2017 Ferrari GTC4 Lusso T | new car sales price

Ferrari's first ever four-seat turbo V8 makes its first Australian appearance in Sydney.

Ferrari Australia has unveiled a V8 version of its four-seater shooting brake, which will be known as the GTC4 Lusso T, at an event in Sydney.

It's priced at $503,888 plus on-road costs, and while it will officially arrive in Australia half way through 2017, customers placing orders now aren't likely to see their cars until 2018.

"This is the car we expect to be used for the school drop off, the supermarket runs, the everyday inner-city commute, all the way to weekend getaways. It's an all-encompassing car," Ferrari Australia managing director Herbert Appleroth told CarsGuide.com.au.

"This is the penultimate in our GT range, and sits nicely between the California T and the GTC4 Lusso V12."

Mr Appleroth suggested that the depth of V8 penetration in the prestige and luxury segment meant that Ferrari needed more presence in the space.

"V12 is always a part of the Ferrari family, but if you look where the segment is in this everyday drivable supercar, it's mainly V8, 85 per cent, in fact," he said. "We needed to be in that space, which is why we've developed this car."

First-time Ferrari buyers are the target of the GTC4 Lusso T.

"We're targeting those people who are stepping up. They could be coming from a luxury SUV; we know what the traded-in car is, and there are a lot of English and German SUVs," said Mr Appleroth. "It's the ultimate sports car. You can have your everyday usability, with a huge amount of space inside. It's not quite as noisy as the V12, but it's still got that trademark Ferrari engine note.

"Seventy per cent of California T buyers are new to Ferrari, and we expect this to be about the same, or maybe even more."

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Mr Appleroth also expects to attract clientele currently considering luxury SUVs like the Bentley Bentayga and the forthcoming Levante from Ferrari's sister brand Maserati.

"That luxury SUV space is becoming very clouded," he said. "Where do people go from there? They come to Ferrari. Where they finish is where we start."

The Lusso T takes the same physical form inside and out as the V12, all-wheel-drive GTC4 Lusso, using instead Ferrari's latest 3.9-litre twin turbocharged V8 that's also used in the California T and 488 GTB.

The front-mounted V8 makes 449kW at 7500rpm and a monstrous 760Nm of torque between 3000 and 5250rpm, sending it all through a seven-speed dual-clutch transaxle to the rear wheels.

It also sports all-wheel steering, adaptive dampers, carbon ceramic brakes, electronic limited slip diff and bespoke 20-inch rims. It also drops 50kg over its all-wheel-drive sibling.

The $503,888 Lusso T sprints to 0-100km/h in just 3.5sec, which is just 0.1sec slower than the V12 Lusso. It will also 'only' do 320km/h to the V12's 335km/h.

Inside, all the features of the V12 version – including carbon fibre shifter paddles, a drive mode dial, or Manettino, steering wheel-mounted indicators and a digital dash – are present and correct.

There's also a 10.2-inch touchscreen, four USB ports on the central transmission tunnel, rear view camera and a remote boot release.

It's classed as a four-seater, and even though the aperture to clamber into the rear is narrow, it will seats a pair of adults. It'll also take 450 litres of their luggage.

If you're looking at fitting a few accessories, be ready for sticker shock. The left-hand-drive sample in these pics sports more than $125,000 in options.

2017 Ferrari GTC4 Lusso T

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2017 Ferrari GTC4 Lusso T

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The glass roof will set you back $32,000, while a suspension lift system will cost $11,000.

Apple CarPlay isn't cheap at $6790, while the fittings to mount an iPad Mini in the rear will set you back $4900.

A front parking camera is $6000, and the passenger display screen is $9500.

And a set of bespoke luggage, including a suit bag, golf bag and trolley bags, costs only $2000 less than an Abarth 124.

"We expect a lot of personalisation from our customers, just like on all our cars. On average a customer will spend about $65,000 extra on their car," said Mr Appleroth.

2017 Ferrari GTC4 Lusso T list pricing
Ferrari GTC4 Lusso T - $503,888

Would you prefer your GTC4 Lusso with a V12 or a twin-turbo V8? Tell us what you think in the comments below.