Purosangue: Ferrari names its upcoming SUV
It'll be available in a hybrid-electric variant, too.
Ferrari recently held a meeting, discussing the company's plans for the future. This included yet another confirmation that the automaker will build an SUV, and this time, there's some actual information to digest.
Ferrari's new SUV will be called Purosangue, said Ferrari CEO Louis Carey Camilleri at the meeting, as reported by Motor1. Purosangue translates to thoroughbred in Italian, which is a pretty straightforward way for Ferrari to say that its first SUV won't make sacrifices to the driving dynamics that define Ferrari's vehicles.
Aside from the name, Camilleri also gave out some high-level information about what lies underneath the Purosangue's sheet metal. Buyers will have a choice of either a proper internal-combustion engine or a gas-electric hybrid. It will be capable of all-wheel drive, and the wheels will get their motive force by way of a double-clutch transmission.
The engine will be mounted in the front, but behind the front axle, giving it a front-mid-engine layout that's usually reserved for sports cars like the Mercedes-AMG GT. Its front-mid-engine chassis will also underpin additional Ferrari vehicles, Camilleri said. The chassis can accommodate a variety of vehicle wheelbases and heights, and it can offer anywhere from two seats to four full seats. This way, Ferrari doesn't have to devote a large chunk of money to a platform that will only spawn one vehicle.
Speaking of multiple vehicles, Ferrari has a load of them planned for the next few years. Camilleri said in his presentation that Ferrari will launch 15 new models by 2022. It's unclear if this includes variants of existing vehicles, because 15 brand-new nameplates would represent a massive surge in new-vehicle releases for Ferrari, which traditionally sells only a few models simultaneously.
Ferrari has a lot of work ahead of itself, but with so many new places to go -- SUVs , hybridization, etc. -- it'll be interesting to see what Maranello cooks up over the next four years.
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