Top Gear published an interesting video a couple of days ago with Matt LeBlanc and Chris Harris taking part in a late brake challenge. Whoever went faster before braking and without driving a six-figure sports car into the sea would win.
The hosts sit behind the wheel of a Ferrari GTC4Lusso and Porsche Panamera Turbo Sport Turismo. These are two of the best shooting brake vehicles you can get and they offer phenomenal performance.
The Ferrari achieved 177 mph before Matt LeBlanc jumped on the brakes. Chris Harris held his composure and pushed the Porsche to 165 mph before stopping with just a few feet of pavement in front of his bumper.
LeBlank won the challenge, but if we were to judge fairly, he only achieved 85% of the top speed of his Ferrari. Chris Harris went up to 86.84% of the top speed of his Porsche and clearly had the stronger gut.
Overall, it was a great race. The Italian won, the German showed resolve. Both drivers will go home exhilarated.
Ferrari GTC4Lusso
The GTC4Lusso was introduced in 2016 as the successor of Ferarri FF. It’s a 3-door shooting brake with a V12 engine and all-wheel drive.
The powerplant is a 6.3-liter V12 from the Ferrari F140 series. The engine has been powering numerous Ferraris in the last 15 years. The banks sit at 65° relative to each other and feature DOHC. The engine works with a high compression ratio of 13.5:1. In the GTC4Lusso, it produces 620 hp and 520 lbs/ft of torque.
A 7-speed dual-clutch transmission sends the power the back wheels.
To power the front wheels, the car uses Ferrari’s proprietary four-wheel drive system – 4RM Evo, which debuted in the FF. Depending on the drive mode, a second gearbox in front of the engine engages.
It’s a smaller unit, integrated into the engine block. It has only two forward speeds and sends power to each wheel through individual clutch packs and not a differential.
GTC4Lusso is mostly a rear-wheel drive vehicle. The 4RM system only sends 20% of the engine’s power to the front wheels. The ECU controls the clutch packs for the front wheels to assist with traction and handling and help improve the driving dynamics.
Ferrari published a video presentation of the 4RM drive back in 2011 and it’s still a fascinating watch.
Although it’s not the primary function, the 4RM Evo also improves launch performance. AWD saves up to a third of a second in 0-62mph acceleration compared to only using the rear wheels. The Ferrari goes from 0 to 62 mph in 3.5 seconds and achieves a top speed fo 208 mph.
Porsche Panamera Turbo Sport Turismo
The second generation Porsche Panamera also launched in 2016. A year later, the Sport Turismo was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show. It’s a 5-door shooting brake riding on the same platform as the sedan.
It comes with a number of engine options. The version Chris Harris drove is the 4-liter, twin-turbo V8, producing 550 horsepower and 568 lbs/ft of torque.
The engine uses Porsche’s VarioCam Plus system. It’s a variable valve lift and duration technology that dates back 20 years when it debuted with the 1999 Porsche 996 Turbo.
The two turbochargers are located in the space between the cylinder banks to reduce the distance the exhaust gasses must travel, improving throttle response.
For increased efficiency and fuel economy, individual cylinders will shut down in regular driving conditions, where there is no demand for max power.
An 8-speed Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK) transmission to all four wheels. The car comes with permanent all-wheel drive with active differentials. The Panamera ICU constantly monitors a variety of sensors and external conditions and controls the multiplate center clutch to engage the front wheels as needed.
Rear wheel steering is optional. It makes daily driving and parking much easier, in effect reducing the wheelbase of the vehicle. At high speeds, the back wheels turn in the same direction as the front ones, allowing the car to switch lanes swiftly while maintaining maximum stability.
How do the cars pair up?
The Panamera Sport Turismo trades 70 horsepower for 48 lbs/ft of torque, compared to the GTC4Lusso. It sounds like the two cars are a pretty even matchup. However, the Porsche also weighs 200 to 1,000 lbs more than the Ferrari.
So, you tally them up in terms of power to weight, it’s obvious which vehicle has the advantage:
- Ferrari GTC4Lusso – 6.12 lbs/hp
- Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo power to weight ratio – 8.18 lbs/hp (calculated for average weight)
Due to the higher torque, the Sport Turismo is just as quick as the Lusso, accelerating up to 62 mph in 3.6 seconds. However, because of the difference in power and weight, it only goes up to 190 mph.
It never had a chance to win the challenge, even though Harris drove it as hard as he possibly could.
