The family-friendly Ferrari...sort of

Four seats and the Prancing Horse in the same sentence don't sit well with many a car fan. Like Kim Kardashian and an Oscar-winning script, or a good vegetarian meal, some conglomerations of language can appear preposterous. We have been known to raise an eyebrow once or twice upon hearing reports about the Ferrari GTC4Lusso and its predecessor the FF; not only does it carry four people, it has all-wheel drive too! How is that supposed to go round the Fiorano in under 90 seconds? However, that was before we got behind the wheel of one. So what does this model add to the famous Italian stable? Let's find out how we got on.
It's still a Ferrari, you know
Say what you will about the way the rear end looks, or the fact you can have some lanky friend in the back yabbering on as you drive, press the start button and that violent roar from the engine puts all doubts to rest. That's what you're paying for. Switch the little steering-wheel mounted dial to 'Sport' and put your foot down. It's magic every time. Even fully-loaded with four (some might say) slightly larger than average adults weighing it down, the  GTC4Lusso will shoot off the mark, no problem.
You won't suffer big nose envy
Not only does the GTC4Lusso look good from the front, that huge bonnet houses the 6.2-litre motor and weighs the car down, so you can dive into corners as if this thing were on rails. Like a piece of Gaudi architecture, it's beautiful and functional. And, let's be honest, this car would fit right in, gracing the streets of Barcelona. Obviously the four-wheel drive and four-wheel steering play no small part in the cornering too, but we also love the aerodynamics that have gone into the front.
What are those aerodynamics?
Like their successful Formula One team there are all sorts of tricks to keep those 680 horses firmly planted. It's a bit scientific but interesting. The air intakes are now towards the centre line of the car to make more efficient use of the high overall pressure values in this area. The side sections of the bumpers have thus been turned into one single smooth surface, which improves the management of the flow in front of the wheels. We could go on, but basically we think the front grille and side vents look cool.
And the four-wheel turning?
The benefits are two-fold. At high speeds all four wheels turn in the same direction making the car more stable. At low speeds the back wheels turn the opposite direction to the front to improve the turning circle and parking. We've only ever seen this technology on a London taxi, so to have it in this delicate, yet ferocious beast is quite something to behold. Oh, and it works! Taking it round the corners of a very tight parking lot nearby is always fraught with trepidation. What if we scratch this million dirham machine? It was, however, smooth sailing.
Could a family use it?
In short, yes. If you have the need for a bit more room, but don't want to give up the life of luxury, the two seats in the back are functional. It probably won't replace your minivan if that's what you've chosen, but it's every bit a Ferrari: great to look at superb to drive; it's unusually comfortable and you don't have to head down the utterly miserable route of trudging round compact SUV dealerships. Now that's worth anyone's money.
Specs
Max speed: 335 km/h
Power: 680hp
Engine: 6.2-litre GT V12
0-100 km/h: 3.4 sec
0-200 km/h: 10.5 sec
Starting price: Dhs1,171,000
david@khaleejtimes.com