Is this the BEST daily driver to sport the Ferrari shield? The FF: in my experience you either love it or you hate it. Me, personally, I love these cars. I know there isn’t one in my own garage (812 GTS on the way), but the FF’s hack-ability is phenomenal, and their usability is even better for a Ferrari. “FF” stands for Ferrari Four, because in this beast you get four-wheel drive AND seating for four adults.
This is indeed Ferrari’s first production four-wheel-drive model, and at the time of its release back in 2011, it was the fastest four-seat car in the world. Though this has changed, at the time it was still one heck of an accomplishment. Now many exotic brands have followed suit making exotics to fit the kids in, but Ferrari for sure has claim to perhaps the coolest of them all.
The Ferrari FF was released in 2011 at the Geneva Motor Show and took the car world by storm. Not only was the four-wheel and four-seat configuration impressive, but with its “Shooting Brake” design and race car performance output, no one could turn their nose up at this new kid on the block (even though some tried).
The FF houses the largest road-going Ferrari engine ever produced, a 6.3L naturally aspirated V12 monster that puts out 650 horsepower and 504 pounds of torque, bringing the FF to a top speed of 208mph and the ability to go 0-60 in just 3.7 seconds. I don’t know about you, but if I was a parent in a rush to get my kids to school, I’d be taking this bad boy in the carpool lane every day.
The FF may not look like a traditional Ferrari, but doesn’t look too bad, either. The V12 engine that makes his horsey gallop is located in the front of the vehicle, calling for an elongated front nose with a still aggressive downward slope to still let you know this car means business. Up and over the top you see the true hatch lines of the Ferrari FF.
Rather than being like the traditional racecar that the Italian brand is famous for, the FF has a taller roof to accommodate movement inside the cabin and comfortable seating. With the back seat taking up the back part of the vehicle, the FF rounds out to give space to the passengers as well as more ample trunk space. Which again, trunk space in a Ferrari is not something I would usually call “ample” but the FF has plenty. Mind you, it’s not like the trunk of your usual sedan, but it is far above what a normal exotic provides.
Though the FF has an approachable charm about it, don’t be fooled. The Italian craftsman still added angular lines and dips throughout the body to ensure that you remember that while this horse seems friendly it is far from a tamed steed. It’s still a wild stallion ready to race if let out of its gate.
Driving Experience
The FF really is the perfect daily for someone that enjoys having exotics in the garage. However, the fact it Is a Ferrari means you can’t drive this car like you would a regular sedan. With that V12 engine in the front and little to no weight to counter in the back, the car is incredibly heavy. While the four-wheel-drive prevents any unwanted skirting around on the onramps of the high way, it does affect the braking a little bit. Even with the ceramic brakes, the braking can take a bit longer than you would expect, so account for that when coming up to someone at a red light because a long front end mixed with a heavy, slow to fully brake makes for a rear-end accident waiting to happen.
That, though, truly is the only negative thing I can mention when it comes to driving the daily FF. Like any other Ferrari the four-seater boasts smooth shifting and acceleration. Higher RPM’s allows you to feel and hear the real Ferrari, while keeping it in the lower RPM’s is going to give you that regular sedan feel when driving to and from your daily errands, school, and work.
The interior is something to admire on the FF. Not only is does it seat four, but it does so rather comfortably. The Rolls Royce Wraith, another four-seater two-door, isn’t nearly as comfortable as the FF. Maybe it’s because the doors actually open the correct way, which makes your backseat entry and exit in the FF a bit smoother than in the Wraith.
The driver’s portal is very usable, more so than the next V12 in the family: the F12. There is the center console that features an LCD screen that helps you with the radio controls, navigation, and car settings. Beneath it sits the AC controls, and finally at the bottom is your quick gear controls for parking, reverse, and sport mode.
The dash is quite easy to navigate as well, all gauges are present and easily seen behind the famous Ferrari steering wheel that holds your paddle shifters and your toggle drive mode switches, and the beautiful red Engine Start button.
The backseat is incredibly usable, with plenty of space and it’s own middle console that has both AC vents and a storage compartment (yes it is a true four-seater, not a bench). Depending on options you may also find two seat back LCD screens which can be of great service if you have little ones being your occupants for a long road trip.
Ferrari FF Common Problems
Ferrari’s are overall decent cars, but every one of them has their own unique issues. Somethings I have noticed while having a few of these pass through my hands over time are that they are prone to oil pan seeps BADLY. So please be sure to get that checked out during PPI’s if you are looking to purchase. Another prime point to note is that these FF’s tend to have a common Ferrari/Maserati flaw I speak of often: STICKY BUTTONS. You want to be sure to look out for that as while it is something easy to fix, it is a bit of a pain to do so.
Rather than those two factors, I don’t have much else bad to say about the FF, however there are some recalls on the models that I recommend you ensure are completed when looking at getting into your own.
And you can find a full list of these recalls here: https://www.cars.com/research/ferrari-ff/recalls/
Ferrari FF Cost of Ownership/Maintenance
Ferrari’s can get costly to repair if outside of warranty, luckily though after 2012 all Ferrari’s come with a 7-year warranty/maintenance plan from the manufacturer. This is extremely helpful and as you’ll see below, for the years we recommend in the FF to hack you would still be covered under said plan. This can help to decrease your cost of ownership significantly.
Another great way to cut down on any costs associated with your Ferrari is to look into a trusted independent shop do the work on your car that doesn’t specifically have to be done at the dealership for warranty reasons.
We have a list of trusted shops all around the US that can work on exotic makes and models of all shapes and sizes. So while even though tires and oil changes may still be more expensive than a Honda Civic’s would be, you won’t be handing over an arm and a leg like you would be at the desk of a Ferrari franchise service center.
Ferrari FF Model Year Changes
There are no changes through the short lifespan of the Ferrari FF (2011-2016), however after the model came out of production in 2016, the GTC4Lusso took its place as the daily driver of the brand and got quite the upgrade both externally and internally.
The old saying holds true, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
Ferrari FF Options
Ferrari’s are highly dependent upon options. A general rule of thumb, the more carbon, the better. However the FF doesn’t have too many options to be carbon fibered out, aside from the steering wheel and parts of the center console. What really matters to the FF is the seat material, wheel option, the rear entertainment, and the overall color combination of the car inside and out. Generally, FF’s do well in common colors: white, black, red with tame color interiors: red, black, or tan.
If you want to check out a list of options and their cost to compare your next FF’s sticker to MSRP, check out this link here: https://www.msn.com/en-ca/autos/ferrari/ff/2015/options/base/sd-AAbLPWs
Best Ferrari FF To Buy
The FF was only manufactured between 2011-2016, so the best year to buy is still sitting in the 2014-2015 range. You want one with miles that reflect the year of production, so account for one with less than 15-17K miles and be ready to sell before it hits the 23-25K mark to retain what we would consider hackable ownership.
Never forget to ensure that PPI is done on any of the FF’s you are looking to purchase, it’s a good rule of thumb and a $300 fee can save you $30,000 in repairs throughout your ownership.
Remember, color combos and options matter in Ferrari so always be sure to have a build sheet/sticker handy to present to your buyer down the road.
Conclusion
The FF is 100% a car I recommend getting into if you are looking for a usable exotic that guarantees head turns and thumbs up, but also less depreciation based on miles and usage. So if you are looking at getting into an exotic that is fun for the whole family and that won’t break the bank, look no further than the Ferrari FF.
No comments:
Post a Comment