The Purosangue: Ferrari's First Four-Door

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Rolls-Royce has one. Bentley has one. When Lamborghini launched theirs, they created a frenzy. It’s the ultra-luxury SUV, and now it’s Ferrari’s turn. The Italian supercar manufacturer just introduced the Purosangue, its first ever four-door, four-seater. Just don’t call it an SUV. Ferrari insists the Purosangue is an “authentic Ferrari four-door sports car.” The car’s performance is certainly Ferrari-like, boasting a naturally aspirated V-12 engine with 715 horsepower and the ability to rev to 8250 rpm. Per Ferrari, the Purosangue has 80 percent of its total torque available at lower revs like 2100 rpm, can go from 0-62 miles per hour (mph) in 3.3 seconds, and has a top speed of 193 mph. Hence, the name Purosangue, which is Italian for “thoroughbred.” This non-SUV SUV can gallop. And it does so smoothly, with a brand-new configuration that vastly improves on the handling seen in typical sports utility or crossover vehicles. “The average modern GT’s engine is mounted forwards in the car, almost straddling the front axle with the gearbox coupled directly to it,” according to a Ferrari news release. “This results in less than optimal weight distribution that delivers driving dynamics and driving pleasure well short of the standards of excellence to which Prancing Horse clients and enthusiasts have become accustomed. The Purosangue, on the other hand, has a mid-front-mounted engine with the gearbox at the rear to create a sporty transaxle layout.” This configuration creates near-equal weight distribution. Couple that with Ferrari’s new active suspension system for exceptional stability, carbon fiber roof for weight reduction, and low-lying seats for that authentic Ferrari feel, and the Purosangue delivers the kind of handling you’d expect in one of its marquee sports cars. This isn’t Ferrari’s first foray into four-seater territory. The Portofino, the Roma, the FF, a couple of GT models — they all had rear seats. Undersized, narrow seats that were challenging to climb in and out of, and largely unsuitable for actual humans for more than a jaunt around the block. The Purosangue has rear-hinged back doors for easy ingress and egress, leading to four standard size, heated seats that adjust completely and fold forward to increase the already-substantial luggage space. The Purosangue’s interior also includes heated front seats with a massage function; an optional all-glass roof; leather, Alcantara, and carbon-fiber trims; sustainable materials; and dual screens — one each for the driver and front passenger so each can participate in the driving experience,” said Ferrari. “Many Ferraris have made combining benchmark performance with first class comfort one of the pillars of their success,” they said. “Now…Ferrari has created a car that is unique on the world stage: not only do performance, driving pleasure and comfort coexist in perfect harmony, but it is also a peerless encapsulation of the Prancing Horse’s iconic DNA.” The Purosangue will start hitting roads in the United States next year, with an expected price tag around $400,000.

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