Ferrari's first four-door family car driven: We take to the wheel of the new £313,000 Purosangue - just don't let the Italian brand hear you call it an SUV!

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How's this for a school run supercar?

Ferrari's new Purosangue will certainly turn heads even in the most mundane scenarios – whether that's dropping off children at the school gates, turning up at Tesco car park or trundling along the M25.

The new Purosangue - whose name means thoroughbred - is the Italian supercar firm's first sporty higher-riding all-wheel drive crossover priced from £313,120 on the road but with tempting extras that will bump up final prices significantly towards the £400k mark and beyond.

We've been to the car's official global launch event in the Italian Alps to find out if Ferrari has managed to blend family-living practicality with ferocious supercar performance. 

Ferrari with four doors and 4X4: The Purosangue is one of the biggest new cars to enter showrooms in 2023 - we've been to the Italian Alps to test it at the global launch event

With families and practicality in mind – as well as the traditional focus on achieving the pinnacle of performance – its launch marks a number of 'firsts' including being the first Ferrari four-door car to enter its lavish showrooms.

As one top Ferrari boss told me: 'If it does turn up at the school gate it will be fantastic. All the kids will start waving and taking pictures.'

And here's another surprise – the front and rear 'welcome' doors open outwards and away from each other, making it easier for passengers to get in and out. 

The new Purosangue - whose name means thoroughbred - is the Italian supercar firm's first sporty higher-riding all-wheel drive crossover priced from £313,120 on the road. But don't you dare call it an SUV...else face the wrath of Ferrari bosses!

Within the modern and sophisticated cabin is a surprising amount of comfortable interior space which Ferrari describes as a sporty lounge

The front doors open normally with a 63-degree opening (five degrees wider than other models). But the rear-hinged rear doors open backwards and have a 79-degree opening. However, unlike previous production cars to do the same (take the Mazda RX-8, for example), the Ferrari retains a central B-pillar which means the rear door can be opened independently.

Will it fit in my garage? New Ferrari Purosangue 

Price: from £313,120

First UK deliveries: September 2023

Doors: 4 Seats: 4

Length: 4973mm Width: 2028mm Height: 1589mm 

Dry weight: 2033kg

Weight distribution: 49% front, 51% rear

Engine: 6.5 litre V12

Power: 725 horsepower

Gears: 8-speed F1 DCT (dual clutch transmission)

Drive: 4-wheel drive

Acceleration: 0 to 62mph: 3.3 seconds 0 to 125mph: 10.6 seconds

Braking distances: 62mph to stop: 32.8m 125mph to stop: 129m

Wheels: Front: 22 inch Rear: 23 inch

Fuel tank capacity: 100 litres

Boot capacity: 473 litres

Fuel consumption: 16.32 mpg (17.31 litres per 100km)

CO2 emissions: 393g/km

Within the modern and sophisticated cabin is a surprising amount of comfortable interior space which Ferrari describes as a sporty lounge. 

Inside are, also for the first time, four separate full-sized individually electrically adjustable heated seats – enough to accommodate four adults without a squeeze. 

The seats can be moved independently and for those in the front there's an optional massage function with a choice of five different massages and three levels of intensity.

But with children also in mind, the two rear seats also have secure Isofix fittings for child seats. And when fully raked forwards, those two flexible rear seats also significantly increase the Purosangue's normal 473 litres of luggage space in what is the biggest boot ever seen on a Ferrari. 

The aluminium rear hatch is electrically activated with two electric tailgate lifters allowing it to be opened to 73 degrees for easy access to the boot. And a special interior lining is planned to give a seamlessly flat extended boot-space.

Deliveries of the first left-hand models begin from late summer with right-hand drive models for the UK and other similar markets from September.

Just don't dare call it an SUV or a crossover within ear-shot of any Ferrari executives or you will encounter their disapproval. 

For the legendary Italian performance and race car-maker with the fabled Prancing Horse badge doggedly maintains that Purosangue is a unique sports car 'unlike any other'. And definitely NOT a Sports Utility Vehicle, it insists.

At first sight in the metal it looks truly bellissimo – Italian for very beautiful – and is so cleverly and aerodynamically sculpted that it looks deceptively smaller and more elegant than its actual size and interior space would normally dictate. Drag created by the Purosangue's higher ground clearance is eliminated by clever aerodynamic tweaks ahead of the front wheels.

Even the rear window is cleaned by specially directed air flows along its glass surface, which is why there's no rear windscreen wiper.

What's the Ferrari Purosangue like behind the wheel?

So what's it like to drive? Exciting and engaging - both on and off the road – as I headed into the mountains and the snowline of the Italian Alps.

Its higher riding stance means Purosangue has a more commanding driving position, but the cossetting cockpit configuration is the same as on every other Ferrari so the driving position remains intimate and close to the floor. 

The cockpit is inspired by the SF90 Stradale and is almost exactly mirrored on the front passenger side with a 10.2-inch digital display.

Fire up the mighty up-front 6.5-litre 725 horsepower V12 engine linked to a slick new eight-speed F1-inspired dual clutch automatic gearbox and, with a frisson of anticipation and delight, we're off.

Like all of Ferrari's wild horses, the new Purosangue accelerates as you might expect with blistering power from rest to 62mph in just 3.3 seconds and to 125mph (where legal) in 10.6 seconds, up to a top speed of 192mph, accompanied by a scintillating soundtrack from the twin exhaust pipes.

Deliveries of the first left-hand models begin from late summer with right-hand drive models for the UK and other similar markets from September

The Purosangue offers grin-inducing levels of fun and driver engagement balanced by exceptional and enhanced levels control, grip and stability from this phenomenally sporty 4x4

The new gearbox offers faster and more precise shifts, and ratios which are the same as on the Ferrari SF90 Stradale and 296 GTB models. Drive modes include: ice, wet, comfort, sport and ESC off.

But that's just a fraction of the story. 

It also has a new, innovative and intuitive active suspension system, in which the UK arm of Canadian engineering firm Multimatic has played a significant part.

It uses sensors and an instantly reactive electronic motor to reduce body roll, enhance cornering, and cope rapidly with changing surfaces and bumps to ensure a smoother ride. 

It also works in harmony with other electronic stability controls and a new automated anti-lock ABS braking system developed in conjunction with Bosch.

What that means in reality is grin-inducing levels of fun and driver engagement balanced by exceptional and enhanced levels control, grip and stability from this phenomenally sporty 4x4.

Out on the road dashing through the Dolomites it meant I was able to ascend serpentine alpine roads at pace like a mountain goat while always feeling fully in control and rooted to the road.

After a cable-car ride to the top of an Italian mountain I also spent time snow-driving along a winding woodland track using a variety of drive settings

The car's new gearbox offers faster and more precise shifts, and ratios which are the same as on the Ferrari SF90 Stradale and 296 GTB supercars. Drive modes include: ice, wet, comfort, sport and ESC off.

Also helping me along were an array of driver assistance features including adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning and lane keeping assist, traffic sign recognition, driver drowsiness warning, and a rear-view parking camera.

After a cable-car ride to the top of an Italian mountain I also spent time snow-driving along a winding woodland track using a variety of drive settings. 

Even with my foot down and giving it some welly, it gripped and coped admirably on the slippery compacted snow surface and was well within the limits of my own bravery. With white stuff flying out behind, I left it to a professional driver to push it far closer to the limit, with me riding shot-gun in the passenger seat. Impressive.

It's also the first Ferrari fitted with hill-descent control to maintain its speed on steep downward inclines.

So smooth that my co-driver dozed off! 

Yet for all its powerful off-road and highway prowess, it also has impeccable manners around town and in villages – including near schools where extra vigilance is needed. 

Indeed, so smooth is the Purosangue when it needs to be, that my driving companion nodded off in the passenger seat. 

I'm still debating whether that supercar snooze was a tribute – or an insult – to my driving style and front-seat chat. 

But it speaks volumes for the flexibility of the car. 

Ray was blown away by the performance of Ferrari's first four-door 4X4. And he says he expects to see plenty on the school run in leafy affluent suburbs 

Its higher riding stance means Purosangue has a more commanding driving position, but the cossetting cockpit configuration is the same as on every other Ferrari so the driving position remains intimate and close to the floor

Indeed, the combination of Formula 1-inspired calibration and the most powerful engine in its segment means Purosangue can deliver 80 per cent torque even at low revs.

The new lightweight carbon-fibre roof with integrated soundproofing delivers rigidity levels on a par with a glass roof while still weighing 20 per cent less than an aluminium roof with soundproofing.

It keeps road noise at bay too. It can be replaced by an optional full length electrochromic panoramic glass roof (costing £12,326).

Red may be Ferrari's favoured colour but the interior of Purosangue is also quite green with 85 per cent of the launch trim for the car produced in an environmentally-friendly manner.

It's the first vehicle ever to use newly formulated Alcantara trim that is 68 per cent derived from recycled polyester. And the carpet is made from recycled from fishing nets retrieved from the oceans.

But with gas-guzzling fuel consumption of just 16.3mpg and CO2 emissions of 393g/km it's engine antics are far from green.

Instead of traditional carpeting or leather floor trim the floor, owners can choose a bullet-proof, ballistic fabric used in military uniforms because of its exceptional toughness and durability. There's also a new contemporary dark brown semi-aniline leather, as well as an optional new carbon-fibre weave integrating very fine copper wire.

Specific launch colours include Nero Purosangue – which in certain lighting creates very intense red reflections which enhance the car's volumes.

An air quality sensor checks the air outside the car and uses smart recirculation system to stop harmful particulates from entering the cabin.

The new lightweight carbon-fibre roof with integrated soundproofing delivers rigidity levels on a par with a glass roof while still weighing 20 per cent less than an aluminium roof with soundproofing

Specific launch colours include Nero Purosangue – which in certain lighting creates very intense red reflections which enhance the car's volumes

The Purosangue's bonnet is front-hinged, referencing the Ferrari Monza SP1/SP2 and other legendary past Ferraris.

For the first time the car also offers compatibility with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay systems as standard. However, the downside is it dispenses with an in-built sat-nav system. Ferrari says its tech-savvy owners will have the very latest smart-phones and simply use their navigation apps.

That's fine. But there's no in-built cradle to accommodate the phone. So drivers might risk points and a fine if they don't mirror it to their dashboard screen.

Rivals – which are largely SUVs - include the Lamborghini Urus, Maserati Levante, Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT, Aston Martin DBX, Rolls-Royce Cullinan and Bentley Bentayga.

The new Purosangue also comes with the option of a 7-year extended maintenance programme package.