Ferrari’s first SUV Purosangue confirmed hybrid
Italy’s foremost sports carmaker is looking to launch their first SUV. The Purosangue which Ferrari prefers to call a Crossover or “FUV” is set to hit the market by 2022. Despite its name it will not be so pure blooded though as Ferrari has a hybrid drive lined up.
The Ferrari Purosangue, which is Italian for thoroughbred, is right in line with the firm’s plan that 60 percent of all sales are to be made from hybrid vehicles in 2022. In other ways however, it is a new breed for Ferrari not only in terms of drive but also their usual offering.
Internally, they call the new model their “FUV” for Ferrari Utility Vehicle. Accordingly CEO Louis Camilleri said, “I abhor hearing SUV in the same sentence as Ferrari,” at a presentation. He added, “SUV just does not sit well with Ferrari.”
Still, the Purosangue has four doors and will challenge Ferrari to find the right balance between space, namely legroom, which can make or break a car in China, and performance, that is agility. This challenge is also the reason why the company has pushed back the launch by two years. Said Camilleri: “We have to get it perfect, we just need a bit more time.”
Not much has been said about technology other than the Purosangue will utilise Ferrari’s front-engined vehicle architecture that is to allow for AWD and electrification.
The latter has been in the cards for the fuel-happy firm for some time. The first Ferrari hybrid had been hinted at by the deceased CEO Sergio Marcchionne in March reportedly. Already then he concluded that an SUV will effectively raise Ferrari’s volume and thus put them under regulatory pressure for fleet emissions. While Marchionne has been an outspoken sceptic of electrification, he had last shown readiness to adapt, when saying “once we are selling more than that it will become an issue.” He went even further, adding “We will embrace electrification. It will become a mainstay in our portfolio.” It appears this vision is here to stay under the new leadership at Ferrari. Only if and when the Italians will build a purely electric car remains unsaid.
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