It seems like people have been so busy discussing possible designs for the upcoming Ferrari Purosangue SUV that we forget about an essential aspect, which is performance. There’s little point in trying to speculate what it will look like, seeing as how all the prototypes we’ve spotted in the wild have been wearing Maserati clothing.
Right now, we’re a lot more intrigued about what might be powering those test mules because Ferrari is in a privileged position regarding the Purosangue. What we mean is that benchmark models like the Lamborghini Urus, Porsche Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid Coupe, and even the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk have already shown the world their skills. Logic then dictates that all Ferrari needs to do is look at those cars and their performance and simply make sure that the Purosangue is quicker.
That shouldn’t be very hard, given how the Ferrari SUV is still in development, and so all types of changes to the drivetrain can occur between now and the start of production.
So how do you beat those ultra-fast SUVs we just named? In order to top the Urus, the Purosangue would require more than the Lambo’s 641 hp (650 PS) and 627 lb-ft (850 Nm) of torque. We trust them to make sure that weight isn’t a problem, and neither is the gearbox, so it really should come down to horsepower.
The Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid Coupe is just as quick as the Urus to 60 mph (with the Sport Chrono Pack) while relying on 670 hp and 664 lb-ft (900 Nm) of torque. The Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk, on the other hand, packs a 6.2-liter supercharged HEMI V8, with 707 hp (717 PS) and 645 lb-ft (875 Nm) of torque. It will hit 60 just as fast as the Urus or the flagship Cayenne Coupe in about 3.5 seconds.
Now let’s look at possible engine configurations for the Purosangue. First up, the naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12 unit from the 812 Superfast. It’s got 789 hp (800 PS) and 530 lb-ft (718 Nm) of torque. This would have been an excellent choice, but since this is an SUV, a twin-turbo engine makes more sense. Aston Martin also thought so, which is why they use a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 in the DBX.
Photo: Superrenderscars / Instagram
We could also get some type of hybrid setup, which has been rumored for a while now, but without any official confirmation, all we can do is consider existing powertrains.
The engine we like most for the Purosangue is the 3.9-liter twin turbo V8 from the F8 Tributo. It produces 710 hp (720 PS) and 568 lb-ft (770 Nm) of torque. The power output seems like it should be fine, but a top-performance SUV needs more than just 568 lb-ft of torque. The engineers from Maranello should be able to boost that easily though.
Ultimately, a 700+ hp Ferrari SUV sounds like a perfect car to claim the top spot among all the other high-powered luxury people haulers. Another way to take the lead is to make sure you also have a great-looking product, and we actually don’t mind this illustration by Superrenderscars. It’s elegant and dynamic, and those small fender-mounted headlights help it look classy like it’s not trying too hard to stand out.
Ferrari should unveil the production-ready Purosangue either later this year or sometime in 2022.
Sergiu got to experience both American and European car "scenes" at an early age (his father drove a Ford Fiesta XR2 supermini in the 80s). After spending over 15 years at local and international auto publications, he's starting to appreciate comfort behind the wheel more than raw power and acceleration. Full profile
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