GTC4 test drive in Courmayeur

When some weeks ago an e-mail dropped into my inbox - an invitation to a test drive in Courmayeur hosted by Ferrari - two things piqued my interest. First, Courmayeur was a place on the Italian side of Mont Blanc that I had heard about through various French skiing exploits, but never been to. And second, the car to be driven was the brand new GTC4 Lusso, a car which replaces my FF and one that I have already ordered.

Usually that would be the wrong way around - agree to buy a product then test it afterwards. In the case of Ferrari though, at least these days, mistakes are very few and far between and such is the strength of the brand that it is not usually too costly to backtrack. In my case, and that of others with orders placed, an order is easily enough cancelled anyway. I like the confidence of that - host an expensive event for many of your customers to come to and risk them cancelling orders if they don't like what they find. And there is confidence at Ferrari still, despite the advent of new and worthy opponents such as McLaren, Audi and even the repurposed Lamborghini.

From Geneva to the Mont Blanc tunnel the weather was overcast and rather dull. The moment we were on the Italian side though, skies were crystal clear and provided a beautiful blue backdrop to the mountain's incredible autumn colours, which set a scene that raised my appetite for what we were there to do, despite such an early start out of Heathrow. I should say a big 'thanks' to Ferrari and my dealer for bothering to arrange a trip like this - many wouldn't.

The drive route was a mountain climb followed by an about turn taking us back down the way we had just come. It took about 45 minutes and I did it twice. I recognised some of the staff as driving instructors from the Pilota courses so I knew that they would be happy enough with a bit of pushing on.

The first thing you notice about the GTC4 is its stance. It is clearly the same basic car as the FF but the stance seems much more 'squat', especially at the rear. Following about 6 or 7 other GTC4's and seeing the cars in road surroundings alongside other objects such as more normal traffic, plus the way the cars interact with the road itself, helps you to understand what the designers were trying to do. The key theme with the GTC4 is the way it hides its bulk and this is apparent when both looking at the car and driving it. The front of the new car is not too much different to the old car on the road. The rear is where all the change is at. That elongated roofline that swoops down so low forms the impression of a car that is wide, low and fast. Very obviously not a two seater, nonetheless a shape that suggests exotic-ness and desire. It is very successful under showroom lights and even more successful, to my eyes, on the road at close quarters.

One thing I noticed, having spent far too much of my spare time deciding the details to build into my own car, was the differing wheel options on the 10 or so cars at the event. The standard wheels don't look half bad. I haven't ordered them, but it wouldn't be too much of a problem if I had, excepting possibly that old 'resale' chestnut. The forged upgrade wheel was present in three variations. That in itself is interesting because there are only two on the configurator, even the Atelier's one. Those are the painted option and the diamond cut. The diamond cut looked good, but I went for the painted. At the test drive I discovered that these come in a very bright aluminium colour and a slightly darker aluminium colour. I think it is the latter on the configurator and therefore what will probably be on my car, but really I have no idea. Statically they are the best colour, but on the road, the lighter colour, especially with darker exterior paint schemes, look better. You could just go for the diamond cut and be done with it and perhaps that is what I should do, but I will most likely end up not bothering.

Opening the door, I thought I noticed that the angle of opening was reduced - could this be correct? I'll know soon enough because my FF is parked at Heathrow to give me as close to a back-to-back comparison as I can manage. Still, the entry and exit was easy enough and the back seat access is as good as the FF (post script - yes, the aperture is definitely smaller. Thinking about it, this is probably a good thing because it will help me avoid opening the door onto fuel pumps and the like). The GTC4 is still a really useful four seater, one that you don't have to apologise to your passengers for. There is supposed to be a little more rear leg room and that is probably true, though it's hard to really notice. The interior has been criticised by various forum members and I can see that if you were minded to dislike this car, there are things you can pick up on. Overall though, the correct conclusion to reach about the GTC4 is that it is a well thought through interior, a strong update, and possesses an overall feeling of high quality. British rather than Italian or German luxury car interiors have long been at the top of the industry, but even the best cars still have odd things about them - a poor ergonomic here, some ill-fitting trim there. This Ferrari is certainly no different. So, if you want to take issue, you will be able to. But overall, does this car have a wonderful interior that I will enjoy using? Yes.

Some have commented on poor plastics (and yes, they are there) but you actually have to look hard to find much plastic of any quality, good or bad. The doors are as fully covered in leather as in the FF and the grey finishers on the dash could be confused for plastic but are actually metal. The test for this is the temperature to the touch. I must admit, it did take me a while to decide but when you touch the rollerball vents and the really poor black HVAC switch bank on the lower part of the dash, you know what plastic feels like. The black HVAC switch in particular could come from a car of any price in the spectrum, even the cheapest you can find. The ball vents work really well in terms of operation, but I would prefer them to be metal. Perhaps they are not metal for reasons of 'interior projections' crash legislation. I can't believe the reason is for cost on such an often touched and visible component - what would they save, about €20 per car? Whatever, they feel too flimsy. So yes, it's true, there are weaknesses if you are looking for them, but make no mistake, this is a much improved interior. An overall sense of being more modern and up-to-date is certainly there, and it reinforces this feeling of the car being much smaller than its dimensions would have you believe. For example, the top of the dash (which is actually one of the areas that seems more resolved and neater on the FF) is much lower, lending a feeling of intimacy and focus that is greater than you get with the FF. In terms of overall appearance and feel, it is more agreeable here than in the older car.

The leather quality in my FF, which is the semi-analine upgrade is certainly better to the touch than the standard Cuoio in the GTC4 test car I drove. But don't for a minute believe that the GTC4's Frau leather is anything but sumptuous and lovely to sit on and touch. If its quality hadn't been questioned here, I wouldn't even have given it a second thought, but since it was I took a good look. I'm no leather professional but I have parked my butt on plenty of cow-trimmed seats and I know what I like. And I liked this plenty. Are there better around? Certainly, but so what? This felt far more than adequate for this type of car, but admittedly not the best you will ever find. I don't know if it's cheaper than the standard FF leather because I don't have that. I struggle to believe they started the conversation with their supplier "you know the FF, well, make your leather cheaper quality than that".

The screen and its integration into the dash is first rate. Nobody buys a Ferrari for an infotainment screen but that misses the point. This car is about enjoying that Ferrari engine and handling experience while on a multitude of different journey types that would otherwise exclude the use of a Ferrari. The standard of the infotainment system finds its relevance in that. As does the lack of tyre roar and general sense of calm and quiet in the cabin, which is remarkably free from unwanted noises, leaving much more room for the noises you do want. Whether that be conversation, music or the V12 masterpiece two feet ahead of you; it's your choice. To me, where others have tried to criticise the GTC4 as too refined and "that's not what a Ferrari should be about", I beg to differ. Instead of refined I would use the words 'developed' or 'honed'. The eradication of those unwanted noises is important, they are unwanted after all. But this refinement or 'honing' does not come at the cost of what always made the FF a Ferrari. The GTC4 still thrills at least as much as the FF did, and for me, even more, for reasons I'll explain. But if such refinement comes at the cost of the Ferrari identity, then it is a refinement too far. This is not the case here. By ridding the car of imperfections that served no good purpose other than reminding you the FF was a Ferrari at heart and not just any GT car, the GTC4 does not resort to diminishing the Ferrari soul to achieve that. The V12 still rages, the car still feels eager and sharp and the underlying message is still "come on then, is that all you've got?" It's just that when you want to say "ok, I want to play, I just have to do this thing first" it doesn't object, it understands. And helps you do the thing. And then it wants to play. It's no V8 racer, but come on, it knows it will never be - and so do you. In fact, it is brilliant at being exactly what it is - a dual-purpose Ferrari, comfortable in its own skin, and all the better for it. The added refinement or honing? Short of being a compromise it actually makes the car. If the GTC4's purpose is to allow you to Ferrari-ise your life, the GTC4 improves significantly on the already good job the FF made of that. If people say that the GTC4 is too refined and not as good a track car as the FF was, laughter is acceptable here. The FF was never a good track car, and to suggest it was is almost to disrespect it and what it was built for. This line of Ferrari are not toys, they are proper cars. They may be the only ones Ferrari make.

The big change technically is the four wheel steering. This is not easy to feel working because it works so seamlessly. The rear of the car does feel quite different to the FF though. I didn't easily notice it at first but on returning to the FF it is easier to feel the impact the system makes. The FF is simpler at the rear in terms of handling. It is very balanced and controllable but you know you are in a large car. The GTC4 still possesses a very progressive rear end, in fact more so, but what the system does is take away much of that long wheelbase feeling. You feel there is an economy of steering wheel movement needed, despite the ratio being slightly more benign. It actually lends the car a more natural feel as the weight transfer builds through a corner. One caveat is that the GTC4 wore winter tyres, which worked brilliantly well (as they do on the FF - I switch for winter). The FF's normal Pirelli PZeros don't suit the car too well and so shod, the FF somewhat lacks this natural feeling. The steering is too heavy off centre in the FF, and doesn't weight up progressively enough for my liking, meaning you have to be at a higher pace to make it flow. The FF is better in this regard on winter tyres, albeit with lower outright grip levels and feedback. Nevertheless, even with summer tyres, I think the rear wheel steering will have allowed Ferrari to back off on the front steering ratio while actually increasing agility instead of reducing it. The GTC4 'flows' better than the FF and gets into a rhythm better. This is a little subjective but it's why I said earlier I prefer the GTC4 at or near the limit. The rear-steer system seems to get the car to sit down on its rear outside wheel and just dig in. It feels rewarding and satisfying once you are accustomed to it and means that on and off throttle adjustments work much better - something I love my cars to possess.

The modes are better in the GTC4 too. Again, what others have cited as a criticism seems like a benefit to me. It is true that comfort and sport are closer in the GTC4. As expected, 'comfort' seems to back off the transmission a little, while still retaining supple suspension without the bump-thump you can get in an FF. Bump thump is where the suspension is softened off to such a degree, in search of suppleness, that the wheel can bounce slightly when road surface undulations are encountered because the damper tuning is so soft. The damper simply loses control of the wheel when too sharp or sudden a force is applied to it. The FF in comfort mode can tend towards this although it does not reach a level where it can be considered a flaw. What this leads to though, is a feeling that the body can be unsettled too easily by a mid corner bump in comfort mode - a secondary and unwanted movement. The obvious solution is to switch to sport - makes good sense. In sport though, the suspension stiffens without seeming to give enough of an improvement in body control for the added stiffness you have to accept. This is not exactly surprising because the FF is a car that attempts to reconcile different priorities - it is a heavy, four seat, four wheel drive car that tries to offer the excitement and response of a much lighter, sharper two-seater. But despite this, I have always felt that sport mode 'costs' a little more than I would like and 'offers' a little less. It's still worth it of course, because sometimes you just need as much body control as the car can manage. In the GTC4, the sport mode seems not as stiff yet the body control is better than with the FF. It feels like I am getting better value for switching to sport and less 'cost'. It has been, from time to time, one of my biggest issues with the FF and I now believe it to be partially resolved. Partially? Well, this is still a compromise car and if you sign up for a GTC or an FF (or even an F12 for that matter) and think you have bought a car with the responses of a V8 and better sound, you will be disappointed on one of those scores (though possibly delighted on the other). The way I use the FF, I'm never completely satisfied with either comfort or sport and often change between them. With the GTC that will happen less. I will use sport for much more of the time, and comfort if I am on a motorway or at 7/10ths on fast roads with long turns.

Ferrari had arranged a small snow section to show the difference between snow mode and comfort mode. Snow mode worked great, comfort mode in the snow a whole lot more fun! As with the FF, this car's snow performance is superb and with winter tyres, it should not leave a sensible driver with many problems.

Gauging views from the other people on this event when I was there, the new interior and infotainment was very well received, though more negative comments about items like the air vents were easily heard too. Incidentally, the air vent design seems very similar to the F12. I have driven the F12 many times but never actually touched the vents so have no idea whether these are just the same part. I did not hear a single person who preferred the look of the older car - the mix of people there were FF owners and non owners who were serial buyers of other cars in the range. I would not imagine they are an easy crowd and they seemed to be people who used their cars properly, with plenty of track driving experience among the group. I did not hear anyone say they didn't prefer the GTC4's drive over the old car either. I heard one person say that they felt it was not much more than a mid-life update, although he had already placed his order and would buy the new car. From what I could gather the reaction was positive and I think there were a few non FF owners who left thinking that they should probably find a place for this car in their garage.

Should you buy one? If you want one, yes. There is nothing to be afraid of with this car. It is a well thought out and very competently developed thing. There is certainly evidence that the infotainment screen has cost the designers a sizeable part of their budget because there are other elements of the interior that could easily be improved. Owners will stop seeing the drawbacks very quickly though, because the overall ambience is of an intimate, modern, user friendly car, with better ergonomics (as an example, the left-hand VDU switches are now fully in view and not totally obstructed by the steering wheel) and pleasant design. It drives much better, answers many of the criticisms I have of the FF, and turns a great car into a better than great one. I loved it, and can't wait for mine to arrive.

I fully get that some people will not see enough value in the GTC to upgrade from an FF - we are, after all, not talking about a bad car being replaced by a good one. Is my £130k FF half the car of my forthcoming GTC? Absolutely not, in fact nowhere near it. But this is not about logic. We have one life, and while I would never advocate being wasteful, I prefer to drive a brand new car, to my personal specification, with Ferrari's best solution for the particular design brief I want to fulfil. In this case, that is the GTC4 Lusso. I'm still a big fan.

 

Note: personally didn't like the numerous solid blue cars in attendance
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