Ferrari pulled the covers off its new four-door, four-seat, crossover. But Ferrari insists: the new Purosangue is not an SUV, it’s a four-door sports car. Ferrari has resisted for years, unlike Lamborghini or Aston Martin, on building an SUV. But finally, we have a look at the new Purosangue and despite its folding rear seats, its all-wheel drive, four doors, and its higher stance, this V12-powered monster could be something entirely new. Could we call it a sporting utility vehicle?

Don’t call the new Ferrari Purosangue an SUV

Ferrari aims to put the sport in this utility vehicle, and unlike everything else on the market, it only seats four. The rear gets two bucket seats that will hold passengers firmly in place on fast roads. In fact, Ferrari is calling the rear-hinged, or “suicide” rear doors “welcome doors,” instead of rears. That’s right, like in Lincolns of the 1960s, the rear doors open the wrong way, which should make getting in the back seats easier.  

Ferrari insists it’s not an SUV. In the press release, the company rattles off several reasons that it’s a “modern GT,” and not a crossover. First, the engine is placed further back in the frame, in a front-mid-engine layout with the gearbox at the back, which helps with weight distribution. It has all-wheel drive, like other SUVs, but the Purosangue’s transfer case is mounted to achieve near 50/50 weight distribution. And we can’t forget about that monster 715-horsepower V12 in the front, which any Ferrari fan will tell you is the only proper engine layout for a modern GT.

If you can’t get enough, watch a video of this sporty utility vehicle, the Ferrari Purosangue at Ferrari.com.

What does the Purosangue interior hold?

Ferrari says the interior looks like a “sporty lounge,” and who are we to argue. The twin-cockpit front is inspired by the SF90 Stradale sports car, it gets a fully digital interface and everything is covered in leather. It has a multi-zone climate control system, cubbies for stuff, and cupholders. The four seats are individually adjustable. Though it’s not an SUV, remember, the rear seats fold flat and increase the luggage capacity under the rear lift gate.

The new, erm, four-door sports car, will face stiff competition from its competitors across Italy, from Lamborghini to Alfa Romeo.

Fun fact: The double cup holder is made of glass.

It should be very popular

Many think it will become Ferrari’s most popular model. So many people were trying to get a look at the Purosangue, that Ferrari’s website, it seems, crashed. Visitors this morning were greeted with an error message on Ferrari’s corporate site. Other high-performance vehicle manufacturers, like Lamborghini, have seen their sales skyrocket with the introduction of a more-practical SUV, or modern GT, vehicle. Even Aston Martin and Bentley are now making SUVs, with sales that are propping up the firms.  

Ferrari didn’t skimp on the technology

The Purosangue marks the first time we will see Ferrari’s new active suspension system that uses Multimatic shocks. The new system will control body roll in corners and maintain tire contact over high-frequency (does Ferrari mean off-road?) bumps. A 48-volt electric motor controls the system. To keep weight to a minimum, the roof is carbon fiber. Like its current  Formula 1 car, the Purosangue uses a diffuser in the body of the car to generate downforce without the need for tacky wings and slits on the body.

There’s no telling if the Purosangue can follow in the Lamborghini Urus’s footsteps and outsell everything else the brand builds, but Ferrari does make a case for s a four-door sports car that combines a lot of sport and utility in this vehicle.