Skip to main content

Ferrari's FF will get a facelift, keeping its naturally-aspirated V12

2015 Ferrari FF
Image used with permission by copyright holder
The all-wheel drive Ferrari FF isn’t what most people think of as a typical Ferrari. With its shooting brake design and a complex drivetrain that sends power to all four wheels, it’s the only product of the Prancing Horse built with at least some consideration of practicality.

But while it may baffle some car fans, the FF is here to stay. It sits at the top of Ferrari’s front-engined, V12 touring car range, maintaining a hierarchy that hasn’t changed in a couple of decades. And a facelifted version of the FF will appear soon, as Ferrari’s marketing vice president, Enrico Galliera, confirmed in a recent interview with Indian Autos Blog.

Some styling changes are likely in store, and perhaps a new name to reflect the car’s updated status. What won’t change is Ferrari’s choice of powertrain. While the carmaker is using downsized, turbocharged V8 engines in other models, the FF will reportedly stick with a naturally-aspirated V12. This follows Ferrari’s previously-discussed strategy of only turbocharging eight-cylinder engines. The carmaker has said it will consider more V12 hybrid powertrains like the one used in the LaFerrari, but it’s too early to tell if the FF will get one.

It’s unclear whether the engine will be punched out beyond the current 6.2 liters, but an increase in power is likely. The current FF puts out 651 horsepower and 504 pound-feet of torque. That’s enough to get it from 0 to 62 mph in 3.7 seconds, and on to a top speed of  208 mph, according to Ferrari. Those figures are already remarkable, considering that the current FF weighs a portly 4,145 pounds.

The timing for an FF facelift does seem right. Just before it initiated plans to spin off the hallowed Italian brand, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles put Ferrari on track to introduce one new or updated model each year, a somewhat steadier pace than the carmaker has adhered to in the past. Now that Ferrari has turned the California and 458 Italia into the California T and 488 GTB, the FF is the only model in its lineup still awaiting an update. That means it should be next.

While nothing has been confirmed so far, an unveiling at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show in March seems logical. Look for more information on the updated Ferrari FF in the coming months.

Stephen Edelstein
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
The Kia EV3 could be the cheap electric SUV we’ve been waiting for
White Kia EV3

The Kia EV9 was already one of the cheapest ways to get an electric SUV, but now the company is taking things to the next level. After teasing the Kia EV3 last year, the car is now official.

The EV3 is built to be a slightly smaller, cheaper version of the EV9 -- following the path of the Rivian R2, which arrived after the Rivian R1S. It's certainly not as technologically advanced as the EV9, but it still looks unmistakably like a modern Kia, and is clearly a sibling of the larger SUV. On the outside, the vehicle has the same split taillights and very similar Tiger Face front. But it is quite a bit smaller. The vehicle will be available in nine finishes -- however only "Aventurine Green" and "Terracotta" are being announced right now.

Read more
Kia EV3: release date, performance, range, and more
White Kia EV3

Kia is on a roll. Hot on the heels of the success of the Kia EV6 and EV9, the company is already announcing what could be its cheapest electric vehicle yet -- the Kia EV3.

The Kia EV line seems to follow the rule of lower numbers indicating a lower price — and if so, the EV3 will end up being the cheapest electric car Kia has released to date. That, however, thankfully doesn’t mean that the EV3 will be a low-end car — it just means that Kia may be pushing the boundaries on electric car pricing.

Read more
Kia EV3 vs Tesla Model Y: Can Kia’s new entry-level car take on Tesla?
White Kia EV3

The Kia EV3 is finally coming, and it could well end up being the best small-size electric SUV to buy when it finally rolls out. It's smaller than the Kia EV9, but it offers many of the same design elements and features. But there's another small-size electric car that's currently one of the most popular vehicles out there -- the Tesla Model Y.

How does the Kia EV3 compare with the Tesla Model Y? And is one vehicle actually better than the other? We put the Kia EV3 and the Tesla Model Y head-to-head to find out.
Design
The design of the Kia EV3 is very different than that of the Model Y, though they're both reasonably good-looking vehicles.

Read more