2024 Ferrari Purosangue Australian review

Ferrari’s four-door Purosangue proves it is never easy to justify a seven-figure spend on a luxury car.

Ferrari’s first four-door car is an intriguing proposition.

Can there be any more selfish purchase than a new Ferrari?

The brand’s two seat supercars usually represent the ultimate indulgence, the best part of a million bucks spent on a two-seat supercar designed to excel at going fast, showing off, and showing off while going fast.

But this one is different.

The Purosangue is Ferrari’s first four-door model.

As the first four-door Ferrari, and the brand’s first high-riding SUV, the Purosangue is a sensible, everyday Ferrari.

Does that concept sit well with you?

Isn’t using a Ferrari as a regular conveyance a bit like having champagne and oysters every day?

Having spent a day with the “Pureblood”, I’m not convinced it makes sense.

One concern is that its infotainment system requires a co-pilot in the passenger seat to operate a touchscreen where a glovebox might usually be.

Ferrari’s infotainment controls can frustrate.

Because that’s too far away for the driver to reach, the pilot in command accesses navigation, music, communications, and smartphone mirroring services in their digital dashboard by swiping and prodding at a thumbnail-sized patch of the steering wheel.

This is infuriating when it works as intended – and sometimes it doesn’t work.

That’s a shame, because you might need to use the stereo to drown out the rattles from the dashboard.

I’ve driven dozens of new cars built all around the globe this year, and I have no hesitation saying that the creaks, buzzes and clatter coming from the Purosangue’s dash were the among worst of 2024.

And this car costs $728,000 plus options and on-road costs that drive its real-world price into seven figure territory.

The V12 engine feels stressed compared to turbo rivals.

And you can’t rely on the 6.5-litre V12 and its 533kW/716Nm to overpower the dashboard sounds.

For one, it’s too quiet.

It sounds almost apologetic on start-up, with little of the triumphant fanfare found in twelve-cylinder supercars.

And it’s all front-end induction noise once underway, as modern exhaust requirements have strangled the big motor’s song.

The V12 engine was a curious choice for Ferrari, which seemed to pick the layout because they could, rather than should.

Ferrari’s Purosangue is the most dynamic SUV on sale.

That high-revving, naturally aspirated engine takes its sweet time before delivering its best – peak torque arrives on the wrong side of 6000rpm.

It’s a bit like Daryl Braithwaite’s pub anthem Horses – there’s a minute and a half of melodic tinkling before he really gets going with “that’s the way it’s gonna be, little darlin’ ”.

The V12 is a bit like that.

V8 turbo rivals are more like AC/DC’s Back in Black, rocking out from the moment you press play, though there is less dramatic pay-off as the song goes on.

The V12 represents a point of difference compared with 4.0-litre twin turbo rivals such as the Lamborghini Urus, Porsche Cayenne Turbo, Bentley Bentayga and Audi RS Q8 that all share the same motor.

But those cars have a muscular urgency underpinned by a bassy soundtrack that’s missing from the high-strung Ferrari.

In short, the Purosangue doesn’t feel particularly fast compared to rival machines.

It corners well, helped by enormous wheels, tyres and brakes controlled by complex and clever active suspension.

There’s minimal body roll and the ride is impressively refined for something with this level of capability.

The Purosangue’s individual rear seats have electric adjustment.

A back to back drive reinforced that this family car barely approaches the pace or athleticism of its supercar benchmark, the Ferrari 296 GTS.

On matters practical, the “Puro” has adequate if not impressive space in a pair of individually sculpted back seats accessed by rear-hinged doors with a power close function similar to Rolls-Royce limousines.

The boot barely has luggage space for the overnight bags carried by two people.

It really does represent a selfless choice for Ferrari customers.

Choosing the Ferrari Purosangue is like picking a Porsche Cayenne or BMW X5 instead of a 911 Carrera or M3.

By selecting the SUV with four doors, customers compromise in a way that might please a spouse, kids, or friends who might ride in the back on occasion.

But they will miss the brilliance of the brand’s efforts.

Originally published as 2024 Ferrari Purosangue Australian review