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A FAMILY-FRIENDLY FERRARI

The famed Italian automaker’s first SUV is a surefire hit for soccer moms and Sunday speed demons alike.

Ferrari once told the auto world that a sport utility vehicle did not belong in its lineup alongside uber-fast and super-stylish sports cars. That notion, however, turned out to be a misfire—one of very few that the Italian car maker has made in its storied 83-year history—as consumers quickly flocked to Lamborghini, Porsche and other competitors when they debuted SUVs. So Ferrari listened and for this fall has unveiled the Purosangue, a familyfriendly SUV that’s every bit worthy of the company’s prancing horse badge.

It’s a true four-seater with front and rear doors—unlike the brand’s GTC4Lusso, which had two doors and an extra row of seating—and is equipped with a naturally aspired V-12 engine similar to the one mounted in front of Ferrari’s iconic 812 GTS. That’s plenty of space and giddy-up to transport soccer players and their gear, haul groceries or cruise the open road—just as Enzo Ferrari envisioned decades ago when he founded his company. Estimated starting price: $350,000.

• A driver-focused interior layout includes a 16-inch digital display in the gauge cluster, a 9-inch touch-screen infotainment system with navigation and luxury comfort features such as leather and carbon-fiber trim.

• Safety comes first for family vehicles, and the Purosangue comes standard with features like auto emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning with lane-keeping assist and adaptive cruise control.

• Unlike competitors from Lamborghini and Porsche, which come with V-8 engines, Ferrari outfitted the Purosangue with a powerful V-12 under the hood (expect a new front mid-engine design). The Purosangue may score low on fuel economy (V-12s require more gas than smaller engines), but Ferrari engineers expect to produce a V-8 version as well as a hybrid electric in the future.

• The Purosangue comes with Ferrari’s all-wheel drive system, which the company introduced to its cars about 10 years ago.

• Though it probably can’t follow the most rugged SUVs up a mountain, the Purosangue is equipped with a height-adjustable adaptive suspension system. This gives it better stability on and off-road and a higher ground clearance than a typical Ferrari.