My heritage is Italian, therefore the Ferrari history is one I have known all my life. Our family had very expensive Italian weddings, and the bride and groom car was always a Ferrari. My favourite 80’s TV show was called Magnum P.I, an American crime drama television series starring Tom Selleck as Thomas Magnum, he was a private investigator always driving his Ferrari. Many of my friends own a Ferrari and this supercar brand has a history of unreliability. In all my years, customers that own a Ferrari accept that and still are very loyal to the brand.
When picking up the new GTC4Lusso t V8 four-seater, the first for Ferrari, there was one question that lingered in my head, retailed at £225,000
Was this wild triple layered white pearl Stallion, going to behave? Was this going to be a week of La Dolce Vita ( The Sweet Life )? Or was this going to be a week of luxury unreliability?
The Ferrari Psychological Effect
In the last two years, I have interviewed and met at Le Mans 24hr endurance racing event Mr Giancarlo Fisichella, who is a professional racing car driver for many years for Ferrari. When I asked him what was so special about driving for Ferrari, his answer was a familiar one.
Ferrari is Ferrari, it’s Ferrari
Driving this Ferrari I want to think again of dangerous and noble things! I want to be light and frolicsome. I want to be improbable beautiful and afraid of nothing. As though I had wings.
Gracie Opulanza Ferrari GTC4Lusso V8 Style
Before I got into the driver’s seat, I planned what I wanted to wear. This four-seater V8, was very comfortable so clothing options could be anything and everything. This GTC4Lusso V8 was white. I was expecting red, because for me Ferrari is red or rosso. My heritage when it comes to Ferrari is everything red. So good thing I planned a bespoke red merino hand knitted dress and jacket, it was specifically made for this Ferrari experience. I felt red hot in the driver’s seat. Talking about hot, there were three heated options regarding the driver’s seat. I found the third option was too hot.
To be fair, driving this GTC4LussoT activated my adrenalin into overdrive, I was pumped.
Judges Country House Hotel, Kirklevington with Hobbs as my personal assistant
I loved the design of the footrests it makes practical sense, as braking in a Ferrari is so much part of the drive both for a passenger and the driver. So my footwear had to be comfortable, these high heel trainers were easy to drive in.
Ballerina pumps are great, as a passenger, you need grip when the driver is braking hard.
Ferrari GTC4Lusso T – The New Grand Touring Concept
Ferrari GTC4Lusso T is the first four-seater to be powered by a V8 engine. The idea is Ferrari wants anyone and everyone to drive on it whenever they want. Can Ferrari ever be deemed as the everyday cruiser?
Could the GTC4Lusso T, that looks brutally sexy and sounds as loud as ever, somewhat integrate in the everyday lifestyle that the United Kingdom demands on a daily basis? Could this new grand touring concept be the car that is predominantly driven and owned by women?
How would it perform and manoeuvre at school drop off? Keeping in mind that dropping kids off generally, is one of the most stressing driving experiences I have ever encountered. Aggressive mum’s, late Dads and parking mobility from hell. Kerbing one wheel in this Ferrari will set me back £500.
From the moment I got in, I was going to put it to the luxury lifestyle test regarding everyday living. The following tour was from Slough, Oxfordshire, North Yorkshire and Lake District back to Slough. I did 997 miles, including fuel, hotels, drinks, fine dining and parking it cost for a week, £5,375
Welcome to GTC4Lusso T, the everyday Ferrari, La Dolce Vita! (The Sweet Life).
North Yorkshire
How Do Men React When A Woman is Driving A Ferrari?
How many women drive let alone own a Ferrari? Sadly, I have never seen a woman drive a Ferrari. Could the GTC4Lusso T be the game-changer for women?
Driving the GTC4Lusso T I had two personalities combined Wonder Woman and Sophia Loren.
From the moment I left Slough, within minutes I was drawing attention from all walks of life. Whilst waiting at the traffic lights, I looked to my left to my surprise these two elderly women, were waving and clapping at me, I revved the V8 engine and they just were having a hoot. That camaraderie amongst women set the tone for the week, their reactions confirmed to me why it’s important to inspire more women to get into the diver’s seat of the GTC4Lusso T. The Wonder Woman in me just like the Launch button in the Ferrari was activated.
When I parked on every occasion, some guy would come up to me, on a couple of occasions running towards me. They were intrigued to see a different style Ferrari, and every time I said it was the everyday cruiser they looked at me and thought I was mad! I had men running up asking me about the car and resulted in free coffee, free parking and cakes, thanking me for my kindness to be able to sit in it.
To the single ladies out there, GTC4LussoT is like being on Tinder, but so much better. no swiping required, one gear change or wheel spin not hard to do I could drive off.
When I was at roundabouts I always was frantically waved to go first, admiration is what the other drivers were seeking, Ferrari is that brand. Both men, women and dogs, loved the triple-layered special colour white, that will set you back an additional £15,360. It looked like pearls glittering in the sun for me.
Just in case the message is not clear I would like it in red, rosso.
The Retreat Windermere
The Lake District is stunning and a wonderful way to showcase the Ferrari on a leisurely basis. I decided to test the GTC4Lusso T performance around the Lake District, the roads are narrow and windy. If you couldn’t see me, sports mode made sure I was heard. You actually can hear this Ferrari in any mode. I drove it on average 6 hours a day so my luxury pit stops were important.
With personal parking and two Jacuzzi’s and many rooms with an unobtrusive view of my Ferrari, we were living the Dolce Vita.
Inside and outside Jacuzzi
Broadoaks Country House Our Own Retreat and Parking
Broadoaks Country House Windermere Cumbria
Fast And Never Late
I am a very impatient character, it is for this reason the GTC4Lusso performance is well suited to my personality. In a nutshell, this everyday Ferrari has a 3.9litre V8 turbo which punches out a maximum of 610CV at 7,500 rpm.
What that meant to me is when I drove on the M40 and up to North Yorkshire, everyone saw me coming, heard me coming and got out of the way.
I kid you not, Ferrari has that power I loved it.
Would I use this GTC4Lusso T V8, for luxury school drop off? I scouted for a school and drove as if I was part of the morning school drop off. The boy’s reaction when I drove past, was priceless. I could hear them saying, it’s a girl driving, I revved the engine, broke the cliche and for me it has to be the schoolgirls who need to see and be inspired to drive super-cars.
Will I ever in my lifetime experience a woman driving at Formula One or Formula E and win?
As for parking that would be easy, as I know everyone would get out of the way for me to claim any spot. I tested this and it worked.
Fuel Consumption
I did 997miles and to date the most expensive car review for me, £375. On the final day, it took me half a tank to drive from Windermere Lake District back to Slough which was very good. It is expected when confronted with testosterone trying to coerce me into drag racing, This will consume fuel. I had this a lot and laughed when they realised it was a woman. They oddly backed off, until on the M40, a Mclaren 570, funny enough same colour (mantis green I have reviewed). It got me thinking. Could this everyday GTc4Lusso V8, take on the Mclaren 570?
Caution, don’t do this with kids in the back. Not sure how they would feel when my launch button was activated?
Both me and Mr McClaren were surprised had a lot of fun for an hour. Again, Tinder moment, he waved me to head to a service Pit Stop and when we got out of the car, I had to pick up his chin off the ground. Ferrari power does that! Don’t think for a moment this car is not powerful.
Superb Vista Over To Whitby And Out To The North Sea
The famous Yorkshire is about discovering, I took the route of 840 Coastline bus on a road trip across the North York Moors to Whitby. Last year the stretch from Pickering to the coast was voted Britain’s most scenic bus route. What more spectacular than to test the Ferrari GTC4Lusso T performance regarding everyday traffic obstacles.
I pick up the award-winning route in Pickering, home to the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, something that I will cross paths with several times today and head out along the A170 towards Scarborough.
Scarborough North Yorkshire
A more agreeable start to the journey is hard to imagine, as I’m surrounded by the winding hedgerows and thickly blanketed crop fields.
It is truly an adrenaline fuelled drive and perfect for the Ferrari GTC4Lusso Touring!
I loathe being stuck behind traffic in the countryside. I also get a tad anxious when I have to overtake in tricky situations, so I put this agile responsive Ferrari to the everyday test. I drove through the stunning city of Whitby to Scarborough, the roads were narrow, hilly and windy, these were the perfect conditions to test the car’s Side Slip Control and how it would behave.
Just brilliant fun.
Pickering to the coast was voted Britain’s most scenic bus route.
On many occasions, I came across a slow SUV towing a caravan or a tractor pulling a load. These roads require quick overtaking otherwise I would be stuck for ages and the line-up of cars in front of me normally would make me very uneasy. Thanks to my everyday Ferrari, I with a roaring engine left, everyone for dust. Which meant I got to my first Pit Stop, the Gothic Whitby Abbey. Whitby allowed me to be the first to have a pot of tea and Victorian sponge cake in peace.
Maximum Peace Of Warranty Mind
My history with Ferrari is that in the past it would always let me and my friends down on a regular basis including my Ferrari Club track day. at Silverstone. For maximum peace of mind, every new Ferrari comes with the standard factory four-year warranty (In the UK ) along with a whopping seven-year free maintenance programme. Trust me you will need this, as after 20,000 miles on the 7th day the electrics went into safety mode and I was instructed to drive slowly to my nearest dealer. I was in hysterics, who the hell is going to drive slow in a Ferrari let alone find a dealer in the Lakes District. The issue was that a new battery was needed, nothing major but one thing for sure the engine never let me down once.
North Yorkshire luxury Pit Stops
Rievaulx, is situated near Helmsley in the North York Moors National Park, North Yorkshire, England. It was one of the great abbeys in England until it was seized under Henry VIII of England in 1538 during the dissolution of the monasteries.
There were no parking spaces left, a staff member came running out and said I could park in front of the entrance building, the power of the Ferrari Brand.
I stayed at Feversham Arms Hotel & Verbena Spa, right in the heart of Helmsley Historical Village, a must stay and visit.
Feversham Arms Hotel & Verbena Spa – Helmsley Historical Village
Panoramic Glass Roof
The panoramic glass roof valued at £11,520 was stunning. It was a nice experience to be able to park look up and literally meditate on the Ferrari GTC4Lusso T. I am a huge lover of having the sun literally beaming and shining into this Ferrari. It added to the interior design which had leather diamond pattern style seats which were super comfortable. So much light came through the glass roof, I then realised the unusual white rev counter £557 that was different.
Boot Space
When it came to the boot I was very impressed with regards to the leather boot carpet. It looked and felt amazing every-time I placed my luggage in this boot, the feel-good factor was excellent.
Interior Design and Seat Comfort
I drove for a week and on average 6 hours a day in this Ferrari, it was very comfortable and I had no backaches and pain. The back seats have ample of room too and overall a very clever design from Ferrari. I certainly would use it every day with my kids and friends. With the car’s excellent performance across the entire rev range, it means that passengers too can feel this comfortable and powerful Ferrari, no matter what roads I tackled.
La Dolce Vita
Many Ferrari owners warned me that once I drove a Ferrari there was no turning back. In the last six months, the car industry has realised the influence I have been a woman behind the wheels of a Supercar. I am more determined than ever to get women to experience a Ferrari. This GTC4Lusso T can be driven every day.
Would I drive this as a mum, absolutely yes?
I would encourage anyone to take track days before buying any Ferrari and if buying one include it in the deal. Unleash the Woman Warrior within.
It is so empowering to understand how to spin the wheels and slide here and there in safe situations. Men find it very sexy too. Brake the cliche ladies and get in the driver’s seat of a Ferrari. A big thank you to Ferrari UK, for one of the best car experiences I have had to date.
Freedom is my watchword this month, as lighter as day lifts the spirit and draws us on wards and upwards. Farewell the dark realm of ordinary everyday cars. Spread my wings and take flight, seeking the next driving luxury adventure.
