn’t considered how this would affect the GTC4Lusso T. It went from an unassuming Parkway grand touring cruiser to a completely mental hot hatch in a matter of seconds. The all-out assault on the twisting, blurring landscape was a shock, and the Lusso T felt like a 600-hp sports car that was attune to my every whim. I don’t think I blinked for five minutes at a time, and I really began to appreciate many things: that adrenaline blast of torque with each pull of the shift paddle, the clever E-Diff putting power to the road, the four-wheel steering working in now-telepathic harmony, the 245/35R20 and 295/35R20 Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S tires providing trustworthy grip, and the standard, indefatigable 15.7-in front/14.2-in rear carbon-ceramic brakes. The cohesiveness of the whole car is remarkable, and it is something few manufacturers ever get this right. Within what felt like minutes, I had arrived at the destination, the Valley Rock Inn and Market in Sloatsburg, New York. Weak kneed, I climbed out of the car feeling I had only just tasted what the Ferrari had claimed the GTC4Lusso T was all about. Were there really four seats in this car? I pulled the back release on the passenger seat. It motored all the way up to the dashboard, affording easy entry into the back seat. Once there, it’s true an adult could definitely be comfortable for a good, long drive. There’s plenty of foot-, leg-, and headroom, and unlike some two-door four-passenger cars or even some four-door “coupes,” the view out of the side glass is generous. Plus that crazy expensive glass roof really does a great job of staving off claustrophobia and affords a smidge more headroom than had it been a steel roof with insulation and a headliner. My appetite for lunch and a second run through the park with my hair on fire had to be satisfied.

I inhaled my caprese sandwich, drank a cup of joe, and went back to the parking lot to find the Lusso had gathered a small crowd. I fielded questions: “How much?” About 300. “How fast?” About 200. Then I asked a young, local about Harriman Park. I hadn’t even finished asking my question, “Do you know a good road in Harriman where I..?” when he said, “Arden Valley Road. It’s where people go to drive. It’s pretty tight, but it’s fun. Go a few miles up to the turnabout then you can drive back down the hill. Uphill is more fun.” Pin dropped, I headed back to the park. True to his word, the serpentine ribbon was the perfect place to probe the car’s reflexes and abilities. Boy, was it narrow, though, with game-over trees and boulders on the side. Plus, the previous night’s downpour had left wet leaves and large twigs/branches strewn across it. I imagined what a Civic Type R could do with this this road, but a Lusso T? It was a Monday afternoon. It was empty, but I’d leave the stability/traction-control on. Nobody wants to be that guy.

Now I get it

The way the GTC4Lusso T can hide its two-ton weight and length (its 117.7-in wheelbase is 1.6 inches longer than that of a Porsche Panamera) is a remarkable feat. The car figuratively shrunk down to what felt about the size of a BMW M Coupe as I charged up the hill. That engine, though, and the chassis are miraculous partners. The steering, which felt a little darty elsewhere on my drive, was so delicate and so precise that it completely disappeared from my list of tasks. The car was literally going where my eyes and brain wanted go; it merely followed. Also, how it could resist any hint of understeer is a mystery to this day. I did glimpse a fairly regular flash of yellow in the instrument panel when I went to the throttle and traction control was activated, but it wasn’t the sort that really slows progress. I also saw the hazards flash a number of times when I approached the limits grip under hard braking and probably got into the invisible ABS. Yet it all felt like a well-choreographed dance without a single misstep or jettisoned boat anchor reaction to being driven very hard on a tight, slippery road. Like most great cars, it felt like it had been tuned for this very road. And just like the 488 GTB, the absolute control the driver feels make this a uniquely talented four-seater. This is one of the best-tuned chassis I’ve ever driven.

PS stands for Power Start

Encouraged by Arden Valley Road, I went deeper into the park and into the Lusso’s repertoire. I found a long straight where I could sample the Lusso T’s flat-out acceleration. On an isolated road in the heart of the green, I stopped, twisted the manettino to ESC off, pressed the PS button, and selected first gear. Two pedals in, the revs climbed, I stepped off the brake, and the car leapt off the line with only a hint of wheelspin on the damp asphalt. Despite turning off Auto shift and selecting first gear manually, the PS launch mode makes optimal, automatic upshifts. Ferrari claims a 0-100-kph (62 mph) time of 3.5 seconds. At 6.8 pounds-per-horsepower, we’d say that’s a little conservative. At 7.3 to 7.4 pounds per horsepower, the lighter Mercedes-AMG GT S two-seater with a similar weight distribution runs 0-60 mph between 3.2 and 3.5 seconds. We’ll say the Ferrari will dip down to 3.0 to 3.3 seconds to 60 mph when we finally get to test one.

The Best Grand Touring Coupe of our Time or a Singularity?

What started with the Ferrari FF became the more polished GTC4Lusso and now has become the 2018 GTC4Lusso T. It is a truly special car from a special brand. There really is no direct competitor to the Lusso T. Can you think of another two-door “shooting brake” that isn’t a conversion? The Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo is close but a four-door. There are only rumors and artist renderings of a Jaguar F-Type wagon. How about an Aston Martin DB11 V8 or Maserati GranTurismo? Those aren’t adult-sized rear seats. When pushed, Ferrari grudgingly says the Bentley Continental GT and the Mercedes-Benz S-Class coupe are the closest. Although those are, indeed, two-door four-passenger coupes available with twin-turbo V-8s, they’re luxury barges in comparison.

The GTC4Lusso T drives and sounds like a 488 GTB but has room for four. The sensations are even quite similar to a Porsche 911 with optional rear steer—or like a Mercedes-AMG GT S. Like those, this car feels highly sorted in every way and ready for any road you put in front of it. That it can also glide down Madison Avenue, turn heads, and has real rear seats and 15.9 cubic feet of cargo room (with those seats folded) is what makes it such a singularity. For now, we’ll go ahead and say it is, indeed, the best grand touring coupe of our time—perhaps ever. A singularity? A four-passenger footnote like the 400, Mondial, or Scaglietti in the annals of Ferrari? We don’t think so. It’s one of their greatest achievements to date.

2018 Ferrari GTC4Lusso T
BASE PRICE	$260,750
VEHICLE LAYOUT	Front-engine, RWD, 4-pass, 2-door hatchback
ENGINE	3.9L/602-hp/561-lb-ft twin-turbo DOHC 32-valve V-8
TRANSMISSION	7-speed twin-clutch auto
CURB WEIGHT	4,100 lb (mfr)
WHEELBASE	117.7 in
LENGTH X WIDTH X HEIGHT	193.8 x 78.0 x 54.4 in
0-60 MPH	3.0 sec (MT est)
EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON	15/21/17 mpg
ENERGY CONSUMPTION, CITY/HWY	160-225 kW-hrs/100 miles
CO2 EMISSIONS, COMB	1.13 lb/mile
ON SALE IN U.S.	January 2018

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