As recently as 2017, Ferrari CEO Sergio Marchionne, according to Business Insider, said unequivocally that there would be no SUV wearing a Prancing Horse badge. At the time, it seems he felt the company would do just fine producing the same thing it always had, fantastically beautiful, expensive, and fast cars. Now that 2023 is around the corner, perhaps Sergio has a bit of egg on his face, but he probably doesn’t mind.
According to Fortune, The all-new 2023 Purosangue SUV is first and foremost not an SUV. According to current CEO Benedetto Vigna, “It’s a Ferrari.” Sure, dude. Whatever you say. Whether you want to call it an SUV or not, it is impressive and appears to be worthy of wearing the Ferrari badge.
Then again, despite its belt line, oversized wheels, and slightly taller ride height, Road & Track says that it does not feel like an SUV. It feels like a Ferrari. This new model is powered by a 715 horsepower 6.5-liter V12 putting its power to all four wheels through an 8-speed dual-clutch transmission. The all-wheel-drive system and suspension are actively controlled by Ferrari’s highly sophisticated control system including its Side Slip Control 8.0 software. In short, it puts the power to the ground and keeps it there. Curiously, the AWD system does not engage the front wheel above fifth gear, which is said to keep it feeling more like a sports car than an off-roader.
Most importantly, it is a beautiful machine. It carries many of the latest Ferrari hallmarks and design language from across the line but balances it with its beefier proportions well. Unsurprisingly, the price is steep at $375,000, but it doesn’t matter anyway as Fox Business reports it is already sold out for the first two years.
