SCOOP: First image emerges of the forthcoming Ferrari SUV
Purosangue loosely means thoroughbred. It seems a bit of a cheek to so christen a bastard. But it’s happening right now down Maranello way.
ENZO MUST BE SPINNING IN HIS GRAVE
Ferrari and SUV do not belong in the same sentence. But here you go — it seems there’s no going back now — this is the first image of the forthcoming Ferrari Purosangue SUV mule. Enzo must be spinning in his grave.
Even the late previous Ferrari capo, Sergio Marchionne said, ‘You have to shoot me first’. He then went back on his word. And sadly died not long after. Current Ferrari boss Louis Camilleri once said ‘Ferrari and SUV do not belong together’. He’s changed his mind too.
And still it’s coming. Ferrari will launch its first truck by 2022 at the latest. Purosangue will be Ferrari’s first four-door. It will be powered by a V6 hybrid and it will be built on a new front-engine all-wheel drive platform. The projections must be bloody good. Even if every gram of the thing screams defiance at what the brand stands for.
Seems the yen is just too strong though — well-heeled Chinese customers appreciate the Ferrari brand but prefer and SUV to a supercar. Sad as it seems, Ferrari will now follow Porsche, Lamborghni, Bentley, Maserati and others who have forgotten their supercar roots in the pursuit of SUV profits. Even noble Rolls-Royce has one now.
A FERRARI SUV WITH F1 TECH
Ferrari’s new truck also will bring Formula 1 turbo technology to market. Maranello’s patented a new turbo configuration is allegedly based on its F1 cars (maybe there’s the problem!) The new tech turbo boosts a generator to convert exhaust energy into electricity and charge a battery. Said battery powers an electric motor compressor to supercharge inlet gasses.
The new tech apparently avoids turbo lag while also ensuring a pure V8 or V12 exhaust note. Purosangue’s flexible new aluminium and carbonfibre rich platform allegedly allows great flexibility of configurations to allow for two-seater, 2+2 and four-seater models.