Were we all wrong about the FF?

This will sound strange, since I have an FF coming, but I sort of get part of what Joe is saying. I do wonder if it will become mundane driving a Ferrari every day.

Then again, I wonder if Cristina Hendricks is any good in bed- wouldn't stop me from finding out, given the chance

 

But that has nothing to do with Ferrari's getting suddenly practical. A Ferrari 250 GTE is a practical car in terms of overall concept. Same can be said for the large GT's such as the 250 TdF and 500 Superfast. And today a 458 has a reasonably luggage space and even an F40 takes a costum made luggage set. Of course the FF is more practical than either a 458 and a F40 but that does not make it any less of a Ferrari. The FF is a logical development in the bloodline of Ferrari's that is meant to take it's passengers in relative comfort and luxury, with an abundance of speed and over large distances from point A to point B. And that bloodline is almost as old as the brand itself.

The only reason Ferrari's are becoming more and more fit for everyday use, is improved reliability.

 

Oh, I totally agree with you there: I wouldn't have ordered one, otherwise

Same holds true for the 365/400/412. If you don't care for it, fine (I happen to like them.) However, don't claim they are not "real" Ferraris. Clearly, Enzo diagreed, since that was HIS daily driver for many years.

 

At the end of the day, Ferrari is about making money. It's the same for every commercial enterprise in the free world. Period. Clearly, they have a passion for making great cars, and clearly there is a priority on performance. But in this day and age, you can have performance AND you can have comfort and, dare I say it, practicality. Usability. Even 10 years ago, Ferrari and Daily Driver were phrases that didn't belong in the same sentence. Now, you read these forums, and even the 458 is being used by some as a daily driver. The California seems to be a very good daily driver (though obviously limited). The FF is clearly not designed to be a weekend car, but rather an all-season, all-weather daily driver that can still perform brilliantly by any objective measure. So why wouldn't a company target a new product to a new audience so long as it was comfortable that the new product wouldn't taint the family bloodline?

For the guy who used to drive an Aston or Bentley every day and his Ferrari on the weekends, the FF has appeal. I don't imagine the FF is anyone's only vehicle, but, again, if you can make the daily commute as enjoyable as the weekend jaunts, why not? Granted, a daily driver needs to have more space, more creature comforts and have the ability to be more docile and cosseting, but that doesn't mean it has to be boring and clearly the FF is not.

By the same token, there seems to be such vitriol whenever there is mention of an 'SUV'. An SUV, by no stretch, can be considered a sports car. But that doesn't mean it can't have a sporting nature, nor encompass any of the other qualities that Ferrari prizes. So why not? Because it has four doors? Because it's too big? Why would an SUV dilute the family bloodline?

Porsche purists cried out when the Cayenne was announced, and again when the Panamera came to fruition, yet those are the brands BEST selling vehicles and those vehicles have attracted new buyers to the brand and provided significant development dollars for the dedicated sports cars. Isn't that the point for any company? To position itself to thrive? Is the fear that people wouldn't buy a 458 if Ferrari also made an SUV?

At some point, you will see a move away from the Chrysler head units and start to see electronics that are more suitable for vehicles of this nature and price range. Is that blasphemy? The cars are already more reliable than Ferrari's of the past ... is that also sacrilegious? Are those quirks what made Ferrari so beloved? I'd like to think it's the history, the performance, the unwaivering dedication to performance above all else ... but in this day and age, that doesn't mean that the "all else" has to suck, or function poorly.

Love it or hate it, the FF performs like a Ferrari based upon everything I've seen and read. The 612 was considered by many to be "drab" and "boring" and not much of a looker. There appears to be nothing boring about the FF. I applaud Ferrari for taking that leap, and wouldn't be the least bit shocked to see a true sedan or SUV in the future.

 

I would hate to see either of those...and I am pretty sure we wont because thats Maserati's market it seems.