Say hello to all the new Purosang (poor-oh-sung-way). A tongue-twister of a name, it means “thoroughbred” in Italian. True to its pedigree, Ferrari has kept the fundamentals of this hallowed brand intact while breaking some traditions. It is the first four-door Ferrari in history and comes with SUV-like ground clearance.
But calling the Purosangue an SUV is blasphemy (for Ferrari). It is a radical departure from the SUV template followed by Lamborghini, Porsche and Aston Martin and is a high-riding coupe.
Ferrari may have stepped out of its comfort zone by raising the ride height and adding an extra pair of doors, but this has inadvertently made the Purosang the perfect Ferrari for India. Let’s start with the 185mm ground clearance that makes it a go-anywhere car, not just for a curated drive on uneven smooth roads.
What is unique is Purosangue’s rear-hinged door, which opens wide. (Remember your grandpa’s Fiat?) This makes it easier to get in for rear passengers who don’t have to pull out to close the door. That is done by pressing a button.
The place to be in any Ferrari is the driver’s seat, and the Purosangu’s cockpit is certainly the business. From the elevated driving position, you can see well out of the long bonnet. The chunky flat-bottomed steering wheel is great to grip but overloaded with controls.
The instrument cluster is fully digital, with a configurable screen. You can switch between the navigation screen and the instrument panel, which has a large rev counter in the middle. Purosangue does not come with built-in navigation; Ferrari believes there is no point in competing with Google Maps, which can be mirrored through your phone.
At the heart of the Purosangue is no less than a 715hp 6.5 liter V12, which is an absolute jewel. It’s very muted at low revs and Ferrari says it’s their quietest engine, giving the all-weather Purosangue strong touring credentials.
There’s plenty of grunt at low revs and it’s a hard prod of the throttle to transform this happy cruiser into a cruise missile. Keep your right foot pinned to the floor and the purosangu rockets forward with all the drama and thrill only a V12 can deliver. A high-pitched screeching deep growl as the engine revs to its 8,250 rpm rev limiter. Supercar levels of acceleration mean you hit serious speeds in a flash, and the claimed 0-100kph time of 3.3 seconds is entirely believable, as is the top speed of 310kph.
The Purosangue is a big car and it takes a few kilometers on narrow, icy Italian mountain roads to adjust to its size and power. But before long, I’m reveling in the car’s perfect balance and agility, finding the Purosangu’s dynamics tighter. The way you can maneuver the Purosangu around tight hairpin corners makes you forget it’s a high-riding 2-tonne car. Like the engine, the steering feel is more linear than other Ferraris, giving the Purosangue a predictability that drivers will appreciate. It’s the Purosangue’s more measured character, which isn’t as lofty as Ferrari’s hardcore sports cars, that owners and their families can appreciate. However, it is not short on thrills.
And it’s not short on price either. After paying all the taxes and fees, you are looking at the price of the answer ₹6 crore, if you allocate for one.
Is it worth it? There has never been a Ferrari like this. Comfortable, spacious and perfect for Indian roads. If anything, buy this awesome V12 just to get a taste of internal combustion.
