Words by Nick Hendrix
Ferrari have not made an SUV. Let’s just get that straight. The word ‘Utility’ shouldn’t go anywhere near the hallowed Modenans. But what they have done is reacted to the luxury world being dominated by the fact that every one of its competitors is making one. And with some success. The Urus, the DBX, the Bentayga – all hugely successful and often heralded as company-saving models. It’s a bracket that is flying off the shelves and the Italians aren’t one to look a (Prancing) gift Horse in the mouth – there’s clearly something in it. Where I think they’ve been clever is by taking a look beneath the bonnet of this new range to see where the desire and appeal of the aforementioned hyper-4×4’s really lies. Having driven a few of these cars, I think what people really want is the feel and performance of a supercar without the low-slung entry and storage for little more than a Sharpie. People also want the status and road presence that they can currently only achieve perched up high in their Range Rover, Q7 or X5.
Ferrari have instead taken the bones and historic appeal of the FF and then the GTC4 Lusso and upgraded certain elements conceptually. ‘Yes, we’ve found you can have 4 seats in a Ferrari, and it be OK – let’s build on that, let’s put some doors at the back and really make the seats adult-worthy and a business class experience.’ Followed by: ‘Yes, we’ve found that long, wide and large works on a Ferrari, OK – let’s raise the ride height so we can soften the experience whilst tackling rough roads, dirt tracks and any obstacle this side of all-out Green Lane-ing’ What you end up with is the 700bhp V12 Ferrari Purosangue, a completely unique proposition automotively and a car that, as ever, puts the Italian icons at the front of the queue.
To have my own, bespoke experience of the car I felt I had to meld things together – this couldn’t be just a luxury hotel stay or a track day. I collected the car from Maranello itself to add a level of heritage and then took it for an extended romp through the Tuscan countryside staying at both a private villa and a luxury hotel. I spent time with friends and family, did a large food shop, toured the countryside as well as enjoying a more luxurious couple of nights away with my wife. A trip for a car for all seasons. Question is does it work?
Sitting beneath the large red logo was my gleaming blue chariot for the next 10 days. I found it, on first viewing, a little odd. There’s something in the design that makes it seem slightly off kilter. It reminds me of when my son is playing with his toy cars all in different scales – the Purosangue looks like it’s just 0.1 per cent larger than a normal car.
First driving impressions are wonderfully full and potent, also as expected. The 6.5L V12 thumps you with its 700bhp without the aid of any clever electronics or turbos – its old school in that sense, but new school in every other sense. The four-wheel drive system feels like rear wheel drive but isn’t, and the suspension may as well have been developed by NASA. The independent electronic little gearboxes working on each wheel’s suspension creates a nigh-on Formula 1 pedigree experience. Few cars have this kind of technology and what’s important about that, comes back to my original point – Ferrari are not a brand to play everyone else’s game. Yes, they will make something that’s near the SUV world, but they make sports cars and super cars – not tractors – not Dakar racers or mud-pluggers.
So, the underpinnings have to stay within that globally known reputation. You feel that in this car. In the cockpit you feel its size as you look down the long and muscular bonnet, but you don’t feel the weight in the corners or acceleration – you have the V12 noise behind an acceleration you’d expect in a thoroughbred supercar. It’s also unbelievably easy to drive long distances – the large comfy seats (complete with massage function, which is a gimmick but still who doesn’t want a massage?) and smooth Strada drive mode make life on the motorway pleasant. When carrying a full load of people, you can easily chat to each other, pass snacks back and forth and argue over what music to play. We could be in a people carrier or family estate – if it wasn’t for every single detail about the interior of this car.
Let’s talk about the two-dashboard thing that people seem to want to do nowadays. I first experienced it in a Porsche Taycan and then Ferrari’s 296 and found it to be slightly ridiculous. Like in the 80s when hi-fis were about how many things you could stack on top of each other. I’ve never felt a passenger was so desperately far from the central control to need something closer if they wanted to flick to the next track, or turn up the A/C. However, the Purosangue has doubled down on this idea and made the screen usably and honestly big. The previous screens felt a little apologetic… ‘screen anyone? If you’d like? But don’t worry if you don’t, sorry to bother’. This, coupled with the wrap around styling to mirror the driver’s side feels better, more direct. And it works – my wife was fully in control of changing my power ballads for her folk rock without squinting to see what she was doing.
The other interior touch that feels unique is the popup dial in the centre of the dashboard for the front seats (there’s one at the back exactly the same which is great, unless your passenger is three and then its not great). Ergonomically satisfying to turn in a world of touchscreens but sadly the centre bit is still touchscreen and a little fussy to use when driving – but I like it, it’s cool. The haptic controls across Ferrari’s cars nowadays have always irritated me and I miss the feel of a click or a switch on this car as much as any other. It was particularly infuriating when trying to navigate Apple Maps through Carplay whilst being shouted at by a toddler to put his favourite song on. My inability to slide left or right to get up Old MacDonald was a moment I’d like to forget. I don’t know how much this is an Apple compatibility issue or the haptic control issue. Either way in a near enough £400,000 car there shouldn’t be anything that isn’t perfect.
As I approached the private Tuscan villa that provided an important stage in this full-bodied road-test, I was quickly glad that I had chosen this Ferrari. Like all great Tuscan stereotypes, this villa was situated with rolling hills in the distance, near a small medieval town and (saliently) at the end of a rocky and narrow country lane. Bucolic, inimitable, idiosyncratically Italian and completely inappropriate for supercars – which is a shame as driving the Tuscan B roads is exactly what you’d want to do in one. This is where the Purosangue plays its joker. I bullishly ploughed down that lane with the sort of abandon reserved for the 4×4 community and it felt good to be doing it in a Ferrari – if not a little out of context.
As a family run-around on holiday the ‘thoroughbred’ Italian did its duty and truly was a daily drive. Everyone had to have a ride to the local supermarket and the car both turned heads aplenty whilst also blending into the car park – not sure the latter was on the designer’s wish list. But in a packed gaggle of cars, there are angles where it doesn’t stand out, doesn’t draw the eye – I’ve even heard its shaped compared to the Mazda CX6. But in Italy Ferrari is a religion in itself and the second the logo or name was seen it drew a crowd – there’s a three-year waiting list to buy one and they sold out long before they went on sale. But then again, does a billionaire really want something they can just get off the shelf? No. Talking of billionaires – the price. It’s a staggering amount of money – the options list on the press car amounted to just over £70,000, that’s the price of a Jaguar F-Type. But its intentional, when you want the only near comparative to be the Rolls Royce Cullinan you are making a statement – this is icon territory, and it should be priced accordingly.
The B side to my trip was a couple of nights in the equally staggering Castelfalfi – a former Medici holiday home and now a sprawling luxury hotel and apartments complex. Complete with two golf courses, luxury villas, two restaurants, three pools, luxury spa, adventure park, vineyard and extensive grounds. And they’re not done yet, there are further rooms and villas to open. What’s clever and enchanting about the property is the way in which they have embraced the original borgo (Italian hamlet) instead of disguising it. There is a small high street, the main castle and public access throughout to keep the place in the community rather than shutting them out.
What it provided for me was an opportunity for the Purosangue to step into more delicate, dress shoes in a way that it is completely suited for. The hotel were very happy for me to leave the car outside reception as everyone knows a Ferrari at the door is a sign of class and quality.
My wife and I enjoyed unbelievable food, the best massage of our lives at the RAKxa Wellness Spa and a Negroni or three, whilst the Ferrari slept soundly by the front door.
When it came to depart, we said fond farewells to the diligent staff and loaded up the vast thoroughbred. This is where we met our only hurdle – boot space. When you have four large seats, you imply four adults with their assorted baggage. We had to put our second suitcase on one of the rear passenger seats as the boot could barely handle our first plus a hoodie – which isn’t a great look for a half a million-pound supercar. Not sure the dirt that London Heathrow had plastered on our luggage should be spread all over the sumptuous Italian leather seats. But then again, it wouldn’t be Italian if there wasn’t some quirky illogic. If there’s four of you – pack light and go shopping when you get there.
With thanks to:
