DAILY DRIVER
Motor Trend|September 2020
YES, WE MEAN IT. YOU CAN (AND SHOULD) COMMUTE IN A FERRARI CONVERTIBLE.
SCOTT EVANS
DAILY DRIVER

If you care about lap times, you don’t buy a convertible. So if you’re going to buy a convertible Ferrari, why not treat it like a GT car and just enjoy the drive?

The motors and hinges and reinforcements that allow you to choose your level of enclosure add weight, but in this case, it’s a relatively meaningless 44 pounds. Meaningless because this car makes 710 horsepower and 569 lb-ft of torque. If we assume, for a moment, it weighs 44 pounds more than the coupe model we drove recently, it still weighs less than 3,600 pounds. All this to say the pop top has effectively zero impact on performance.

I don’t really care, but racers would. Every ounce counts on the track. Convertible buyers are not burdened with such concerns. Freed from constructs about what a car is for and where it belongs, you can simply enjoy it. The when and where don’t matter, so why not anytime and anywhere?

It has cupholders, so there’s no excuse not to daily it. Don’t bother with the race seats, though. You’re not going to the track.

Enjoy it you shall, because there’s no way not to enjoy 710 hp. Ferrari’s trick boost control system continues to do a magical job making a twin-turbocharged engine feel naturally aspirated, with a gloriously linear power delivery that just keeps building and building until the steering wheel-mounted warning lights begin to flash. Now, you need those lights more than ever, because although Ferrari may have made a turbocharged V-8 sound more melodic than most, it lacks the drama, and you’ll run straight into the rev limiter if you’re shifting by sound.

This story is from the September 2020 edition of Motor Trend.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the September 2020 edition of Motor Trend.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM MOTOR TRENDView All
MOTORTREND SUV OF THE YEAR 2024 - CERTIFIED FRESH
Motor Trend

MOTORTREND SUV OF THE YEAR 2024 - CERTIFIED FRESH

THERE’S NO REST FOR SUV MAKERS IN THE INTENSE QUEST TO BE THE BEST

time-read
10+ mins  |
January 2024
THE CHEVROLET BLAZER EV IS THE 2024 SUV OF THE YEAR
Motor Trend

THE CHEVROLET BLAZER EV IS THE 2024 SUV OF THE YEAR

Once again, the bow-tie brand shows leadership in the electric vehicle space

time-read
9 mins  |
January 2024
AGENTS OF ZERO
Motor Trend

AGENTS OF ZERO

WE DID IT AGAIN: RUNNING OUR VW ID4 EV OUT OF ELECTRICITY, JUST TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS

time-read
7 mins  |
January 2024
THEY LISTENED
Motor Trend

THEY LISTENED

THE NEW TESLA MODEL 3 HIGHLAND FIXES NEARLY EVERYTHING WE HATED ABOUT THE OLD CAR

time-read
9 mins  |
January 2024
2023 Lexus RZ
Motor Trend

2023 Lexus RZ

Lexus says it will make only battery-powered vehicles by 2035, and the new RZ 450e is the brand’s first dedicated EV. This midsize crossover indicates Lexus’ future lineup will have luxurious appeal, but we find this first effort lacking in crucial areas.

time-read
2 mins  |
January 2024
2024 Land Rover Defender
Motor Trend

2024 Land Rover Defender

The Defender 130 is a tricky one to judge. On one hand, it potentially improves upon a design and package we previously lauded enough to crown as our 2021 SUV of the Year in the form of the standard Defender 110. The 130 is more than a foot longer than the 110 and has more room for people and stuff, stretching the existing design into a new body style. (The 130’s wheelbase remains unchanged.)

time-read
2 mins  |
January 2024
2024 Kia Seltos
Motor Trend

2024 Kia Seltos

If you’ve been a fan of Kia’s recent styling direction but don’t want to pay top dollar for it, the 2024 Kia Seltos is a great way to get a rolling piece of that design aesthetic at a reasonable price.

time-read
2 mins  |
January 2024
2023 Jeep Compass
Motor Trend

2023 Jeep Compass

When asked to identify an off-road vehicle, the average person will point to just about any Jeep.

time-read
2 mins  |
January 2024
2024 Hyundai Kona
Motor Trend

2024 Hyundai Kona

The Kona enters its second generation for 2024 with a new design language. It’s larger than the outgoing Kona, too, and its uncommonly ornate (for this class) and unmistakable design is something we’re already seeing in other upcoming Hyundai products. Having really liked the previous Kona, would our judges warm to this one?

time-read
2 mins  |
January 2024
2023 Ford Escape
Motor Trend

2023 Ford Escape

The Escape is one of those SUVs that hasn’t ranked at the top of its class for a long time, but every time we drive one, we’re pleasantly surprised. Although it perpetually feels a little outdated, there’s some inherent goodness baked into the Escape.

time-read
2 mins  |
January 2024