FerrariGTC4Lusso
EngineV12, 6262ccPower680bhp @ 8000rpmTorque514lb ft@ 5750rpmWeight1920kgPower-to-weight360bhp/ton0-62mph3.4secTop speed208mphBasic price£243,191evorating
;;;;4asanequivalentsmallerturbochargedmotor; you havetowindit up,
but the accelerationoverthe final 2000 rpmis positivelypsychotic.
And the noise...fromthe grating,buzzsawgrowl lower downthe
revrangetoa pureand savagehowlover 60 00 rpm,the Lusso sounds
extraordinary, and once experienced you just wanttorepeatit over
and over. ClickingtoSport firmsupthe dampers, and withits quick
steering, fine tractionand goodbody control, the encouragement is to
really drive it hard. Naturally, it never exactly shrinks aroundyou, but
it’s great fun allthe same, its agility aided bythe rear-wheel steering.
And despite being four-wheel drive, if you’veflickedthe manettino to
the right againto disable the ESC,it’ll leavetwo massive black linesof
scorched rubberout of a junction. OrsoI, ahem,hear...
I forkout someeurosatthe Hotel Arbor, situatedalongside the
kinkonthe Mulsanne, and we’re now trackside, just feetawayfrom
the action. Whenyou can actually feel the force ofthe cars going by,
and experiencethe formidablenoise and heat, that’s whenmotor
racing really grabs you.It’s the 911 RSRthatenthrals, its high-
pitched screamsopurposeful after the dull, low-revvingand patently
restricteddrone of the FordGTs and Ferrari 488s.
It’s the samewhenweheadout toArnagecornerat 1am,although
it’s notquite asspecial asI remember it. Considerable development
increatingcampingspace and moretrackside viewing has meant the
areahas beenopenedup, trees felled, and the atmosphereperhaps
diluted. It’s great fun, but perhaps notquite what it was.
Likemany, I suspect, I comeawayfromLeMansthis yearwitha
pragmatic view. Evenwhenthe actionontrack isn’t particularly
memorable,the LeMans 24 Hoursis stilla must for yourcalendar,
and withluck, the newHypercarregulations will reinvigorate the
sport in the comingyears. Asfor the Lusso, I needto make(a lot) more
space inmydream garage.L
‘IT’LLLEAVE TWO
MASSIVE BLACK LINES
OUT OFA JUNCTION. OR
SO I, AHEM, HEAR...’