Ferrari is building a new V12 for its SUV

Friday, 6 May 2022

Ferrari is building a brand new V12 for its upcoming SUV.

Ferrari hasn’t given up on the V12 engine, in spite of mounting environmental challenges, saying this week that it is building a brand new twelve-cylinder for a “game-changing” new vehicle.

The engine was teased on Twitter in a 14-second video, and Ferrari’s press release refers to the model it will power as a “thoroughbred”, which translates to ‘purosangue’ in Italian. If that sounds familiar, it’s because that’s the name of Ferrari’s upcoming SUV.

'We've tested several options, it was clear that the V12, for the performance and driving experience it could provide, was the right option for the market,' Ferrari’s chief executive, Benedetto Vigna, told Reuters on Wednesday.

While outputs for the new engine are yet to be confirmed, rumours are suggesting upwards of 610kW, making it one of the most powerful SUVs on the market.

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It won’t be the first or only twelve-cylinder SUV though, as the Bentley Bentayga and Rolls-Royce Cullinan have both beaten the Ferrari to market. However, chief rivals Lamborghini and Aston Martin only offer boosted V8s in the Urus and DBX respectively.

The Purosangue will also likely launch with an array of other options, potentially including the 296 GTB’s plug-in hybrid 3.0-litre V6 powertrain, or even one of Ferrari’s twin-turbo V8 engines. A fully electric model is also on the cards, but will arrive after the Purosangue’s debut, which should be in the coming months.

Unfortunately for Ferrari, the exterior has already been leaked, showing a low-set grille with split, high-mounted headlights, glossy black wheel arches, 296-inspired taillights, four exhaust pipes and a roofline closer to a coupe than a traditional SUV.

And for all the raging purists out there, just remember. We wouldn’t still have the Porsche 911 if it weren’t for the Cayenne. It’s probably a safe bet to say that Ferrari wouldn’t build an SUV unless it really had to, in order to ensure of its sports cars.