A new tester for Ferrari’s Purosangue crossover SUV has been spotted again, and this time we have a video.
It may look like a Maserati Levante that’s been slammed, but there are a number of clues that reveal it as a test mule. For instance, the rear doors are dramatically shorter than on the Levante. The interior is different, and the section from the tester’s A-pillar forward looks to be wider and longer. We also spot large carbon-ceramic brake rotors and headlights similar to those on the Ferrari Roma. Previous test mules used modified Ferrari GTC4 Lusso bodies to hide the new mechanicals, the model the Purosangue will directly replace.
Ex-Ferrari CEO Louis Camilleri revealed the Purosangue name for the SUV in 2018, which is Italian for “thoroughbred.” He said at the time the vehicle won’t reach the market in 2020 like his predecessor, Sergio Marchionne, had envisaged. Instead, Camilleri stressed the need to make the controversial addition to Ferrari’s lineup absolutely “perfect,” meaning its development won’t be rushed.
Underpinning it will be a new front mid-engine platform Ferrari is developing for its future grand touring models, like replacements for the Portofino, Roma and 812 Superfast. The platform complements the new mid-engine architecture that debuted in the SF90 Stradale.
Both platforms incorporate hybrid technology but the front mid-engine platform will also allow for the possibility of a non-electrified all-wheel-drive system and two rows of seats for a maximum of four seats. The front mid-engine platform will also feature a transaxle transmission, specifically a dual-clutch unit, for better weight balance and packaging.
A V-12 engine, likely with some form of electrification, is expected to be offered in the Purosangue in addition to a base V-8 that’s also electrifed. Interestingly, there are rumors Ferrari’s first battery-electric car due around 2025 will also be an SUV, perhaps a variant of the Purosangue.
2023 Ferrari Purosangue test mule spy shots – Photo credit: S. Baldauf/SB-Medien
It isn’t clear what the Purosangue will look like but we’ve previously heard it will come with four doors. The rear doors might end up as suicide-style doors similar to those used on the Mazda RX-8 sports car, which would allow Ferrari’s design team to preserve a sporty coupe-like side view.
Since we’re only at the test mule stage, it could be another six months to a year before the first prototypes wearing the Purosangue’s actual body hit the road. The reveal should take place in 2022, meaning the vehicle will likely end up on sale as a 2023 model.
The Purosangue is just one of several models Ferrari will introduce by the end of 2022, some of which will be powered by a new V-6 engine. Beyond this date, Ferrari will finally introduce its successor to the LaFerrari—which may already be out testing.