Photos by Michael Shelford
Foresight would be a wonderful talent, wouldn’t it? A decent dollop of precognizance could keep us from danger, lead to some smart investments and win the odd lottery. But sadly, none of us can see into the future – although some may contest that (which is a different discussion for a different magazine.) The classic car market has flourished over the years particularly now as the petrol-headed world is changing, making cars that you wouldn’t expect to be rare to to become rare.
Anything with a V8 for instance, or lack of a turbo. Or generally anything that uses petrol (diesel too at some point). So how does one have oneself an automotive premonition? Can we judge a future classic when we see one or do we need to give it some perspective? When we saw What’s Eating Gilbert Grape? did we know DiCaprio would become one of the worlds’ greats? or did we know on first listening that Hallelujah would cement Leonard Cohen in the world’s consciousness forever?
Ferrari Purosangue in the Tuscan countryside: why not
I had an opportunity to try and weigh up this debate when I found myself touring the stunning Tuscan countryside in Ferrari’s latest range-bending model – the Purosangue. Thoroughbred by name but is it also by nature? There’s a little gentle controversy around the model as the brand are fully committed to saying that it isn’t an SUV. I’m here to see that, if it isn’t, then what is it?
I would say, in my humble opinion, that the main tenets of a classic tend to be enduring good looks, ground-breaking performance (and/or technology) and more often than not; scarcity. Mclaren F1, Jaguar E Type, Ferrari 250 GTO all wear these badges loud and proud. But the sleeper hits like Merc’s SL (R129), Peugeot 205 GTi or BMW 7 Series (E34 – which might just be me) also tick some of these boxes. Can the Purosangue find itself amongst these greatest hits?
The ultimate Italian road trip
My trip intentionally took in different facets of the Italian road trip experience – a rustic rural villa with family, but also a 5-star spa hotel on an Italian hilltop town. Castelfalfi was a wonderful luxury stop off on this trip complete with spa, pool, stunning Negroni’s and exemplary Tuscan cuisine – but what it also offered, completely coincidentally, was a Classic Car Club passing through on a tour of the area. What this brought me was an opportunity to see this car sat next to Porsche 356 Speedsters, E-Types, Gullwing Mercedes and the odd priceless Ferrari. How the car held up against them was a bonus that I couldn’t have planned myself.
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To SUV or not SUV: the look and feel of the Ferrari Purosangue
‘Enduring good looks’ is a tricky bracket as tastes change with time (see: Flares and the mullet) – on first looks the Purosangue is odd from some angles, bulky from others but also simply stunning. I’ve heard it compared to a Mazda CX5 – which I think is a bit of a stretch, but I don’t not see it.
I think what’s unusual about it is that it feels like many different cars melded together and perhaps that’s part of its uniqueness, its ‘between ranges’ place in the automotive world. It’s not an SUV but instead it follows the path carved out by the FF then continued by the GTC4Lusso – a large, 4 seat super coupe saloon now with raised ride height to make it softer and more versatile. Which is a long sentence. SUV would be easier. But the ‘U’ means utility and that to me conjures up a Unimog or Humvee – which this 700hp luxury supercar is not.
The bonnet is long and muscular and feels like an F12 or 550 Maranello and the rear shares some of that DNA too, but the middle is stretched and of its own style – particularly given the addition of rear opening (no longer called ‘suicide’) doors. Something reserved only for Rolls Royce’s nowadays – which is a comparison no one would hate. The raised ride height isn’t like any other car let alone any other Ferrari – its not jacked up like a Urus or G Wagon and it’s not a gentle lift like an Audi All-Road. It tricks the eye and the carbon fibre trim all the way round (an option that would make an accountants’ eyes water) disguises the styling.
Unique styling
It’s unlike any other car in that sense. The front nose has curves and edges and carbon and body work and lights and grills and vents and spoilers – it’s as if the designers went into the ‘nose styling department’ got drunk and just bought everything. From certain angles its busy and over-styled and others it’s a space-ship-racing-car-basking-shark-supermodel. Which I like. Styling isn’t reserved only for the outside, the inside of any high-end car is as considered as much as any other element, if not more – at the end of the day when you buy and use a car, you can very rarely see the outside as you’re sat in it.
The cockpit is a wonderful place to be – rich materials, stylish double dashboard and 4 genuinely adult seats. The double dashboard is an evolution of this new-fangled idea of giving the passenger their own screen and controls – still something I struggle to understand but what’s clever here is that they have fully embraced it. It’s not a light touch – it’s a full-on mirroring of the driver’s dash just without the steering wheel and rev counter. What it gives the interior is a very satisfying and, dare I say, artistic symmetry.
But is it enduring? There’s a certain confidence to this car which plays into the Ferrari brand and its potent legacy – they are the ones that did it first. And generally, did it best. And that applies to the myriad of stunning cars they’ve made over the years – so it makes me think ‘if anyone can re-invent the wheel (or its styling), they can.’
About the technical specs
How about ground-breaking performance and/or technology? As expected with a car of this magnitude the performance and the technology are of the very highest standard. The 6.5L naturally aspirated (saliently) V12 generate just over 700bhp and 716nm of torque. It is a colossal engine in a car that deserves it and needs it. V12’s are a special breed in my experience, and I’ve enjoyed them in both a Lamborghini Aventador and Rolls Royce Cullinan which feels like the perfect combination when discussing the Purosangue.
In SPORT mode there is potency and poise that you would expect in any super car whilst in ICE or WET the stability and control that you would want in a 4×4 – don’t get me wrong you shouldn’t go Green Lane-ing in this car but the 4wheel drive system is complex and capable, useful for track handling and the odd sticky field but that’s probably about it (don’t sell the Range Rover just yet.) But where the Cullinan comparison makes sense in regards of the V12, is what I like to call its ‘waftiness’.
Quiet yet staggering power
It’s the sort of the car that has such quiet power that when simply accelerating to merge onto a motorway I look down and see that I’m going 120mph. Its staggeringly powerful. There were times where I felt the gearbox didn’t enjoy the low gears or low speeds, as if it was wasting its time on such trivialities. Which it probably was. And if wondering whether the technology is cutting edge enough to stand out – it is just that. Take the spool valves on the suspension (usually something reserved for F1 cars and the Aston One-77) – it’s essentially NASA-grade wizardry with each wheel having its own tiny gearbox and electric motor to control the suspension. And no, its not enough of an electric motor to make it a BiK, company car write off. Sadly.
Is the Ferrari Purosangue rare?
Finally, ‘scarcity’. How rare and unique is this car? Well although not a limited run car necessarily, getting hold of one is as challenging as automotively possible. The waiting list is 3 years long and as ever there are Saudi Princes, Oligarchs and Sports stars sweeping them up – which makes them rare by design.
Whether Ferrari choose to push this model like Lamborghini have the Urus to essentially bankroll the company, your guess is as good as mine – I would think not. Ferrari don’t need that help and would never want to feel like they make a ‘mass market model.’ I think that they will continue to be hard to buy because, much like the success of many other (happily called) SUV’s in the luxury market – they are very appealing. Who wouldn’t want a 700bhp supercar that you can go to the shops in and bound down a country lane with carefree abandon? It’s the dream really – and Ferrari have now made that dream a Prancing Horse reality.
The future will tell
So, is it a future classic? What does my crystal ball or automotive precognizance tell me? I think a lot will depend on the how many they make – more is not always more. But it has the hallmarks of offering the rarity and uniqueness that sets it apart from competitors and expectations. Would I buy one if I could? As my press car came in around (a stonking) £390,000 – I think I’d weigh up getting both a full fat Range Rover and 911 Turbo S instead.
But to be honest, if I had £400,000 I’d probably be the sort of person to just buy all 3. Now that’s a hell of a 3-car garage.
With thanks to
Ferrari
Castelfalfi Hotel and Spa
