Tested: 2027 Ferrari Purosangue HSFerrariFerrari's decision to produce an almost-SUV was a controversial one, but hindsight has proved the Purosangue to be a hit for the world's most famous supercar maker, with ultra-wealthy buyers wanting to combine the thrills of one of the company's famous V-12s with practicality and space for four. Now Ferrari is offering an additional choice with the launch of the Handling Speciale package to sharpen the driving experience. Is this a must-tick box for Purosangue buyers?Our expert editors test every vehicle we review. Read more about how we test and review cars here.The Lowdown:FerrariFerrari has offered Handling Speciale versions before, most recently with the California T in 2016. The HS pack shouldn't be confused with extensively modified cars like the 296 Speciale; essentially it is a set of software tweaks for various dynamic systems. For the Purosangue that means a firmer tune for the active suspension system and a punchier shift algorithm for the dual-clutch transmission, plus other smaller enhancements.Mechanically, the Handling Speciale is unchanged over the standard Purosangue, using the same 6.5-liter naturally aspirated V-12 making peaks of 715 hp and 528 lb-ft of torque. It also keeps the same innovative all-wheel-drive system: The eight-speed transmission only powers the rear wheels, while torque is sent to the front axle through a two-speed power transfer connection driven from the front of the engine.Vehicle Tested: 2027 Ferrari Purosangue Handling SpecialeBase Price: $460,760Price as Tested: $TBCTest Location: Balocco Proving Ground, ItalyHow Does It Drive?FerrariExperience was limited to the Balocco Proving Ground in Italy, specifically the three-mile-long Langhe Internal course—designed to replicate a typical European country road, but with the advantage of no oncoming traffic.Within those limitations, the Handling Speciale acquitted itself well. Ferrari has long argued that the Purosangue is not an SUV but rather a "Ferrari Utility Vehicle." Semantics aside, the brand does have a point: It doesn't drive like more traditional ultra-luxury SUV rivals like the Lamborghini Urus. Think of the Purosangue as being a higher-riding V-12 Ferrari grand tourer, one which has four doors and four seats.FerrariThere was a definite finesse to the way the Handling Speciale tackled the course at at Balocco. The Ferrari steered with precision and gripped hard but also surrendered adhesion gracefully as it approached its limits. As with R&T's previous experience, the naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V-12 remains the Handling Speciale's starring feature and also the main point of distinction compared to the turbocharged V-8 alternatives. As in the 12Cilindri, there isn't a heap of low-down torque, although the engine pulls cleanly from basement revs. But working the V-12 harder turns it progressively more special, with an orchestral cacophony of sound building as the rendered tachometer needle sweeps upward toward the 7750 rpm at which peak power is delivered. The Handling Speciale has no more power than the regular car, but it does get a more muscular exhaust note under load and at higher revs.FerrariAlthough the Handling Speciale's hardware is unaltered, software tweaks to the active suspension (which uses an electric anti-roll system, as well as TrueActive Spool Valve adaptive dampers) have added firmness across all drive modes. The softest of these, Wet, still felt pliant over the few rough surfaces the test track offered. The quick-acting dynamic brain and the Purosangue's generous suspension travel give it the ability to smooth out dips and bumps that would definitely be jolting the cabin of a lower and more traditional Ferrari. Even selecting the more aggressive Sport mode and putting the dampers into their Firm setting (which can be toggled separately by pressing the manettino dial on the steering wheel) didn't make it feel harsh at any point.While the Handling Speciale resists understeer impressively well, the car's mass was still obvious in the proving ground's tighter corners and over bigger crests. Ferrari quotes a dry weight of 4482 pounds, so figure somewhere around 4800 pounds once loaded with fluids. Barring the Luce EV, this is the heaviest Ferrari. That felt obvious when carrying braking pressure into Balocco's tighter corners to get the rear of the car to rotate, sometimes to the point of gentle oversteer even with the stability control still turned on. I soon learned the need to hold a beat past the apex before getting hard onto the throttle for a tidy exit.FerrariA rear-steering system improves reactions invisibly at lower speeds, intervening much more subtly than the systems used by some other automakers. The Purosangue HS felt notably athletic for something so tall and heavy; the driving experience will always be a ways removed from the intensity of dynamic connection found in the brand's lower, lighter models.The retuned transmission software for the eight-speed dual-clutch allows for savagely fast gearchanges, and I wasn't able to catch the manual mode out with requests for multiple downshifts heading into tighter turns. But even in the gentlest Wet mode, shifts could still be felt, the gearbox lacking the smoothness of a torque converter. That's probably a compromise most Purosangue buyers will be happy to make.What's It Like to Live with?FerrariAnybody wanting to know if a Purosangue is a Handling Speciale version will have to look for some subtle differences. The most obvious is the carbon-fiber finish for the Prancing Horse shield on the fenders, one that isn't available on the regular car. Similarly, the Ferrari branding at the rear gains a new satin finish.FerrariThe new package brings no difference to the Purosangue's cabin, which offers the combination of beautiful materials with some perplexing details. My test car's purple interior trim combined shockingly well with the traditional red exterior, but Ferrari's decision not to give the Purosangue a central touchscreen in a part of the market where buyers expect good usability to come as standard remains a perplexing one.There would be enough room on the dashboard for a modestly sized screen, certainly if Ferrari got rid of the passenger-side display that serves little obvious purpose except to relay impressive performance numbers. Trying to use Ferrari's UI system through small menus on the digital instrument pack, and with fiddly buttons on the steering wheel, remains an exercise in deep frustration. That's true across the range, but it feels more incongruous in what is meant to be a family-friendly vehicle.FerrariBut Ferrari deserves credit for some neat design details. The Purosangue has room for four adults, and even if they are likely to feel a little squashed in back, rear-seat occupants enjoy the novelty of both rear-hinged doors and a higher seating position, which gives a better view forward. But Balocco also revealed the lack of lateral support from the standard comfort seats over prolonged lateral-g loadings, with no sport-seat option. Few owners are likely to regularly track their car of course, but it is another indication of the Purosangue's different priorities from other Ferraris.Should I Buy One?FerrariWithin the surreal realms of ordering and specifying a Purosangue, ticking the box for the Handling Speciale pack feels like a positively sensible thing to do. Ferrari is charging $27,600 for it—a modest amount by the standards of Ferrari options. For context, when we last drove a standard car in 2024 it had been taken from an MSRP of $393,3050 to $506,305 by a relatively modest collection of optional upgrades. Since then, the base price of a Purosangue has increased to $433,160, which arguably makes a package that delivers a noticeable improvement to the driving experience look like a stronger value.Highlights and LowlightsWe Love:That almighty V-12.Handling Speciale pack brings useful improvements.Good value by the standards of Ferrari options.We Don't:No more power than standard car.User interface is still deeply frustrating.Is this really the Ferrari you want the most?Favorite Detail:Mike DuffIt's those rear-hinged back doors, which both ratchet up the already-considerable levels of theatricality and make it easier for adult-size occupants to get in and out of the back seats.If You Can Only Own One Car, Make It One of TheseThese Are the Most Popular Cars by State