First official pic of Purosangue revealed

FERRARI has given the world its first look at the Italian supercar brand’s forthcoming Purosangue SUV. The single image reveals a large lower air intake and split-headlight and grille design –styling cues that were taken from the Maranello-based marque’s F8 Tributo and SF90 models. 

Via social media, the Italian supercar maker said, “You’ve heard the rumours, and we’re delighted to confirm they’re true (some of them). All will be revealed later this year”.

Riding on all-new Roma front mid-engine architecture, the Purosangue will rival contemporaries including the Aston Martin DBX, Lamborghini Urus and Porsche Cayenne when it goes on sale early next year.

While the Prancing Horse brand has yet to detail powertrain options for its high-riding five-door, it is understood hybridised or even fully electric power is possible.

Ferrari has said previously that the model is future-proofed to meet the demands of an electrified driveline, though it is speculated that the model will initially draw motivation from the same 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 hybrid introduced in the 296 GTB last June, which develops 610kW/740Nm.

There is also speculation that the Purosangue may also arrive with V8 or even V12 power, but at this stage little has been confirmed by Ferrari.

The Purosangue is also widely tipped to offer an all-wheel-drive configuration as standard, following in the wheel tracks of the FF, its successor – the GTC4Lusso – and other larger GT models. We will have to wait and see whether the SUV will use the same complex all-paw system as its predecessors did, or feature a simpler, more traditional AWD system as its rivals do.

The official image follows earlier leaked pictures of an alleged production version of the model earlier this year.

In those grainy images, the front three-quarter and rear design of the super SUV was evident, detailing a sloping roofline, now-evident recessed headlights, full-width rear light bar, which connects the LED tail-lights, and a sharp cutline which runs from the leading edge of the contoured bonnet to create a “scooped out” portion over the front guards and doors.

Visible sensors in the front-end indicate the four-seat Purosangue will be equipped with the most up-to-date driver assistance and safety technologies, though again, this is unconfirmed.

Now four years in the making, the Purosangue (Italian for pureblood, or as we say, thoroughbred) will be a “genuine game-changer”, Ferrari says, and that “all will be revealed later this year”, around the same time it is expected to begin deliveries of its Daytona SP3.