The Ferrari Purosangue, a thoroughbred among SUVs
Groundbreaking new models from three of the world’s great manufacturers are given a tour of Europe by LUX. Do they live up to the legends of the past?
Ferrari Purosangue
Motoring purists are not huge fans of SUVs. Sport utility vehicles, to give them their full title, are by nature bigger, higher and heavier than cars that do not need to be equipped with four-wheel drive and enough ground clearance to cross a patch of savannah. This compromises the way they drive, makes them energy inefficient and more prone to targeting by a certain class of middle-class activist who believes they can save the planet by vandalising cars they don’t like.
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Unfortunately for motoring purists, everyone else loves SUVs. Originally, they were for the wealthy only: the first premium sporting SUV was probably the BMW X5 a couple of decades ago. Now the purest racing-focused car brand of all, Ferrari, has created its own addition to the market. The Purosangue (brilliant name – it means thoroughbred in Italian) effectively replaces one of the company’s oldest bloodlines, its two-door, four-seater range that stretches back to 1960.
‘The interior is lustrous if a bit overdesigned’
In the flesh, the Purosangue combines the necessity for Ferraris to look lean and full of intent, like wild animals on the prowl, with the practicalities required of a big, high, wide SUV. It retains an elegance and a sporting intent – ironically, this most expensive of SUVs is the least likely to be targeted by eco warriors, because it doesn’t look objectionable.
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Even more astonishing is the way it drives. You would expect a Ferrari to drive well, and modern technology is such that you can create a high, heavy car that still steams along fast and corners stickily – even a Tesla Model X will do that. But a Ferrari will not be forgiven if it does not involve its driver. Ferraris are not about speed, they are about passion and, rather amazingly, the Purosangue has huge amounts of joy wrapped into its driving experience rather than just brilliant efficiency, which is so much easier to engineer. In the way it interacts with the driver and gives feedback on everything, from the sharp turn into corners to the beautifully progressive response to the guiding sound it makes, this is unique among SUVs. It is in a class of its own.
The interior is lustrous if a bit overdesigned, as all contemporary Ferraris tend to be – maybe they said that at the time about the beautiful Ferrari interiors of the 1960s. It does not have as much space or practicality as the even bigger models in its rivals’ ranges, but whether those are needed are questions for the individual buyer. Still, if you are in the market for a super-luxury SUV and you value the driving experience more than looking like you could mount a single- vehicle invasion of a neighbouring country, then the Purosangue is worth serious consideration.
The BMW XM, athletic but not aggressive
BMW XM
Many large SUVs are dramatically imposing, aggressive vehicles that look as likely to declare war on Mars as get you to your destination. Which is fine if you are a certain type of person or in a certain mood, but not always. The BMW XM is certainly a large SUV. It is also a flagship of the company’s range, combining, in an adaptation of the brand’s own words, the best of its SUV division (X) with the best of its sports division (M).
It doesn’t need a racing driver to tell you that a huge, tall, wide vehicle is not necessarily best suited to a racing purpose; nor is a racing car much suited to carrying several people wearing Etro, Patek Philippe and Off-White in comfort. But in the manner of an athletic rugby forward or a centre back, the XM carries off that blend of athleticism and muscle. What is particularly interesting about the car is that while it looks dramatic and striking, it manages not to look aggressive. Perhaps because of its hybrid nature, it gives off a futuristic electric vibe.
It’s also great fun to drive, even in town. BMW has somehow managed to endow the XM with responsive steering and very flat cornering – it feels astonishingly agile for a car the size of a small hotel. Like all hybrids, it is very relaxing to drive in electric mode, and when the engine kicks in you get an overlay of sound. The nature of the sound divided our passengers: some thought it sounded cool and racy, others that such a sophisticated-looking car should be seen and felt rather than heard. It’s not as noisy as a Lamborghini SUV, but it’s much louder than a Bentley Bentayga or a Rolls-Royce Cullinan. Happy medium or compromise? Probably in the eye of the beholder.
‘BMW has somehow managed to endow the XM with responsive steering and very flat cornering’
What is sure is that this is a magnificent long-distance vehicle. Backseat passengers get smart, detachable branded leather cushions (even the plug-in charging cables in the boot are housed in a rather striking leather overnight bag) and masses of legroom. There is a feeling of a huge amount of space and light in the car, also that the rear seats are well designed, unlike in some of these vehicles where you end up sitting very upright. A journey between London and Oxford was devoured in one gulp without anybody noticing the in between. Speaking of gulps, in the past an SUV of this size would have been planet-wearingly thirsty but, due to its engine efficiency and electrical assistance, the XM is remarkably frugal – more so than many cars half its size and power.
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Criticisms? Apart from the size, which you have to be able to deal with if you are buying a car like this, the entertaining and sporty nature of the driving experience means that the ride is quite firm. Don’t expect a limousine here – for that you should look at this car’s i7 sibling. But if you can live with that, this is quite the car.
The Aston Martin DB12, mixing beauty with power
Aston Martin DB12
In the pantheon of great car brands, what position does an Aston Martin hold? It is less flashy than a Ferrari or Lamborghini but more dynamic than a Bentley. It’s a difficult balance to achieve, as a great Aston still needs to be competitive with its Italian challengers in terms of looks and with its British rival in terms of comfort. We at LUX are fond of Aston Martins, as recent models in the mainstay DB range (named after the company’s founder, David Brown) have achieved this balance so well.
The DB7, which relaunched the marque in 1994, combined V12 power (in some models) with style and substance. The DB9 successor was a leap forward in terms of styling and technology, with a talking-point interior and instrument panel. After that came the DB11, which, while stunning, was a great cruiser at the expense of some dynamic sharpness; it seemed less sporty, more genteel. The DB12, launched last year, looks like an evolution of the DB11 rather than a completely new car, although it is significantly different in ways that matter, with a more powerful engine, different suspension and a further luxurified interior.
‘The interior, a standout feature of recent Astons, adds even more luxury than before and is a quiet and comfortable place to be’
You feel the intent of the DB12 immediately: huge amounts of power bubble from its twin-turbo V8 engine, and the handling is tight, sharp, willing. This is a big car and ideally needs the kind of road that streaks forward in straights and then takes tours around and up hills in sweeping curves. There, a flip of the left-hand paddle brings even more roar and power from the engine, you surge forward then balance your way nicely through tighter corners.
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The interior, a standout feature of recent Astons, adds even more luxury than before and is a quiet and comfortable place to be. Perhaps too quiet and comfortable for some, who may yearn for the extra bark from the now discontinued V12 engine, or the more idiosyncratically sporting interiors of previous models. Most, though, will revel in the looks and the driving quality, and perhaps look to the infinite headroom of the convertible Volante model, reviewed in our next issue, to bring extra sporting sensations. A beauty, inside and out.
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