Getting to know the FF, a Ferrari you can drive every day

Ferrari's FF is an intriguing car. In fact, it's something of an automotive Schrödinger's cat, somehow extremely practical while simultaneously being unthinkably out-of-reach for most of the population. It has true all-weather performance thanks to some rather clever engineering, and this vehicle can cope with four adults and their luggage—it can even handle a Costco run. All the while, this car remains a V12 Ferrari. It costs more than any other car we've driven recently and drinks gasoline at a rate that makes polar bears weep. What's it like living with such an automotive contradiction for a few days? 

Design

First, let's make one thing clear: the FF isn't a sports car, it's a grand tourer (or GT). Its design brief was less about breaking lap records at Monza and more about being able to cope with weekend dashes across continents come rain or snow. The car achieves this with a rather clever, all-wheel drive system (Ferrari's first) that uses not one but two transmissions to send power from an enormous (6.3 L) V12 engine to the road.

From the driver's seat—in fact, from any of the four seats—the FF is a treat, particularly if it's specced like our test car. Almost everything is wrapped in semi-aniline leather the color of a new baseball glove. The bits that aren't wrapped in cowhide are either carbon fiber or brushed aluminum. Each air vent is its own carbon fiber tube, poking through the dash. There is the occasional let down, though; the rubbery black surface to the climate controls is slightly gummy to the touch, and we've heard reports that it wears very rapidly.

Wait, it costs how much?

Finally, let's address that elephant in the room. There is no more ignoring it—yes, the FF has a spectacular price tag. The very cheapest FF will still cost $295,000, but options add up almost as fast as their engines rev. This car as we tested it tipped the scales at a hefty $388,464. That is a lot of money no matter how you look at it. That amazing glass roof is almost $18,000. The passenger display is an extra $4,014, a dollar less than it costs to have Apple's CarPlay included. And so it goes, down the spec sheet.