The Ferrari Purosangue is the first-ever four-seat and four-door “crossover” in the Italian automaker’s 75-year history. We first heard of Purosangue (or Thoroughbred) in 2018, with the promise of it being the fastest sport-utility vehicle the world will ever see. Before joining its peers on the SUV bandwagon, Ferrari took its sweet time to ensure its first four-door offering has the true-blue DNA of the Prancing Horse badge.
Setting The Stage
If you resist the urge to refer to the Purosangue as an SUV, you can still be a part of Ferrari’s exclusive clientele. Ferrari calls it a four-door sports car (or four-door utility vehicle); we call it the most practical iteration of a Ferrari grand tourer. If you will, the market is not short of hyper-fast SUVs or four-door family conveyances. The Aston Martin DBX, Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk, Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT, and Lamborghini Urus are all vying for your bank account if you want a stupid-fast and exotic family hauler.
However, the Ferrari Purosangue is also diving in deep waters occupied by an elite few. We’re talking about bigwigs like the Bentley Bentayga, Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600, and the Rolls-Royce Cullinan, all with six-figure price tags and a legacy of motoring perfection.
Beating Heart of a Champion
We can’t help but stare at what could imminently be the best-selling Ferrari of all. But when talking about a pure-bred Ferrari, performance is the main focal point. The Purosangue settles for nothing less than a front mid-mounted 6.5-liter naturally-aspirated V12 engine with high-pressure direct injection, dry sump lubrication, and revised internals to pump out 715 horsepower and 528 lb-ft. of torque.
Ferrari claims Purosangue unleashes up to 80 percent of its available torque from as low as 2,100 rpm. An “enthralling crescendo” greets the driver as the V12 approaches its 8,250 rpm redline. The roaring engine sends power to an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic that Ferrari has mounted in the rear axle, enabling a near-perfect 49:51 front and rear weight distribution. Meanwhile, the front axle has a power transfer unit mounted directly to the engine, meaning the Purosangue is all-wheel drive.
How Quick Is The Ferrari Purosangue?
Don’t let its crossover-ish countenance fool you because the Purosangue goes as hard as any Ferrari. It reaches 60 mph from a standstill in a scant 3.3 seconds, while it has a heady 193 mph top speed. Thanks to an all-new, high-strength aluminum alloy and carbon fiber architecture, Purosangue weighs no more than 4,483 lbs., making it lightweight among its peers. Ferrari has equipped Purosangue with a standard carbon fiber roof, but a glass roof is optional if you like that sort of thing.
“Greatest Hits” Styling Cues
Making a hyper-fast SUV look good is hard without settling for oddball shapes and ridiculously-sloping rooflines. Still, Ferrari made Purosangue easy on the eyes without abandoning some familiar styling cues. It’s like Ferrari’s greatest hits collection with the face of an SP1 Monza, the side silhouette of a Ferrari FF, and the rump of a taller, more expansive Ferrari Roma. Of course, it’s hard not to talk about Purosangue’s rear suicide doors, a valiant effort for an automaker’s first time with a four-door production car. Purosangue has a front-hinged bonnet with a gooseneck hinge as an added design touch.
Purosangue can slice the wind with minimal effort. An “aerobridge” just ahead of the A-pillar helps reduce drag, while the rear spoiler and bumper-integrated rear diffuser smoothen the airflow and keep the shiny side up. The optimized aero elements negate the need for a rear windscreen wiper as the airflow helps keep the glass clean, said Ferrari.
Active Suspension Technology
Ferrari teamed with Multimatic to create Purosangue’s innovative active suspension technology. The 48-volt suspension system combines electric motors with spool valve hydraulic dampers to outclass conventional adaptive or semi-adaptive suspension setups. Those electric motors at each wheel apply force to the dampers when attacking hard corners to counteract body roll, negating the need for anti-roll bars to sharpen handling. Moreover, the active suspension can lower the ride height in full attack mode.
Room For Four
The Ferrari Purosangue has room for four adults courtesy of individual bucket seats – you can’t have a rear bench seat or seating for five. Most surprising is the lack of a gigantic touchscreen in the SF90 Stradale-inspired dashboard and center console, but the passenger riding shotgun has a 10.2-inch display to play with while on the move. Standard equipment includes a Burmester 3D surround audio system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Ferrari said the dual cockpit dashboard layout carried over to the backseat, and it took the initiative to use recycled polyester and fishing nets for the headliner and carpets. According to Ferrari, Purosangue is the first vehicle in the world to use Alcantara derived from nearly 70 percent of post-consumer recycled polyester.
Ferrari Purosangue: Pricing & Availability
The all-new Ferrari Purosangue starts at about $400,000 and will arrive early to mid-2023. The price includes a seven-year maintenance program that provides service every 12,427 miles (20,000 kilometers) or once a year with no mileage restrictions. According to Reuters, Ferrari plans to limit the availability to preserve the vehicle’s exclusivity.
Alvin Reyes is an Automoblog feature columnist and an expert in sports and performance cars. He studied civil aviation, aeronautics, and accountancy in his younger years and is still very much smitten to his former Lancer GSR and Galant SS. He also likes fried chicken, music, and herbal medicine.
Photos & Source: Ferrari S.p.A.
