Ferrari’s first crossover debuts record-breaking V12

All about the Ferrari Purosangue – the fastest and most unusual SUV in the world

The last bastion has fallen. The Ferrari range has been replenished with a crossover – for the first time in 75 years, Maranello has developed a production car with five doors. The novelty called Purosangue (translated from Italian as “thoroughbred”) managed to surprise: Ferrari made a bet on the atmospheric V12 record for the power segment and innovative air suspension, did not hesitate to adopt “suicidal” doors from Rolls-Royce and deprive the driver of the touchscreen media system.

Ferrari carefully avoids the terms “crossover” and “SUV“. Before the premiere, the unofficial term FUV was circulating in English sources (like a Ferrari Utility Vehicle, although no one directly announced utility) – it appeared with the light hand of the former head of the FCA, Sergio Marchionne. However, declassified materials about Purosangue do not mention such an abbreviation. It’s really not quite correct to compare the new product with traditional SUVs – the ground clearance does not exceed 183 millimeters, there will be no assistants outside the asphalt and huge wheels with wide tires – 22-inch wide 255 mm front and 23-inch 315 mm rear.

The Ferrari Purosangue turned out to be more compact than its competitors: the length/width/height of the Maranello model is 4973/2028/1589 mm, respectively, and the wheelbase is 3018 mm. The novelty is almost 14 centimeters shorter and five centimeters lower than the Lamborghini Urus.

The exterior of the Purosangue is devoid of borrowings – the Ferrari crossover has a streamlined body with a characteristic long hood and a small glass area. There are extraordinary solutions like slots in the hood and front fenders, a pair of rear spoilers and “hidden” headlights. However, it is difficult to refrain from comparisons with the Roma coupe – the commonality between the models is obvious.

One of the main design “chips” Ferrari Purosangue – “suicidal” rear doors. The kinematics are similar to Rolls-Royce, but there are enough differences – Ferrari doors are frameless and open only 79 degrees. The explanation for swing doors is simple: in this way, Ferrari achieved a visual increase in cabin space without resorting to lengthening the wheelbase. All doors are equipped with electric drives, and there are no mechanical internal handles at all – the doors can only be opened from the inside with a butt

The chassis of the Ferrari Purosangue is completely new – the engineers managed to lighten the structure, while the torsional rigidity increased by 30 percent compared to the GTC4Lusso shooting brake. The power structure of the crossover is tailored according to “supercar” patterns: high-strength alloys of aluminum and steel are used, and some elements are made of carbon fiber. Examples of weight savings are the carbon fiber roof and single hinged rear doors. As a result, the dry weight was kept within 2033 kilograms, which is an excellent indicator for a five-meter car with a V12.

It is the engine that fundamentally distinguishes the Purosangue from other luxury crossovers. Turbo engines will appear later, and at the start of sales, Ferrari relied on the naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12 from the 812 Superfast supercar! Peak output is a segment-record 725 horsepower, leaving behind both the Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat and the Aston Martin DBX707. Torque is 716 Nm, but 80 percent of the thrust is already available from 2100 rpm, and the power unit can be spun up to 8250 rpm.

Although the 6.5-liter engine on the Purosangue is not as productive as on the rear-wheel drive two-doors, it was not without significant improvements. In particular, the same cylinder heads are used on the crossover as on the limited 812 Competizione, the intake, exhaust and cooling system are upgraded. The Purosangue has the same uncompromising dry sump lubrication system, and the engine is located offset to the wheelbase. Another example of racing technology is the transaxle layout with a gearbox mounted in front of the rear axle.

Ferrari has adapted a new 8-speed preselective “robot” for the Purosangue, but the four-wheel drive concept is the same as that of the FF shooting brake – traction is transmitted to the front axle through a separate gearbox. At high speeds (more than 200 kilometers per hour) and when driving in gears from fifth to eighth, the crossover is exclusively rear-wheel drive – this allows for better dynamics and fuel economy. While Ferrari has refrained from publishing its traditional Fiorano lap times, the handling of the Purosangue should surprise you. The pride of the engineers is the almost ideal weight distribution: 49:51 in favor of the rear axle.

Dynamic performance is one of the best in the class: from standstill to 100 kilometers per hour, the Ferrari Purosangue accelerates in 3.3 seconds, like a Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT; up to 200 – in 10.6 seconds. The maximum speed is 311 kilometers per hour!

Ferrari Purosangue’s innovation is the FAST (Ferrari Active Suspension Technology) active suspension. Equipped with both spool valves and 48-volt actuators for the first time, the Multimatic electronically controlled dampers fight roll; in corners, ground clearance can be reduced by a centimeter to lower the center of gravity; and the necessary wheels are “loaded” due to the traction vectorization system. From the supercar 812 Competizione, the novelty borrowed a fully-controlled chassis.

Another unusual engineering and design solution is the “symmetrical” interior. There is no multimedia system touchscreen, which has become familiar to all modern models, so the driver will not have to be distracted. But the entertainment complex is put to the passenger – in front of him is a 10.2-inch tablet with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

However, the driver will not be left completely without a connection with gadgets – there is a screen on the digital dashboard that displays driving settings, audio system parameters and messages from a smartphone. But Ferrari will not offer built-in navigation – in Maranello they considered that everything necessary for orientation on the ground is in mobile devices.

All Ferrari Purosangue have a four-seater saloon with separate multi-contour seats. In the center on the second row there is a small climate control panel, and there can be an impressive panoramic roof above the heads of passengers. Of course, advanced personalization options are promised – the interior is sheathed in leather, Alcantara or high-strength fabric, and for an extra charge there is a carbon fiber weave trim.

Ferrari claims that Purosangue debuted the most powerful audio system in the company’s history. The capabilities of the Burmester complex are indicated by giant speakers in the doors. A subwoofer is included as standard. But you shouldn’t worry about the “synthetic” sound – the atmospheric V12 does not need assistants, and the crossover will sound even better from the outside than from the inside.

Interestingly, Ferrari has taken care of the transportation of bulky items – fashionable chairs with integrated headrests can be folded to carry long items. However, the geometric shape of the trunk is such that the universal Purosangue can be called a stretch. The volume of the trunk in a four-seat configuration is 487 liters, so that according to this indicator, the Ferrari is inferior even to the Skoda Rapid.

Sales of the Ferrari Purosangue will begin in the spring of 2023, and the crossover will reach some markets only next fall. Prices have not been announced, but according to unofficial data, the model will cost from 390 thousand dollars. Excessive demand is provided, but it will not be easy to buy a new product – Purosangue will be released in a limited edition, and Ferrari representatives have hinted that the crossover will account for no more than 20% of total sales. It is easy to calculate that no more than 2,500 cars are planned to be sold annually.