The concept of a Ferrari SUV is nothing short of blasphemy. But we might take solace from the fact that the Maranello supercar behemoth is doing it differently when compared to others. Till now we have seen Lamborghini laughing all the way to the bank with its Urus. And for Ferrari, it would have been too much of a financial temptation to ignore.
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After all, the sheer sales potential of a Ferrari SUV will further fuel the development of new age supercars and please the bean counters. With Aston Martin also making an SUV, it was about time that Ferrari joined the party. But from what we know, the Purosangue (Italian for ‘thoroughbred’) would be a far more extreme iteration of the concept of an SUV along with a bespoke architecture.
Ferrari Purosangue: Doing the SUV differently
The Ferrari Purosangue suv takes off from the discontinued FF. And later, the GTC4 Lusso and will have a complicated all-wheel drive system along with a bevy of electronics from Ferraris other supercars. It might seem a tad ridiculous but this would also be the first Ferrari that can do some off-roading with off-road and road biased modes along with customizable suspension.
Image source: CocheSpias
However, beyond the tech wizardry, the Ferrari Purosangue suv will echo the classic Ferrari GT cars. But within the popular mould of a crossover. The styling for example would be pure Ferrari with lashings of the FF along with the tail-lamps of the Roma. The headlamps are similar to the SF90 Stradale.
The svelte crossover infused shape is a lot more low-slung than any other SUV. That includes even the Lamborghini Urus with Ferrari placing more importance no doubt with its on-road performance. The interior is also expected to be dripping with luxury and touch operated controls with an F1-esque steering wheel along with digital dials. The cockpit design will divide the cabin into two zones with a large centre console.
The passenger display will also be there as an option. In terms of space, the Purosangue would be more commodious than the FF with four doors and plenty of room at the back. Personalization would be the key with various options to tailor the car to the owner’s whims and fancies.
Ferrari Purosangue SUV: Sales start next year
A key question is the form of powertrain that would be found underneath the bonnet of the Purosangue. A hybrid V8 powertrain would be expected to form the core of the range. A more performance-focused V12 version could also join the ranks to satisfy those who yearn for that traditional V12 soundtrack.
However, not even a V12 engine can change the effect the Purosangue will have on the company and its legacy. Ferrari knows this is one of its most important cars. It has to balance the car with SUV like practicality yet also give it the sharp edge seen with its supercars.
The Purosangue will see the light of the day around the mid of this year with sales starting from next year. However, do not expect Ferrari to make the Purosangue in numbers like the Urus. It would still be more exclusive and that augurs well with the car-makers philosophy to be seen as a niche supercar brand.
Somnath Chatterjee grew up around cars and most of his childhood was spent obsessing over supercars. Years later he decided to start writing about them and hasn’t looked back since. While he has had his fair share of cars, the world of automobiles never ceases to amaze him. Travelling all over the world to drive them along with sharing that experience is what ultimately keeps him going. He hopes to drive a Ferrari 288 GTO someday because, well, do you really need a reason?
