Lusso leaving, how will we remember it? Missione compiuta! | FerrariChat

Lusso leaving, how will we remember it? Missione compiuta!

Discussion in 'FF/Lusso' started by Lukeylikey, Mar 30, 2021.

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  1. Lukeylikey

    Lukeylikey F1 Rookie
    Silver Subscribed

    Mar 3, 2012
    3,053
    UK
    Some years ago I had the idea of buying and using a four-seat Ferrari. My thinking went along the lines of “I love driving Ferraris, a four-seat car would give me more opportunity”. If we kept it for, say 5 years, the depreciation wouldn’t be too bad, even on a new car. Before taking the plunge to buy new I decided toy purchase a used FF to see if I even liked the idea of it. We owned that car for about 18 months, 10,000 miles and it cost something like £30k in depreciation including the dealer’s earnings. It was nice but not too close to the spec we wanted to order. It told me that I liked the basic car though. The car was three years old when we bought it and its colour was Rosso Maranello, the launch colour. The depreciation was more than I expected for a car of such age but I put it down to the colour. Seems that sober colours are a bit easier with the four-seater cars. Still, we have lost more on Range Rovers per year and this was so much more car than that, plus as I look back now, that actually seems like very good value for 10k Ferrari miles. Why should the best things come cheap?


    My very first time driving an FF was when I had ordered a Speciale - our first new Ferrari - and the dealer gave me a test drive. While we were at it he suggested I take the FF for a spin. My mind was in Speciale-land at that point and my first impression was “quiet and big”. I hadn’t thought about finding use for Ferrari’s four-seat car at that point.


    We decided to put in an order for a new GTC4 Lusso. The car arrived in early 2018, finished in Grigio Silverstone and Cuoio inside. The Lusso is a significant upgrade on the FF although both are very unique cars where the only thing similar in the motoring world is the other one. What was better about the Lusso? I preferred its looks (subjective) but they seemed more resolved and a bit less challenging. That could be good or bad, depending on your perspective. The rear wheel steering is an important addition and the handling is better resolved on the Lusso. I have since had both a Superfast and a GTS and both of those cars confirm what I was never really settled with on the FF and the Lusso. My initial impression was that they would be more faithful and planted cars being four-wheel-drive. But no. You have to be pretty careful in cool, damp conditions with both cars. Maybe because I felt you should be able to push a bit harder with the four-wheelers I did, but I’m not sure that is the right conclusion. The 812 feels so good to drive at full chat. It’s more rewarding than the Lusso or FF. I always felt there was an un-natural feeling to the way it turned in at pace. The FF was much worse but the Lusso, while better, didn’t cure the feeling. Neither 812 has any of that feeling and is a much more enjoyable sports car because of that.


    It sounds like I didn’t like the Lusso or FF then? Not quite. The trick to appreciating these cars is to understand their purpose. They seem designed for exactly what I initially wanted them for - if you enjoy driving a Ferrari, these cars allow you to do that more often. Even though they are not like the 812, you still have a wonderful Ferrari V12 ahead of you and the familiarity of the Ferrari family. They are amazingly practical and good to have around. So why sell?


    When the Lusso arrived I had a Speciale and a 488 Spider in the Ferrari stable. As the first V12 it offered something the others just didn’t. I also liked the idea of using the car regularly, with some of my full-sized family in tow - obviously not possible in the other two. We did around 12k miles in 3 years. Yes, less than the FF on an annual basis. Most of those were done in the first 18 months though. In the last 12 months, Covid has hampered our use and I also began to think that perhaps it was a Ferrari too far, especially with the arrival of a number of other cars during the last 12 months, the two 812s included. I bought a 992 to daily drive for a while and the Lusso sat over the winter, winter tyres and all. The 992 seems to fit my regular driving better than the Lusso. Mainly because nobody really notices it. You can just never say that about any Ferrari.


    It lost about half its value in 3 years. If I had kept it 5 years the cost per year may have been only marginally higher than the used FF (and there is no comparison in the ownership experience of driving a brand new Ferrari that you have spec’d exactly as you wish). As it was, £45k per year was the depreciation cost for the car. A Range Rover Autobiography is about £25-£30k. Whether you see value in that is down to what you believe about Ferraris, 4x4s and ‘daily drivers’. It was definitely on the upper edge of what I was happy with but I can;t say I didn’t expect it. It has left our garage at the same time as our F8, which had a much shorter tenure with us. Our SF90 is in build so no point keeping the F8 (in my mind). We also have a Pista Spider and a Speciale. Despite the four-seat V12s being notorious for value loss against the V8s, the F8 depreciation was not dissimilar on an annual basis, although first year to first year would probably have been different. One obvious conclusion; to get the best value, keep and use your cars. At least for a while.


    In the end, as the car left, my wife’s conclusion was “that’s sad. We had some good times in that car”. Ok, get your minds out of the gutter! None of that happened!! But she was right. It was a great car to travel to a night out or a weekend in London in. It has been a good car. The new owner will get a good and well treated car with no problems. Will I regret it? Maybe. I don’t think I’m a PuroSangue customer but who knows? I doubt we’ll ever see its like again and I don’t usually like to go back to a car I’ve had before so that may well be the last four-seat Ferrari for us. I have heard so many people say that the FF/Lusso is under-rated and is one of the best driving cars in the range. I don’t really agree with that. In fact, in many ways they are all better than the Lusso. But none of the others have four seats while still being able to be called fully a Ferrari. How will we remember it? We’ll soon forget the cost and the memories left will be good ones. If you were a Ferrari designer or engineer, I think you would say “mission accomplished”. In Italian obviously...
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  2. alex

    alex Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Dec 19, 2003
    674
    Crystal Lake, Illinois
    Full Name:
    Alex
    Gorgeous car and I can tell you're sad to see it go!:(
     
    Lukeylikey likes this.
  3. Way2fast

    Way2fast Formula 3

    May 24, 2006
    2,207
    Santa Barbara County
    Full Name:
    Sam
    I love my FF as a daily driver. I have put 20k miles in 18 months.

    Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk
     
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  4. ANOpax

    ANOpax Formula 3

    Jul 1, 2015
    1,126
    The Netherlands
    Thanks for the essay and photos. It was a great read. Sorry to say goodbye to you in the FF/Lusso department but glad to have you around still in the V12 forum with your 812/GTS.
    Salute.
     
    Lukeylikey likes this.
  5. Natkingcolebasket69

    Natkingcolebasket69 F1 World Champ

    I agree with u. Can’t make the lusso/ff what it isn’t . It’s a big super car gt that can do it all but it’s not a super car. You got have another Ferrari to go alongside.


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  6. Moopz

    Moopz F1 Veteran
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Jun 29, 2004
    5,348
    Orlando, FL
    Agreed. It's not quintessential Ferrari but it's still a hell of a ride for 4 people. I'm very happy to own one.

    Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk
     
    Natkingcolebasket69 and alex like this.
  7. alex

    alex Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Dec 19, 2003
    674
    Crystal Lake, Illinois
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    Alex
    Ferrari is becoming inclusive regarding couples and families as well as those who enjoy brute power. I think that's a good thing!:cool:
     
  8. MDNYTE

    MDNYTE Rookie

    Mar 27, 2021
    3
    Full Name:
    Binu J Alexander
    This is a great post, thanks for the insight. I'm looking for my first FF at the moment. We will see if this converts to a Lusso or settles in place.
     
    Lukeylikey likes this.
  9. Way2fast

    Way2fast Formula 3

    May 24, 2006
    2,207
    Santa Barbara County
    Full Name:
    Sam
    Why I have a gated 430 spider for back roads

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  10. uhn2000

    uhn2000 Formula 3

    Oct 15, 2011
    2,108
    Toronto
    Full Name:
    Joe
    Your writing your note above and I am driving my Lusso today thinking to myself how on earth could I ever sell this gem of a car. There are few cars in my lifetime that I have adored like the FF/Lusso but then again you are right in the sense that as your stable grows and less opportunity to use them in COVID they become somewhat redundant. Jack / Ace kind of thing comes to mind. However even the little things like the drive I find very comfortable and it is way more city friendly then the 812SF was.. not sure about the GTS (pickup soon). I will be sad when and if I sell my Lusso, agreed so many great memories! Totally understand your note, long live the V12!
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  11. NeilF8888

    NeilF8888 Formula 3

    Feb 10, 2005
    1,147
    Miami Beach
    Love my Lusso, drive it more than all my other F-cars combined.


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  12. uhn2000

    uhn2000 Formula 3

    Oct 15, 2011
    2,108
    Toronto
    Full Name:
    Joe
    Ha same, that and my Pista coupe.. I drive them so much!
     
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  13. anthony47

    anthony47 Karting

    May 15, 2005
    90
    Hi,I thought you had a Lusso T.Switch back?Cheers.
     
  14. uhn2000

    uhn2000 Formula 3

    Oct 15, 2011
    2,108
    Toronto
    Full Name:
    Joe
    My brother in-law bought it off me, I had both at one point and he wanted the RWD etc. So I kept the 12/AWD..
     
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  15. of2worlds

    of2worlds F1 World Champ
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    Apr 6, 2004
    16,445
    ON
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    CH
    How spacious do you think the 812 GTS will be? ;)
     
  16. uhn2000

    uhn2000 Formula 3

    Oct 15, 2011
    2,108
    Toronto
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    Joe
    Should be fine.. lots of space GTS..
     
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  17. Sims123

    Sims123 Karting

    Sep 25, 2016
    73
    Svizzera
    I used Lusso's as DD's, making approx 30'000 km/year - best DD car ever for me. The more I used it (incl MM), the more I loved the car....Winter/Summer, weekends, daily drives.....always created a smile and memories with the family. For business reasons, I had to switch to something less "extrovert" and ended up with Cayenne....good car, but super boring. Until a FF friend suggested to try a Stelvio QV...the closest to a Ferrari experience, and eventually signed up for a Giulia GTA...

    ...so Lusso gone, I assume we can expect something gorgeous with PuroS;)
     
    otakki, Caeruleus11 and -K1- like this.
  18. -K1-

    -K1- Formula Junior

    Jul 10, 2008
    698
    Northern Italy
    Full Name:
    Ken
    interested in your thoughts on the Stelvio QV vs the FF
     
  19. Sims123

    Sims123 Karting

    Sep 25, 2016
    73
    Svizzera
    once one has re-calibrated away from the top F haptics and materials and the focus is on driving experience and functionality, it s an immense pleasure. DNA is Italia and she shows and feels that way. Particularly, in the context of price/value compared to the usual German/British competitors. Service Package same as for F. In hindsight, I wonder why I looked anywhere but Alfa...
     
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  20. otakki

    otakki Formula 3

    Mar 24, 2016
    1,623
    Let us know how it goes with the Giulia GTA. I'd favored Giulia QV above its competitors, ie C63, M3/4. However, I've heard about Giulia spending more time in the shop than on the road due to a myriad of problems.
     

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