There have been an inordinately high concentration of rumours about Ferrari having altered their stance on new vehicle types, specifically with regard to the SUV, which has invaded the sports- and supercar-maker world over the past decade and a half.
Earlier last month, we wrote on the outing of a secret project within the Maranello automaker as reported by CAR magazine, the team members of which were tasked with exploring the possibilities of a high-riding Ferrari. They’ve made some headway, apparently, with fashioning it from the current four-seat GTC4Lusso.
Now, during a conference call detailed by Bloomberg, Ferrari CEO Sergio Marchionne seemed to confirm that the arrival of an SUV bearing the prancing horse insignia in the near future is very much a possibility, adding that “It will probably happen … in Ferrari style," adding, "That space is too big and too inviting and we have a lot of our customers who will be more than willing to drive a Ferrari-branded vehicle that has that king of utilitarian objective.”
Those first few words are very telling, elevating the status of merely being possible to an actual probability. Then again, putting too much stock in the exact wording of one outspoken CEO might be ill-advised.
The change in positions would mark a dramatic pivot for the company, who in late 2014 through to early 2016 undertook to separate themselves from the Fiat Chrysler Automobile Group (of which Marchionne is also CEO), establishing Ferrari N.V. as an independent and publicly listed entity.
Also in 2014, the then-outgoing head of Ferrari, Luca di Montezemolo, had dismissed any rumours about Ferrari shifting from its current portfolio and will not be developing any four-door vehicles or SUVs.
Ferrari’s own interpretation of a high-performance high-rider may indeed be done in their own unique style, possibly leaving this future vehicle as a two-door, thereby keeping at least one end of that casual vow made nearly 3 years ago. Especially if they are using the GTC4Lusso (née FF) as a base, this design path wouldn’t be too difficult to imagine them taking.
Should they truly be well on their way to introducing such a vehicle, we should expect to hear a formal announcement made toward the start of 2018. After all, the performance SUV space is reaching new high temperatures with the Maserati Levante, Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio, and Lamborghini’s soon-to-be-revealed production Urus.
Further afield, competition is even more fierce from the Germans, who practically own the fast-SUV territory for the moment, pioneered with the Porsche Cayenne and now followed up by various Mercedes-AMGs and BMW Ms. In the UK, Aston Martin is rumoured to be nearing a final introduction-worthy DBX crossover, Bentley has paved the way with the Bentayga, and even Rolls-Royce is diving headlong with the upcoming Cullinan.
The success of a Ferrari SUV could have a dramatic effect on Ferrari’s popularity, not to mention their bottom line. The worry is that this outcome would have a negative effect on the brand’s exclusivity, but Marchionne is reported to be rather open to expanding volume.
