So Ferrari, so good – and it’s family-sized too

With his mind set on expanding the Evans clan, it’s the perfect time for our man to discover the joys of a supercar that’s family sized

Last weekend was a big one for the current Evans clan, as we took the first step on the road of ‘if it’s meant to be’ to see if there is any chance of extending our happy brood by one more joyful little soul.

Having talked about the possible addition of another ankle-biter for a good couple of years now, Tash and I decided we would finally give it one more go this spring. This meant that, as with Eli, our four-year-old, we would need to embark upon a programme of IVF treatment, Tash having suffered a fairly destructive ectopic pregnancy in between Noah and Eli landing on planet Earth. And, yes, I know how blessed I am in already having two healthy boys, not to mention my elder daughter Jade and her son Teddy. The long and short of our decision to go again culminated in me taking a day off my BBC radio show last Monday to be with my wife. The problem, of course, is that everyone notices and wonders what you’re up to. Well, now you know.

Distraction at such times is never a bad thing – which is why I relished this week’s test car, the Ferrari GTC4Lusso. Yes, it’s a four-seater, yes the name GTC4 is a prancing horse blast from past, and so is the name Lusso. (GTC, by the way, stands for Gran Turismo Coupé.) The fact that, back in the Sixties, the 250GT Lusso and GTC/4 were entirely different cars doesn’t seem to be bothering anyone so, we’ll let that go. Second, we might also want to lay to rest Ferrari’s last attempt at an all-conquering ‘snow and ice friendly’ family 4x4, the enigmatic (I’m being kind here) FF. Rubbish name, weird-looking car. Never got it. Never liked it. That said, Ferrari FFs now represent relatively good second-hand value, considering all the power and technology you can get.

The GTC4, on the other hand, is elegant and confident where the FF came across as flat-pack and unsure. It swells with pride as opposed to shrinking with uncertainty. Its sporty louvres, muscular curves and magnificent matching exhaust pipes and tail lights all make sense as a perfectly composed piece of design. They are both a work of art (as every Ferrari should be) and clues to the sophistication that makes this car tick. Like all Ferrari four-seaters to date, this new offering is a twodoor super-hatch. The doors themselves are huge and not exactly on the light side, but once opened, my goodness, how beautiful that cockpit? ‘It’s even better from here in the back,’ squealed Tash, Noah having bagged shotgun up front with Dad. Further breaking news from the rear confirmed the elegant sculpted leather seats were ‘really comfortable, with more leg room than I’d have thought’. As I was busy making mental notes for the purposes of this review, Noah was in a world of his own playing with the Passenger Display on his side of the dashboard. This is the passenger’s own info screen, packed with digital dials – rev counters, temperature gauges, g-force monitors, etc.

Despite what Noah might think, there’s only one thing better than looking at or sitting in a Ferrari, and that’s driving it, which we did. A lot. I think we spent more time in the Lusso that weekend than we did anywhere else, including our living room, kitchen and beds.

Well, why wouldn’t you? For sure, it’s an exceptional price, but then again, it’s an exceptional piece of kit. Take a look at the basic stats: 0-60mph 3.4 seconds; top speed 208mph. Job done already, almost. But there was an issue. By the time it came to writing this up, three weeks had passed. I felt it only correct, therefore, to request a ‘refresher’ drive.

So freshly then: when you first nestle down in the driver’s seat and turn on the ignition, the difference between this Ferrari and any that’s gone before is immediately evident. The central infotainment screen (one of four!) is way bigger (at last). The graphics and sat nav way more comprehensive (at last). As is the steering wheel, which has been re-configured to bring what was originally exciting but lately wanting bang up to date.

The panoramic sky-roof is an option but makes a world of difference to all on board, particularly those in the rear. Handily, it’s also fitted with smart glass, which cools in the summer and radiates in the winter. I tried to find out how it does this but the more I read, the more my brain began to melt.

After firing up the start button, I was relieved to be reminded of that signature Ferrari ‘explosion first, growl second’ exhaust note,

‘HIT START AND IT’S EXPLOSION FIRST, FERRARI GROWL SECOND’

the throaty Italian tenor to Aston Martin’s bottomless baritone.

And so to driving. This car is ridiculously good. So much better than any one future owner will ever really need it to be. All 6.3 litres of its stupendous non-turbo V12 hooking up with seven paddle-shift-controlled gears and 680hp providing... well, whatever Sir/Madam desires. What is noticeable however is that you still have to give it plenty of beans in the lower gears to get it to fizz. And quite right too. All V12 Ferraris will wallow in protest ever so slightly if you change up too soon. It’s their way of saying: ‘If you want a Mercedes, go buy one and leave me alone.’

I loved the sensation of the car being taut all the way up through the gears. And the steering is as crisp as ever. Plus, there’s something more acceptable about cruising in an elegant grand tourer than tearing around like a nutter in a flashy two-seater.

How good is this car? I’ll let the numbers do the talking. This is the only four-seater Ferrari that any of the senior UK Ferrari sales execs can ever recall there being a waiting list for. Which is commercial speak for ‘big smelly hit from day one’. Or put more celebratorily – Prosecco time!