Ferrari FF: Revisiting Maranello’s Groundbreaking Grand Tourer in 2025
The allure of Maranello’s hallowed grounds never fades, even for a seasoned automotive veteran like myself, with over a decade immersed in the world of high-performance vehicles. But the experience of seeing a Ferrari FF, cloaked in a deep, almost iridescent Blu Tour de France, bearing a key with your name on it, carries a specific kind of reverence. In 2025, the FF isn’t just a car; it’s a testament to Ferrari’s audacious spirit, a revolutionary machine that dared to redefine what a grand tourer could be, and in many ways, set the stage for much of what we see in the luxury performance segment today.
First revealed in 2011, the FF (Ferrari Four, signifying four seats and four-wheel drive) immediately polarized opinions with its distinctive shooting brake silhouette. Fast forward to 2025, and this design choice feels less controversial and more prophetic. The market has embraced the “crossover” and “SUV” form factors even in the luxury segment, making the FF’s elongated, yet taut, profile appear remarkably prescient. It’s a design that has aged with incredible grace, its aggression tempered by an underlying elegance, a true embodiment of functional beauty. The initial criticisms of elements like the 458 Italia-inspired headlights or the front grille’s “smile” have largely faded, now viewed as characteristic quirks rather than flaws. In the metal, it exudes a muscular presence that belies its generous interior volume, a marvel of packaging that accommodates four adults and their luggage with surprising ease. This is not merely a Ferrari; it’s a practical Ferrari, a concept that was almost oxymoronic at its introduction.
Stepping inside the FF in 2025, the cabin remains a masterclass in driver-centric design and luxurious craftsmanship. The instrument cluster, with its central analog tachometer flanked by configurable digital displays, feels timeless, offering all essential information without needless clutter. The multifunction steering wheel, a concept refined by Ferrari and now standard across the industry, places critical controls—from the engine start button to the Manettino drive mode selector—at the driver’s fingertips. While some might deem it busy by today’s minimalist standards, its tactile feedback and logical layout are immediately intuitive. The exquisite leather upholstery, still impeccably preserved in this particular example, speaks volumes about Ferrari’s enduring commitment to premium materials and bespoke finishes. The rear seats, often an afterthought in other 2+2 configurations, are genuinely accommodating, making the FF a true four-seater for extended journeys, a feature that significantly enhances its luxury grand touring appeal and Ferrari ownership experience.
Firing up the front-mid-mounted, direct-injection 6.3-liter V12 engine is an event in itself. Even today, amidst the quiet hum of electric supercars and the muffled growl of turbocharged hybrids, the FF’s naturally aspirated heart unleashes a deep, resonant bark that sends shivers down the spine. This glorious V12 engine sound is a dying art form, making the FF an increasingly valuable asset for collectible luxury cars. Around the historic streets of Maranello, the FF initially defaults to an automatic mode, showcasing a surprising docility. The integrated stop-start function, part of Ferrari’s early “High Emotions-Low Emissions” initiative, was a novelty back then, occasionally catching drivers off guard. Today, it’s a standard feature, and its seamless operation in the FF reminds us how far automotive technology has come, yet also how early Ferrari embraced these innovations.
What consistently impresses me about the FF, even after all these years, is its extraordinary ride quality. In ‘Comfort’ mode, the car glides over imperfections with a composure that belies its sporting credentials. It’s remarkably plush by Ferrari standards, soaking up bumps without isolating the driver entirely from the road. The thick, supportive seats and the impeccably weighted, lightning-fast steering contribute immensely to this sense of relaxed control, making it an ideal choice for long-distance luxury travel. Adding to its urban agility, the FF boasts a surprisingly tight turning radius for a car of its dimensions, a trait inherited from its predecessor, the 612 Scaglietti. The dual-clutch transmission, a seven-speed unit, shifts with silken precision, though it’s programmed to seek higher gears swiftly at low speeds, a nod to its fuel efficiency mandate—a practical consideration that elevates its status as a highly desirable daily drivable supercar.
Leaving the confines of the town and venturing onto the serpentine back roads that crisscross the Italian countryside, the FF truly comes alive. Flipping the Manettino to ‘Sport’ mode transforms the car from refined cruiser to ravenous beast. This is where the FF’s true genius, particularly its innovative 4RM four-wheel-drive system, shines. On rough, undulating tarmac, the car maintains an astonishing level of composure. The multi-link rear suspension and third-generation magnetorheological shock absorbers work in concert, seemingly ironing out the most challenging surfaces. What this means in practice is an unparalleled ability to carry immense speed with absolute confidence, even on roads that would unsettle many contemporary performance vehicles. The FF isn’t just fast; it’s effortlessly rapid, inspiring a level of driver confidence that few other cars, even in 2025, can match. This advanced AWD system was a game-changer, crucial for its all-weather performance car capabilities.
When the opportunity arises to push the FF harder, its true sporting prowess becomes undeniable. The Brembo third-generation carbon-ceramic brakes, still renowned for their fade-free performance, haul the 4,145-pound grand tourer down from triple-digit speeds with alarming efficiency. The initial protest from the front tires quickly gives way to unwavering deceleration. While its heft is palpable in tight hairpins, manifesting as a benign body roll, the car turns in with a surprising eagerness, far more nimble than its size suggests. It carves through corners with athletic grace, maintaining an iron grip on the asphalt, a testament to Ferrari’s meticulous automotive engineering innovations. The moment you reapply power, the V12 unleashes its full fury, launching the FF out of the turn with an urgent, almost brutal acceleration, the 4RM system ensuring every single one of its 660 horsepower is translated into forward momentum, even on challenging surfaces. This makes the FF a formidable contender in the high-performance luxury car market, even years after its debut.
The 6.3-liter V12 is a masterpiece of propulsion, delivering a linear wave of power across its entire rev range. There’s a perceptible surge around 5,000 rpm, intensifying as the engine howls towards its stratospheric 8,250 rpm redline. This isn’t just noise; it’s a symphony of mechanical precision, filling the cabin with a rich, brassy blare that perfectly balances intensity and auditory pleasure. The broad powerband means less frantic shifting, allowing the driver to focus on the road ahead. Second and third gears are often all you need for exhilarating progress, with fourth gear taking you well into illicit speeds. The shifts themselves, actuated by the exquisite paddles, are instantaneous and seamless, each downshift accompanied by an automated engine blip and a glorious bark from the exhaust, an addictive orchestral performance that defines the Ferrari driving experience. Even in automatic mode, the transmission is remarkably intelligent, holding gears and executing downshifts with a prescient understanding of driver intent, further solidifying the FF’s reputation for optimized driving dynamics.
Upon its launch, the FF significantly raised the bar for what a Ferrari GT could be. It was undeniably a more sporting machine than the 612 Scaglietti it superseded, offering a different stratum of performance. Crucially, it also outshone the California, Ferrari’s other Gran Turismo at the time, in its blend of daily usability and outright performance. While the California was an excellent choice for everyday enjoyment, the FF delivered that same relaxed refinement around town, but with an added layer of composed brutality when speeds escalated. In 2025, this blend of comfort and ferocious performance makes the FF an incredibly versatile and appealing luxury sports car investment, a vehicle that perfectly balances form and function.
The story of the FF’s genesis is as compelling as the car itself. Recalling discussions with Roberto Fedeli, then GT Technical Director, reveals the profound challenges and pioneering spirit behind its creation. Fedeli, a Ferrari lifer and an aerospace engineer by training, oversaw the entire new-car development process. He recounted the genesis of the FF’s groundbreaking 4RM system, born not from customer surveys—which indicated owners were perfectly happy with their current Ferraris—but from Ferrari’s own relentless pursuit of innovation. The objective was to enhance usability and sporty driving in adverse conditions, particularly snow and low grip environments, without compromising the quintessential Ferrari two-wheel-drive feel. Fedeli’s explanation that the 4RM system intervenes only when truly needed, ensuring 99% of driving feels like a conventional RWD Ferrari, perfectly encapsulates this philosophy.
The engineering brilliance of the 4RM system is still astounding in 2025. Ferrari tackled the challenge of adding AWD without sacrificing weight distribution or passenger space, a common dilemma for front-engine/rear-transaxle layouts. Their solution was truly unique: a small, two-speed-plus-reverse gearbox mounted directly on the front of the V12’s crankshaft, driving the front wheels. This ingenious design, weighing a mere 90 pounds, was half the weight of alternative systems and eliminated the need for a second, heavy driveshaft running through the cabin. Fedeli emphasized the monumental effort involved: “It was a very hard project, because nobody in the world had this kind of solution. You have to invent all the components as well as the electronic controls…” This feat of advanced automotive technology required parallel sub-projects, extensive software development, and even enlisted former World Rally Champion Markku Alén for initial development testing. This commitment to pushing boundaries solidifies the FF’s place as a landmark in automotive innovation.
Ferrari’s design philosophy for the FF was equally forward-thinking. Maintaining the 612’s footprint while significantly increasing interior space for passengers and luggage directly led to its distinctive shooting brake silhouette. Fedeli stressed that the shape had to be “beautiful,” a non-negotiable prerequisite for any Ferrari. The styling, a collaborative effort between Pininfarina and Ferrari’s burgeoning internal design department, blended recognizable brand elements with a fresh, audacious form. This increasing role of Ferrari’s internal design team, a strategic move discussed by Fedeli, foreshadowed the company’s future independence in styling, a trend now ubiquitous among premium car brands.
Looking back, Fedeli’s comments on Ferrari’s future direction were remarkably prescient. His discussions about hybrid solutions and turbocharged engines, a concrete acknowledgment at a time when Ferrari largely spoke in abstracts, laid the groundwork for the SF90 Stradale and the current F1 power units. He articulated Ferrari’s unique approach: “I can’t put the same components or technology on our cars the way other car manufacturers are going, because then the next generation of models would not be Ferraris.” This philosophy ensures that even with technological advancements, a Ferrari remains unequivocally a Ferrari, a core tenet that continues to guide the company’s development in 2025 and beyond. This commitment to maintaining brand identity while embracing cutting-edge solutions makes the FF a fascinating historical artifact and a blueprint for future of luxury cars.
In 2025, the Ferrari FF is more than just a used supercar; it’s a modern classic, a highly sought-after collectible. Its unique blend of V12 power, four-seater practicality, all-weather capability, and iconic design makes it a compelling proposition for enthusiasts and collectors alike. It stands as a powerful statement from Maranello: a company unafraid to innovate, to challenge conventions, and to craft vehicles that are as emotionally engaging as they are technologically brilliant. The FF proved that a Ferrari could be exhilarating, comfortable, and genuinely versatile—a true executive grand tourer that carved its own niche and left an indelible mark on automotive history.
Are you ready to explore the legacy of Ferrari’s pioneering grand tourer or discover how Maranello continues to redefine automotive excellence in 2025? Join the conversation and share your thoughts on the FF’s enduring impact. Visit our website for more expert reviews and insights into the world of high-end automotive performance and luxury sports car investments.
