COMING SOON: 2022 Ferrari Purosangue

The Ferrari Purosangue SUV will hit the road by the end of 2022

Who: The most famous sports car company
What: It’s long-awaited maiden SUV
When: September 2022
Why: Because not even Ferrari can ignore the demand for SUVs

Ferrari has revealed what we can expect when its controversial new SUV model – the Purosangue – arrives later this year, promising it will be “a true sports car.”

Speaking at its Capital Markets Day last week, Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna began to tease details of the new model. Until now the brand has been very tight-lipped about the new arrival, only releasing its name – which is Italian for ‘thoroughbred’ – and a dimly-lit teaser image.

For starters Vinga confirmed it will arrive in September, so the countdown is well and truly on for the brand’s most radical new addition.

But, by far the most interesting piece of information he revealed is that the Purosangue will be powered by a naturally-aspirated V12 engine. This decision should appease the Ferrari faithful at a time when the Italian brand is pushing further and further towards electrification; although hybrid engine options are likely for the Purosangue eventually.

Interestingly, Vigna didn’t confirm precisely which V12 engine it will be, which opens the possibility the brand will debut a new-generation 12-cylinder engine that could be its last. Alternatively, it could use the existing 6.5-litre V12 already found in the 812 Superfast and Icona models.

FIRST LOOK: Ferrari teases Purosangue ahead of its launch

Either way, a V12-powered Purosangue should help convince undecided buyers that this is a genuine performance vehicle.

“We’ve tested several options,” Vinga said. “It was clear that the V12, for the performance and driving experience it could provide, was the right option for the market.”

This leaked image of the Ferrari Purosangue is our best look yet of the all-new model

Having said that, it’s also probable that as Ferrari moves deeper into electrified territory it will add either a V6 or V8 hybrid engine option to meet other market demands and broaden the appeal of the Purosangue.

Vinga also moved to quell any notion that the new SUV won’t live up to the driving expectations that the brand is synonymous for. He said the new model is “100 per cent Ferrari” and will “meet and exceed all the demands of performance, innovation and design that you would expect from us.”

He added his personal experience, saying: “From my and our test drives in the hills around Maranello I can tell you that it’s a true sports car, and unlike any other.”

Perhaps the most unexpected part of the announcement about Purosangue was the comment that the company won’t allow it to exceed 20 per cent of its total production. This would put Ferrari in direct contrast to its rivals in the performance SUV space, where adding a high-riding, family-friendly model has typically allowed for huge sales growth.

For example, the Lamborghini Urus accounts for 60 per cent of the brand’s total volume and the Aston Martin DBX doubled sales for the British brand.

Vinga insists, though, that the Purosangue isn’t about chasing just sales numbers, insisting the brand wants to retain its exclusivity.

“The Purosangue, as we said, will be an add-on to our portfolio,” Vinga explained. “We do not want to multiply our volumes.”

As we reported last week, the Purosangue will join an increasingly electrified Ferrari line-up, with the hybrid 296 GTB and SF90 Stradale serving as a guide of what’s to come for the brand over the next decade.