7 min
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October 24, 2024 | Katherine McDonald

The Ferrari Purosangue is tough to say, but easy to love

THEMANUAL.COM

7 min

Introducing Ferrari's first SUV (ever)

Katherine McDonald
October 24, 2024

From themanual.com

The idea of a supertruck might have seemed a little ridiculous only a few short years ago. Who would need or want an SUV with the power and acceleration of a high-performance sports car, and beyond that, who would pay for such an extravagantly opulent machine? As it turns out, quite a large number of people. While the BMW X5M and Porsche Cayenne Turbo raised the bar of sport utility performance, it wasn’t until the incredible Lamborghini Urus came along that things really began to get interesting. Watching Lambo’s success from afar, Ferrari finally decided to get into the ring with its archrival. Ferrari’s answer to the mighty Urus is the new Purosangue (pronounced: PURR-oh-SAHN-gway), and as you can see from our time with one, this SUV is every bit a Ferrari as anything else to roll off the assembly line in Maranello, Italy.

The Purosangue is Ferrari’s first ever SUV

“Purosangue” is Italian for “thoroughbred,” which is a not-so-subtle way for Ferrari to emphasize that its first-ever SUV (and first-ever four-door, four-seater) is still very much a Prancing Horse at heart. The mission for the Purosangue was to create a “living room” on wheels that emphasized elegance, simplicity, and comfort on the inside and an outstandingly sleek and athletic look on the outside. Combining those two aspects in just the right amounts resulted in one synergistically performance-oriented luxury super SUV the world has been waiting for.

The carbon-fiber roof addresses two issues many supertrucks have dealt with over the years. The carbon fiber not only reduces weight, making acceleration and braking easier, but it also lowers the truck’s center of gravity, allowing it to corner much faster and harder than those with higher beltlines. Add to that a design with aerodynamics in mind using things like air curtains, aero bridges, and a trick rear diffuser, and the Purosangue is always ready to go from trot to gallop with the blip of the throttle.

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Ferrari Purosangue

The Ferrari Purosangue makes 715 hp and 528 lb-ft of torque

Unlike many other high-performance SUVs on the market, Ferrari chose not to force-feed the Purosangue’s engine with any turbocharging. Instead, engineers decided to go with the “there’s no replacement for displacement” attitude more commonly associated with 1960s and ’70s  muscle cars. And though modern forced induction engines can make a compelling case against that notion, what is true is that there is no replacement for the sound of displacement. In terms of the autoverse, few things come closer to pure Nirvana than the sound of a high-revving, naturally aspirated Ferrari engine.

Using a 6.5-liter DOHC V-12, the Purosangue makes an incredible 715 hp at 7,750 rpm and 528 lb-ft of torque at 6,250 rpm. That spine-tingling power is routed through a rear-mounted, 8-speed, dual-clutch automatic transmission before being sent out to all four wheels for maximum traction.

The Ferrari Purosangue can run from 0 to 60 mph in 3.2 seconds*

*The official time Ferrari quotes is 0 to 100 km/h in 3.3 seconds. However, 100 km/h equates to 62 mph. So, it’s a reasonable estimation that that extra 2 mph could be worth, at a minimum, one-tenth of a second, allowing this super SUV to get to 60 mph a tick or two faster than the company’s time.

Thanks to its aerodynamic design and massive power, Ferrari says the Purosangue can reach a top speed of more than 310 km/h, which equates to 192.6 mph, challenging the Lamborghini Urus for top speed supremacy.

The Ferrari Purosangue is a true four-seater

Unlike many sports cars, like the BMW i8 that we drove for more than 1,500 miles, the Purosangue’s rear seats are designed to comfortably accommodate normal-sized adult humans. Independently adjustable and made from variable-density foam materials, the rear seats also have heat and recline functions to prevent passengers in the back from feeling like they are riding in coach, while the front enjoys first-class luxury, as happens in so many other high-priced SUVs. When looking at the Purosangue’s silhouette, you don’t expect the amount of interior space that you truly do get — and the coach style-doors make it easier for passengers to get in and out.

Speaking of the front seat, Ferrari has created what it calls a “dual-cockpit” design to engender a “feeling of emotional engagement for the front passenger.” A large 10.25-inch touchscreen display sits front and center of the passenger seat, allowing control of all things infotainment. Multiple USB-C ports, a wireless charging station, the Burmester 3D High-End Surround Sound System, and compatibility with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay round out the Purosangue’s tech offerings. When it comes to safety technology, drivers can rely on the advanced driver assistance systems like adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, and blind spot detection.

While the luxury cabin offers premium materials like the leather upholstery, it also maintains a commitment to sustainability, utilizing both recycled polyester and Alcantara. The Alcantara used is made of 68% post-consumer recycled polyester and has received the Recycled Claim Standard (RCS) certification from ICEA.

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Ferrari Purosangue

The Purosangue debuts Ferrari’s active suspension system

Ferrari’s Purosangue’s active suspension is a world first. Hydraulic shock absorbers work in conjunction with electric motors and four 48-volt actuators to allow both body and wheels to react almost instantaneously to road fluctuations. The Purosangue’s four-wheel drive system borrows the control logic developed for the incredible SF90 hybrid’s all-wheel-drive system and the independent four-wheel steering from the 812 Competizione. Another first for Ferrari is the Purosangue’s Hill Descent Control. As with other HDC systems we’ve seen on other SUVs, the Purosangue’s system controls braking to ensure the set speed is not exceeded unless it is overridden by depressing the accelerator.

The 2025 Ferrari Purosangue offers practicality

There are plenty of features that make the Ferrari Purosangue a practical option for drivers and their passengers. The large boot capacity and foldable rear seats (offering even more luggage space) and the fuel tank capacity of 26.4 gallons mean that you can go for long drives without worrying about refueling often and you can take as many of your belongings as you need (or want). The estimated fuel consumption is still under homologation, but you can typically expect it to be about 15 mpg.

The 2025 Ferrari Purosangue starts at $435,000

While Ferrari doesn’t list the price of Purosangue on its website (if you have to ask …), the new base price of a 2025 Ferrari Purosangue is $435,000. Moreover, with just a few boxes checked off on the option sheet, the Ferrari Purosangue can easily crest the half-a-million-dollar mark. But when it comes to potential owners who are shopping for vehicles priced in the pleasant suburban house realm, this is not going to be a problem one way or the other. The first SUV from Ferrari — one that comes with practical features in a luxury body — makes this a highly anticipated model, and one that is a coveted item among luxury SUV buyers.

The world is more fun with the Ferrari Purosangue

No matter how you feel about the Ferrari Purosangue from a practical standpoint, the truth of the matter is the world is better off with this exciting SUV on the market. Much like Coke needs Pepsi, iPhone needs Android, and McDonald’s needs Burger King, once the Lamborghini Urus stormed onto the scene, we needed the Ferrari Purosangue. As the eponymous founder, Soichiro Honda, once said, “Racing improves the breed.”