With less than a week to go before the official opening of the Paris Motor Show, automakers are taking that last opportunity to preview their debuts. For Ferrari, that's the all-new GTC4Lusso T. The "T" points to the V8 turbo that stands in for the standard GTC4Lusso's V12, and the new car also loses two drive wheels in an effort to get lighter, cleaner and more practical for everyday drivers.
The GTC4Lusso, a refreshed FF with a rather unwieldy new name, debuted earlier this year at the Geneva Motor Show. It's now joined by a cleaner V8 RWD option, which Ferrari believes will offer the perfect marriage of unbridled four-seat GT sportiness and practical everyday driving.
The GTC4Lusso T is the first Ferrari four-seater in history to rely on a turbocharged V8. The 3.9-liter mill makes the short journey from the 488 GTB, but it doesn't make quite as much power in its new home, giving the GTC4Lusso T 601-hp at 7,500 rpm. Torque is equal to what you get in the 488 - 561 lb-ft, which is available between 3,000 and 5,250 rpm. For comparison, the 6.0-liter V12-backed GTC4 has 680 hp and 514 lb-ft to work with.
The T doesn't lose much acceleration, sprinting to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 3.5 seconds, one-tenth behind the V12 GTC4Lusso, but top speed takes a noticeable dip, dropping 9 mph (14.5 km/h) to 199 mph (320 km/h).
Ferrari doesn't envision the GTC4Lusso T driver missing that 9 mph too much as he'll be quite busy using the car for slower, more practical commutes. The T has been refined to be more of an everyday driver, and for this purpose, the V8 turbo and rear-wheel-only drive prove quite helpful, bringing estimated fuel consumption to 11.6L/100 km (20 mpg), compared to 15.3L/100 km (15.3 mpg) in the V12 model. Emissions are down to 265 g CO2/km, from 350.
The V8 turbo gives the GTC4Lusso T extra torque, and Ferrari says that modular torque delivery ensures quick pickup from low revs and smooth acceleration through higher engine speeds. The V8 rumbles with all the Prancing Horse throatiness you could hope for during spirited acceleration but pulls back for a quieter, humbler ride during low speeds, making for less conspicuous urban commuting.
The T loses 4WD, but it keeps the four-wheel steering system, which Ferrari promises will give the new car rapid steering input response during cornering. The T has also dropped 110 lb (50 kg) when compared to the 4WD GTC4, weighing 3,836 lb (1,740 kg) dry, with optional equipment.
Beyond that, it seems the GTC4Lusso T is basically the same car as the regular GTC4. We'll poke around in Paris to see if anything else pops out, but Ferrari doesn't mention any substantive changes to the styling or interior.
Source: Ferrari