Ferrari’s ‘thoroughbred’ crossover takes shape

It’s been a long time coming, but the finishing touches are being applied to Maranello’s first SUV. By Jake Groves and Ben Miller

1 THE NAMING GAME

Ferrari has been explicitly avoiding calling its first highroader an SUV, instead nicknaming it an FUV: a Ferrari Utility Vehicle. ‘Purosangue’ means ‘thoroughbred’ in Italian, a confident name for a car that some devout Ferrari fanatics might not agree with, given its silhouette. The FUV’s design has been signed o and the team are confident it’s a winner. Obvs.

2 GENTLY BREWED

An SUV has been on the table for years at Maranello, ever since the late Sergio Marchionne was in charge. Requests for more time from investors at the 2019 Capital Markets Day allowed Ferrari to get the formula right. As the Prancing Horse gears up for its debut, expect interior cues first seen in the SF90 (below) and performance specs to rival the Lamborghini Urus.

3 ARCHITECT’S DREAM

Like the rest of the car industry, Ferrari is designing platforms that can span multiple models. The front-mid engine one used for its new SUV can use V6, V8 and V12 power, and will also underpin the successor to the GTC4 Lusso (above), with a low-mounted engine, dual-clutch gearbox at the rear, plus hybrid assistance and allwheel-drive options.

4 IT’S ELECTRIFYING!

First came LaFerrari, then the jawdropping SF90 (below) in the rather short line of electrified cars from Maranello. CTO Michael Leiters wants 60 per cent of the brand’s cars to have electric assistance by 2022. A full EV is some way o ; Ferrari cites sound (or the lack thereof) and weight for why it’s not focusing on making one.