Ferrari is gearing up to break into the performance SUV scene with its Purosangue, and new spy shots give us a clearer look at the car’s production body shape.
Due to be unveiled next year and set to rival the Aston Martin DBX, Lamborghini Urus and forthcoming BMW XM, the Ferrari Purosangue is described as a “Ferrari Utility Vehicle” by the Italian brand. Previous prototypes have worn a modified Maserati Levante body but the car in the latest images marks a step on in the development process.
The new images, taken by our spy photographers in Italy, show what is highly likely to be the finished production bodywork of the Ferrari Purosangue, hidden in extensive camouflage wrapping. Despite the thick covers, we can see that Ferrari will not take a traditional high-riding SUV approach with the Purosangue.
Instead, the body sits surprisingly low to the ground, with a long bonnet that curves down to meet a gaping air intake at the front end. The windscreen is steeply raked, while the rear of the car appears also to stretch out over the back wheels, suggesting wide haunches. The rear wheels appear substantially larger than the fronts, too, although that may just be a quirk of the test mule.
The roofline curves gently towards a bluff rear and what appears to be a hatchback-style tailgate for increased practicality. It’s clear to see that the four-door, four-seat model will act as an indirect replacement for the GTC4 Lusso four-seat coupe, which went out of production last year.
The flat, aerodynamic undercarriage is so low-slung that we expect Ferrari will deploy some sort of air suspension to raise and lower the Purosangue’s ride height as required. Quad-exit exhausts are also visible on this prototype, as are substantial, wheel-filling brakes.
Ferrari Purosangue exclusive images
Our exclusive images give an indication of how the finished Purosangue could look. It’s expected that some design elements will be borrowed from the Roma GT car, fitting in with the long-bonnet, short tail and flared haunches.
At the rear, the more practical hatchback should make the SUV more usable than even the GTC4 Lusso, with a larger boot and a more user-friendly load lip. It remains to be seen if the Purosangue will be a full five-seater, or will offer four more sporting chairs for occupants.
Platform and engines
Ferrari has already confirmed that the Purosangue will be based on the same platform as the Roma GT. Michael Leiters, the Italian brand’s Chief Technology Officer explained: “In general, we will have two families of architecture – front- and rear-engine families.
“The modularity is there and, especially on the front-engined architecture, we have to foresee many more models. We have a 2+2, we have a 4+, we are thinking about Purosangue, and so on.”
Leiters also mentioned that the SUV’s platform is capable of accepting either V6, V8 or V12 engines, which suggests the Purosangue could be available with a plug-in hybrid powertrain, similar in design to the unit found in the SF-90 Stradale.
However, we expect the former two units are the most likely candidates for electrical assistance. Ferrari will continue to develop its 6.5-litre V12 engine independent of hybrid drive, as combining such a heavy combustion engine with an even heavier electric motor and battery pack is not favoured by the company’s engineers.
Ferrari’s Chief Marketing Officer, Enrico Galliera, told Auto Express: “To be honest, electrifying a V12 means creating – very probably – a heavy and big car. So electrification ideally should be coupled with smaller engines.
“The philosophy is to try to be ready with different technologies in order to use them with the necessary evolution,” he added. “That’s why we have a wide range of engines: V12, V8 and, in the future, the V6.”
Spy videos of Purosangue mules have already started to circulate on social media, some of which feature a very distinct 12-cylinder engine note. However, as the Purosangue will share its underpinnings with the Roma GT, we expect it’ll also be available with that car’s turbocharged 3.9-litre V8 engine.
In the GT, the unit produces 612bhp and 760Nm of torque – which is likely to be a constant across the two models. Given the amount of extra space available in the Purosangue’s body, though, Ferrari could shift away from the Roma’s rear-drive layout and move instead to a four-wheel-drive system.
Market, pricing and release date
The new Ferrari Purosangue will make its official debut next year. The brand’s marketeers have dubbed it an “FUV” (that’s “Ferrari Utility Vehicle”). We’re expecting the Purosangue will be priced from over £200,000 when orders eventually open.
Do you think the Ferrari Purosangue will be a success? Read our run-down of the best luxury SUVs to check out the competition…
Keyword: New 2022 Ferrari Purosangue SUV: new spy shots show production body