It took three-quarters of a century, but Ferrari finally revealed its first four-door. The new model, nicknamed the Purosangue, joins a lineup that includes everything from the sleek Roma and the modern 296 to the unbridled SF90 and the luxurious 812. Depending on your point of view, it’s about damn time – or a move so reprehensible that Old Man Enzo should walk straight. From the cemetery of San Cataldo and in the Ferrari boardroom to mock.
Consider the clues as we take a closer look at the all-new contender from Maranello. During a black box session where cell phones were confiscated, we were given a hands-on look at one of the most anticipated car releases of the year. Before our live account, let’s think about positioning. At least based on our presentation, Ferrari They walk away from the idea that the new model is, in fact, an SUV. We don’t call it SUV carsFerrari CEO Benedetto Vigna insists. “We’re not even talking about SUVs.” okay then.
Packaging matters
create file Borosangwe Indeed, the condition of this Ferrari makes this a bloated four-door sports car (with apologies to Some Japanese cars) from the midway gym. For starters, it can only be had with two bucket rear seats, not a family-ready seat, or — God forbid — a third row. Second, there are enough packaging sacrifices made in the interest of the sport to suggest that the people of Modena aren’t really interested in pleasing the masses.
For starters, the modest 16.7-cubic-foot trunk volume seems like an afterthought that veers into a coupe-like silhouette and favors aerodynamics over sheer practicality. While Ferrari does not reveal the drag coefficient stats for its GT cars, Flavio Manzoni (head of brand design) Gianmaria Fulgenzi (head of development) describes a “delicate dance” between their divisions in order to do their jobs while still maintaining slippery aerodynamics.
Ferrari has pulled out all the stops to stack the Purosangue deck in favor of a balanced design. As such, the large V12 engine is jammed against the firewall and the 8-speed dual-clutch gearbox is a rear-wheel drive transmission that helps balance the 49/51 weight front-to-rear. The standard carbon fiber roof ensures that the center of gravity is as low as possible. Interestingly, Ferrari has dedicated a new design to the rear-hinged tailgate for this entry-level starter, complete with electric locking à la Bentley Bentayga EWB And the Rolls Royce Cullinan (not to mention Genesis G90).
The rear doors open with a 79-degree swing, which is important in making it easy to get in and out – especially since the rear seats aren’t the most spacious. I’m 5ft 11, and “sitting behind me” in the rear didn’t provide much extra space between my knees and the curved back side of the front seats. It’s not unobtrusive, but it’s also not as spacious as a more luxurious luxury SUV.
Ferrari claims that its Purosangue stands alone in a class of its own. While we’re all in favor of the idea of individuality, let’s compare its 118.8-inch wheelbase to a few rivals: the mileage is close to the Lamborghini Urus Performante (118.2) and the Bentley Bentaya Speed (117.9), 1.7 inches short of the Aston Martin DBX707 (120.5) and between the less exotic breeds such as the Porsche Cayenne GT (114.0) and the more spacious BMW Alpina XB7 (122.2). Mass-wise, the Purosangue claims an estimated dry weight of 4,482 pounds—probably the lowest in that competitive group.
Old school power, modern control
As the mid-cargo area and rear seat suggest, practically all is not lost. Crucially, the Purosangue isn’t even dunked in trying an eco-friendly engine—at least for now. Instead, the new kid on the block is embracing old school with a massive, naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12 engine that claims the highest output of any Ferrari GT in history: 715 horsepower and 528 pound-feet of torque. The treadmill produces 80% of the torque at just 2,100 rpm, maximum horsepower at 7750 rpm, and a top rotation speed of 8,250 rpm, giving it an impressive power range.
A dual-clutch transmission that offers eight forward gears to choose from helps with this flexibility. The dry sump engine has an all-new valvetrain and modified intake geometry intended to help deliver lower power. The Purosangue is estimated to reach 62 mph in 3.3 seconds and achieve a top speed of over 192 mph. Like the GTC4Lusso, the new model features a four-wheel drive transmission, a front-wheel drive unit that splits above fourth gear and/or about 125 mph.
As much as the Purosangue engine house sticks to familiar rules of the game, its suspension embraces futuristic technology to increase ride quality and handling. Working with Multimatic, Ferrari has developed an active suspension system that takes advantage of the Canadian company’s True Active Spool Valve (TASV) technology, which uses four 48-volt actuators to control the stroke of the damper. Since the setup lacks stabilizer bars, the actuators can work in concert to manage both pitch and roll. Quick-acting adjustments can control wheel movement and ride height, the latter of which can drop up to 10mm while cornering.
Intangibles tell a story
We can go into the specs and dimensions however we want, but sometimes it’s the sum of the little things that provide big picture insights into brand-new puzzles like the Ferrari Purosangue. Is it a sports crossover? four wheel car? Sedan on steroids? Given its focus on delivering a four-passenger driver experience, it appears that Ferrari has actively chosen to sacrifice a significant amount of utility for the sake of performance. Heck, they didn’t even hang a hook in order to maintain their position as a performer on the road.
For better or worse, many potential buyers will judge this four-seater based on its design more than any other factor – understandable, given its €390,000 (around $400,000) starting price attracts buyers of all kinds. Various of cars already in their garage. I’ll say this: While titanium silver may not be the strongest shade, in person the Purosangue looks elegant with a whiff of bulk, especially the bulging rear punches that help bring a sense of movement (and emotion) to the car.
As it stands, Ferrari has taken a long-awaited leap forward, and Purosangue personally appears more balanced, refined, and intriguing than we might think in the spy shots. We hope our next encounter will be a spirited drive in the driver’s seat. Until then, Ferrari’s newest car seems to have tackled this ambiguous genre with a reassuring amount of performance-focused engineering. Whether you call it a sedan on stilts or an SUV, this single fact that seems to be built around the driver bodes well for the future of the wild horse.
“Certified music scholar. Freelance analyst. Social mediaholic. Hipster-friendly web nerd. Zombie buff.”