First look at the new Ferrari Purosangue in South Africa

The first example of the Purosangue, Ferrari’s trailblazing SUV, has touched down in South Africa to give local owners, fans, and the media a taste of what’s to come.

Despite being higher off the ground than any of the Prancing Horse supercars that came before it, the Purosangue has lost none of the iconic marque’s appeal and has attracted new and old customers alike at a near-unprecedented rate.

Starting at R9.7 million, we understand that more than a handful of local clients have already put down their name for the Purosangue, and you can rest assured that each buyer will put their unique touch on the vehicle.

The first customer cars are expected to land in the country early-to-mid 2024, but those who weren’t lucky enough to get their configurations in early enough may have to wait a couple of years, as Ferrari’s order books are completely filled up until 2025.

A new breed

The Purosangue, translating to purebred, is not so much a modern interpretation of a longstanding nameplate, but rather a new breed for Ferrari.

Given the Italian automaker’s historically anti-SUV agenda, the marque insists that it is absolutely not an SUV, but an FUV (short for Ferrari Utility Vehicle) and that it competes in the “crossover” segment.

In spirit, it rivals the Lamborghini Urus and Aston Martin DBX, but while these cars are more shaped like your traditional SUV, the Purosangue isn’t.

It is smaller than it looks in pictures with a roofline that is much lower than the Urus or DBX, while the wide arches wrapped around 23-inch wheels at the back and 22s at the front as well as a raised tail lend it squat proportions. The nose and back also strike a blend between the pinnacle Ferrari SF 90 and the V6-hybrid 296.

Hidden aero components are plentiful in the exterior design hidden tastefully, and due to the unique dimensions of the first-of-its-kind Ferrari, these air channels required a radical rethink of both methods and solutions, said the automaker.

The sleek LED daytime running lights cut through the centre of an air duct that feeds the brakes, and aerobridges in front of the windshield assist in achieving a low drag coefficient.

Above the rear window is a functional spoiler that helps with grip on the back axle, and the fixture has its own underspoilers meant to channel air over the rear window to keep it clean when it rains as the Purosangue doesn’t have rear wipers.

The wheel arches which were made from carbon fibre in this model are separated from the body, sculpted and vented in the pursuit of aerodynamic performance.

If you look closely, you’ll also notice the absence of obvious door handles for the back doors. If you look even closer, you’ll see that these are operated with a small fin on the window line just behind the B-pillar, which assists in retaining a smooth, streamlined design.

Just like the exterior, the Purosangue’s cabin blends the traditional with the futuristic in typical Ferrari fashion.

The front fascia is simplistic but incorporates an extensive control hub split across a 10.25-inch digital driver’s display, an equally-sized passenger display, and a multi-function rotary controller for in-car functions like climate control and heated seats.

Nice-to-haves encompass a wireless charger, Burmeister 3D Surround Sound System, sizeable cupholders, a panoramic roof for a light and airy cabin, and specially-made Alcantara upholstery produced from recycled plastic bottles.

There is also a faux gated gear selector that brings back memories of the famous manual Ferraris of old.

A control hub between the rear seats gives occupants the ability to change the aircon temperature to their liking, and there is a button on the B-pillar to close the rear suicide doors so that you don’t have to lean all the way out yourself – a la Rolls Royce – situated right below big aircon vents.

The interior packaging is equally as practical as it is clever, too.

For the first time ever in a Ferrari, the FUV has four identical, individually adjustable seats, allowing all passengers to be comfortable and stable during dynamic driving sessions, and the suicide-type rear doors make it effortless to get in and out.

There are not many Ferraris that will be able to accommodate four adults with ease, but I was also able to fit comfortably in the backseat while the front seat was adjusted to my preferred seating position.

To cap it off, the Prancing Horse has 473 litres of cargo room accessed with an electronic tailgate, and should this not be enough for your golf bags, there are buttons to collapse the rear seats and turn the FUV into a two-seater grand tourer with tons of packing space.

Powering the Purosangue is the manufacturer’s famous F140IA 6.5-litre, naturally-aspirated, V12 powerplant generating 533kW and 716Nm, “more power than any other car in the crossover segment,” said the company.

Paired up with an eight-speed, dual-clutch automatic gearbox, the powertrain delivers drive to both axles through a torque-vectoring all-wheel-drive system with four-wheel steering.

Not to be outdone by its flatter stablemates, the Purosangue sprints to 100km/h in 3.3 seconds, 200km/h in 10.6 seconds, and reaches a top speed of 310km/h.

To tame it, the V12 sees an active suspension system distributing 49% of the weight to the nose and 51% to the tail to achieve “handling and performance completely unprecedented in a car of this size and shape,” and it has an active exhaust system to enhance that V12 symphony.

Ferrari Purosangue