- Ferrari has finally revealed the Purosangue 2023, its long-awaited entry into the SUV segment.
- The Purosangue comes standard with a naturally aspirated V-12 engine that produces 715 horsepower.
- It is a four seater with a rear hinged rear door to assist access to the rear seats.
Throughout its illustrious history, Ferrari has built sports cars in a variety of configurations. There’s a four-seater front engine with a V-12, a two-seater center engine with a V-8, and even newer aberrations including an all-wheel-drive firebrake and a hybrid with a V-6. But we can guarantee that you’ve never seen a Ferrari quite like the Purosangue 2023. As the first four-door vehicle to be adorned with the Prancing Horse badge from the factory, this is the company’s long-awaited entry into the ultra-luxury SUV segment that is inevitable.
Of course, Ferrari doesn’t like to call it an SUV, instead calling this new model an extension of its sports car line with a new form factor meant to increase versatility and comfort. To emphasize that it’s as much a Ferrari as any other, the project’s code name, Purosangue (meaning “pure blood”), will be retained for the production model seen here that will reach US customers from late 2023.
Engine and Performance
Also ensuring its place in the Ferrari lineage is the fact that it will be available initially with just one powertrain: a naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V-12 engine that cranks up to 8250 rpm. Its power output of 715 horsepower puts it well above the twin-turbo V-8 Lamborghini Urus Performante, but the non-turbo V-12 lags behind its driven competitors in terms of torque, at just 528 pound-feet. Ferrari says that 80 percent of that torque will be available at 2,100 rpm. But, with peak power at 7,750 rpm and peak torque sitting at 6,250 rpm, the Purosangue is sure to be a revvy machine.
Based on Ferrari’s dry weight figures, we estimate the Purosangue will have a curb weight close to 5,000 pounds. Performance estimates put it near the fastest SUV we’ve tested; Ferrari claims it will accelerate to 62 mph in 3.3 seconds and reach a top speed of 193 mph.
The transmission is an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic, and the unusual all-wheel drive system is the same as that introduced in the FF and later used in the GTC4 Lusso. It only operates in the first four gears and up to about 124 mph; on top of that, it’s the rear driver. Rear-wheel steering is standard, and so is the same Side Slip Control system from other Ferraris that manages traction control, stability control and ABS programming.
New Suspension System
Ferrari is very proud of Purosangue’s new suspension technology, saying that it is an essential component that enables tall, large and heavy vehicles to meet the company’s high standards of handling performance.
The setup uses active spool-valve dampers from Multimatic, the same company that supplies non-active adaptive dampers for certain performance versions of the off-road-oriented Chevy Camaro and Colorado ZR2. But these new units in Ferrari go a step further and replace the need for anti-roll bars thanks to electric motors at every corner that can apply force to the dampers to control body movement. The suspension can also lower the car by 0.4 inches during hard cornering, but there’s no way to increase ride height beyond the standard 7.2-inch ground clearance, underscoring the fact that the Purosangue isn’t meant for any kind of off-roading. The staggered wheel and tire arrangement is complemented by rubber measuring 22 inches by 255 width at the front and tires measuring 23 inches by 315 width at the rear.
Unusual design
With a long, low nose and rising character lines that create a wedge-like silhouette, the Purosangue’s proportions are more reminiscent of the GTC4 Lusso than its taller SUV rivals. Ferrari designers say they intended there to be a clear separation between the upper and lower body. The top is meant to be refined and elegant, and the bottom—consisting of an aggressive rear diffuser and wheel cladding that can be coated in carbon fiber or matte black—is meant to communicate the car’s power and capabilities. Separate elements help reduce the Purosangue’s height visually, but the design lacks coherence, as there are many stylistic elements vying for your attention.
The front end, for example, fools you with its headlight pieces that aren’t really headlights at all. Instead, the element excavated near the cut line of the hood is the air inlet, and the light strip that bisects this inlet serves as both a daytime running light and turn signal. The actual headlights are lower, flanking the lower air intakes. We’ll leave the final judgment on the look of the Purosangue to you, and we’d like to know how it will look in different color combinations, of which there will be many, as Ferrari plans to let customers order their vehicles with various customization possibilities inside and out.
Oh, and the Purosangue also has a front-opening rear door, just like a Rolls-Royce. There’s still a B-pillar, but Ferrari says this configuration helps get in and out of the rear seats. Engineers also say that it allows them to increase the impression of space inside without having to stretch the wheelbase too much. Two individual rear seats are standard, meaning the Purosangue actually has four seats. The cargo area measures 17 cubic feet, and the rear seats fold flat to expand that capacity.
Interiors and Features
The dashboard incorporates the same digital displays from other Ferrari models, including a 10.2-inch digital gauge cluster for the driver and a display for the front passenger; no central infotainment screen. The steering wheel features the familiar Mannetino drive mode controller, along with many other buttons and knobs. Various combinations of leather, Alcantara and carbon fiber trim will be available. A carbon fiber roof is standard, but you can also opt for a glass roof with an electrochromic color adjustment.
When it goes on sale late next year, the Purosangue will not be an easy commodity to acquire. Not only is the base price likely to be close to $400,000, but many examples are talked about, as existing Ferrari owners were already offered the first discount a few months ago. Ferrari has said it doesn’t want the Purosangue to generate more than 20 percent of its overall sales, meaning demand will far exceed supply. Ferrari likes to say that it aims to provide “a different Ferrari for a different Ferraristi.” And this is definitely a different kind of Ferrari.
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