Ferrari unleashes GTC4Lusso in SA

MOTORING NEWS - The unveiling of the highly-anticipated Ferrari GTC4Lusso was held at Scuderia Ferrari's new state-of-the-art, showroom at Waterway House, at the V&A Waterfront, Cape Town on Wednesday 7 June 2017 and I was fortunate enough to be there. It was a top notch affair befitting this top notch brand.

Amidst the chaos of the storm that the 'Cape of Storms' had thrown at us, the Ferrari showroom was calm with quiet murmurs of anticipation for the official debut of this particular Ferrari.

We sipped Veuve Clicquot champagne and nibbled on elegant snacks while we eagerly awaited the appearance of the CEO of Scuderia South Africa, Mervyn Eagles, to unveil the 'Lusso'. And we weren't disappointed.

Firstly a light-hearted entertaining and yet factual speech as a build-up, followed by a fantastically artistic projection onto the covered Ferrari spilling onto its backdrop followed by the unveiling of the actual car…

I was expecting, as I'm sure most of us would, a scarlet Ferrari - but there it was, in gleaming white splendour, the 'Lusso'.

Lusso, meaning "Luxury", is a four seater, four wheel drive, four wheel steering, sporty Grand Tourer Coupé with a monstrous 6 262cc, 507kW and 697Nm V12 engine up front.

The steering system enables the driver to effortlessly handle the GTC4Lusso's extraordinary torque even on snow-covered, wet or low grip roads, according to Eagles. "The result is tremendous stability and masterful control that translate into superior performance."

The GTC4Lusso is designed for those who relish the joy of driving a Ferrari, be it on short spins or long journeys, winding wet, dry or snowy mountain passes. It can be enjoyed on their own or in the company of up to three adventurous passengers. "These are drivers who demand exceptional power but refuse to compromise on in-car comfort, sporty elegance and impeccable detailing," added Eagles.

The Lusso's design follows the theme of the Ferrari 'FF' and has hints of its illustrious predecessor's DNA, namely the 330GTC/330GT and the earlier 1960s 250GT Berlinetta Lusso.

For the interior the dual cockpit architecture is another first and designed to enhance a shared driving experience for both driver and passenger. The passenger gets his or her own generous optional display with a plethora of functions.

The new Ferrari GTC4Lusso will first be displayed at Scuderia South Africa's new state-of-the-art facility at Waterway House at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town. This newly-completed Ferrari centre of over 1 000m² incorporates fully operational sales and workshop facilities in accordance with Ferrari's requirements.

"Our impressive new showroom, located in the heart of Cape Town's exclusive Waterfront district, includes an espresso bar and entertainment area. The showroom was designed with the aim of it becoming a regular meeting place, where owners can visit and utilise the showroom in a more social manner. We relish any opportunity to share the Ferrari experience with our valued clients," said Eagles.

Ferrari Owners Club gatherings as well as special events such as F1 GP viewings will be hosted regularly at the new premises of Ferrari in Cape Town.

To conclude, I have to say that like its predecessors and in typical Ferrari form, the Lusso's vital statistics are mindblowing. The official top speed is given as 335km/h and the 0 to 100m dash takes a mere 3,4 seconds.

All this from a car we were told by Eagles, is designed as a luxury car for the younger family to be used as a daily driver. Enzo would be proud!

Kevin is well known in Gauteng racing circles and has won cupboards full of trophies in his career, a lot of them in a 1972 Ford Capri known as Ol'Blue. He recently relocated to Cape Town and will hopefully be seen back in action soon.

GTC4Lusso in brief: