The small print had been saved secret for a very long time, however now the time has come: Ferrari is launching a four-door, all-wheel drive mannequin known as Purosangue, designed to open a brand new phase. And to underscore its significance, it’s proven as the corporate turns 75.
To date, there has by no means been a four-door Ferrari in sequence manufacturing. In 1980, firm founder Enzo Ferrari requested Pininfarina to design the Pinin prototype, however the market wasn’t prepared, the driving traits not passable. The Sultan of Brunei had a number of four-door fashions constructed primarily based on the 456 GT, however they by no means went on sale formally. After all, Lancia supplied the Ferrari-powered Thema 8.32 for just a few years, but it surely lacked a Ferrari badge. Lastly, in 2017, Sergio Machionne ordered to start growth on the Purosangue; it was formally introduced in 2018.
Ferrari doesn’t need the Purosangue to be seen as an SUV, regardless of the 18.5 cm floor clearance. Nevertheless it goals to be extra sporty even than, for instance, the Lamborghini Urus. The good-looking physique is stuffed with uncommon shapes and particulars: The rear is brief and dynamic, the wheelhouse panels are clearly separated from the remainder of the physique, and the rocker panels are drawn upwards. The numerous aerodynamic options on the physique are hanging.
The place one would truly count on the headlights, there are solely daytime operating mild and switch sign strips. Above that, the air is routed into the engine compartment and discharged laterally on the finish of the bonnet. Instantly under, the air is routed to the brakes. The wheel arches kind an air curtain to enhance aerodynamics. Beneath the taillights, the air from the rear wheel homes exits, and there’s a giant diffuser. And there was as a lot consideration paid to the underbody aerodynamics as to the seen physique.
The doorways are electrically operated, the rear portals open ahead, however the B-pillar stays to maintain the automobile inflexible. To create a real sports activities automobile feeling within the rear, particular person seats are the one choice there. The carbon roof considerably lowers weight and middle of gravity. There might be no trailer hitch or underbody safety, however there might be equipment to carry bicycles. The rear seats may be folded down, and the trunk holds a merely common 473 liters.
We tried all seats: The entrance seats present good assist, the design is slim and futuristic. Headroom is superb up entrance, but it surely’s a bit cramped within the again, and the seats again there are unusually arduous. The workmanship is great, with leather-based, seen carbon and actual Alcantara as a substitute of substitute supplies.
Ferrari insists that the angles of the steering wheel, pedals and seat are an identical to the sports activities fashions, and the steering wheel is virtually carried over from the SF90, as are the big shift paddles. Aside from the well-known “Manettino” rotary knob, a lot of the knobs are designed as contact sensors with a piano end look. The tachometer sits within the middle of the display screen and the switches on the middle console mimick the design of an open shift gate. The Purosangue makes it clear but once more: Ferrari pursues its very personal fashion within the inside.
A lot for optics, physique and inside – now let’s get to an important factor, the center of the Ferrari Purosangue. And that, for us, is one thing of a shock: No downsized turbo engine, no hybrid – however a V12 naturally aspirated engine, codenamed F140IA. The engine was nearly totally redesigned: the displacement has grown to six.5 liters, the camshaft is new, the consumption space has been revised.
Efficiency is excellent: 533 kW/725 hp (at 7750 rpm), the utmost torque of 716 Nm is on the market at 6250 rpm, and the engine redlines at 8250 rpm. A whopping 80 p.c of the torque can already be accessed at 2100 rpm. The objective was a automobile with an unmistakable V12 sound, however so civilized that you would additionally make telephone calls when driving at regular speeds. However if you wish to go full blast: The dash from 0 to 100 kph takes simply 3.3 seconds, and a mere 7.3 seconds later you might be already at 200 kph. The Purosangue is properly over 300 kph. Its eight-speed double-clutch transmission is positioned on the rear axle, transaxle-style; it sports activities 7 brief sport gears and an extended eighth gear for the autostrada.
The entrance/rear weight distribution is a perfect 49:51; torque vectoring on the entrance, all-wheel steering and all-wheel drive guarantee good traction. The chassis can decrease the automobile’s middle of gravity by 10mm, the struts are fitted with 48-volt motors, the system was developed with provider Multimatic.
Ferrari attaches nice significance to the truth that the Purosangue doesn’t overshadow the basic sports activities automobile program. Because of this, and to take care of exclusivity, it’s strictly restricted to twenty% of complete manufacturing. The model’s finest clients have already been given supplied to order their automobile; the response, says Ferrari, far exceeded expectations. Costs begin at slightly below 400,000 euros and deliveries will begin within the second quarter of 2023. Proper-hand-drive variations come at a later time.
Textual content by Matthias Knoedler
