Ferrari FF and Jensen FF - automotive reincarnation.

It’s been nearly two weeks since the Ferrari FF has been revealed to the world’s motoring press, and they seem quite  excited to get their hands on the successor to the 612 Scaglietti.  Who wouldn’t be when a 650hp V12 resides under the bonnet, and a top speed of well over 200 mph is promised.  

One thing that immediately sent alarms  ringing in my head though, is how unbelievably similar in concept the FF is to the Jensen FF of 1966.  For those of you who have no idea what I’m on about, the British-built Jensen FF was one of the first production cars to use all-wheel drive as a means to improve on-road handling rather than off-roading.

First there’s the name - FF.  With the Ferrari, FF stands for “Ferrari Four” where as in the Jensen it stands for “Ferguson Formula”, different meanings but both with the intention of pointing out their all-wheel drive systems. 

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Other similarities? Both cars have engines displacing 6.3-litres, though the Jensen’s unit is a Chrysler V8.  And in terms of design and layout, both cars are four seat grand tourers featuring a sloping roof line, but then drops down sharply towards the rear to give a hatch-like profile. 

Jensens are also known for the big noise they make, and if we’re to go by the prototype videos on youtube as well as the sound clips on Ferrari’s website, the Ferrari FF is set to provide a titillating exhaust note as well.

Whether Ferrari did it on purpose or not, their FF seems like an automotive reincarnation of the Jensen FF.  I can’t really blame them if they did use the Jensen as an inspiration, it still looks good today.  And when the engines weren’t overheating, they were one of the best GT cars of the 1960s.  The Ferrari will definitely be a desirable car, but let’s hope it stands the test of time like the Jensen, 45 years on and it still knows how to charm.

Alex Kisiri