Of all the Italian sporty SUVs out there, Maserati and Lamborghini have forged a path through the bush of criticism and questions about the so-called purity of their broader portfolio of cars now that we know that the names Levante and Urus are (or to be) a showroom reality.
Ferrari has so far fended of inquiries about dabbling in the booming SUV space themselves, apparently resisting the temptation to chase profit by sacrificing their untarnished reputation as purveyor of sporty, fast, low slung machines and nothing else.
Behind that veil of disinterest, though, brews a secret project that CAR magazine has confirmed to indeed be an active effort within the Maranello outfit, under the codename F16X. Unsurprisingly, Ferrari is trying to craft this sports SUV from their only four-seat offering, the GTC4Lusso - originally known as the FF.
It’s a prime candidate for many reasons, least of which is that it has a properly long wheelbase, a more traditional front mid-engine layout, hatchback boot, and all-wheel drive. While calling this future model a full SUV may be stretching things a little too far, and it’s possible that Ferrari will try its utmost to avoid framing it as such, the F16X could may well remain a two-door four-seater like the GTC, albeit one with considerably more ground clearance and a touch more ruggedness applied to its exterior design.
Aston Martin is also exploring a car that adopts many of the same concepts as the Ferrari if these reports prove accurate. Their upcoming DBX, first seen as a 2015 concept in Geneva and due in 2020, is indicated to be a two-door coupe-like crossover. In their case, however, the car will only have room for two occupants if it remains faithful to the concept through to production.
In either case, certainly this new Ferrari will not be short of worthy competitors upon launch. CAR’s sources say that the Prancing Horse is readying the car as a companion model to an all-new GTC4Lusso, which is due for a replacement around the year 2020 as well.
As for what will power this new breed of vehicle from the famed Italian marque, it’s possible that it will mirror the engine selection from the next GTC4Lusso, which at the moment is available with either a twin-turbocharged 3.9-litre V8 or a naturally-aspirated 6.3-litre V12.
However, the same 2.9-litre bi-turbo V6 fitted to the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio Verde as well as its high-riding sibling, the Stelvio QV, could be used here as well - at least in the base variant. After all, the block was derived from Ferrari’s F154 block and was indeed co-developed between the two automakers.
In the Alfa Romeo duo, the V6 produces 375kW and can reportedly be boosted past 447kW without much issue. Ferrari may likely choose to debut their new petrol-electric hybrid powertrain here too, increasing fuel economy while endowing the F16X with otherworldly torque and acceleration.
For more on Ferrari, check out our Showroom.
Renders from Ahn Dre and Luis Carlos Moreno.
