Will there be a Ferrari SUV?

Ferrari is one of the few luxury car brands that have not launched an SUV model. All the others have got one. Even some of the more venerable brands such as Rolls-Royce and Lamborghini and Aston Martin and Bentley have them. Darn it, the likes of Porsche and Jaguar have been so seduced by the fat profits to be had that they both have two SUVs in their line-ups. But of course not Ferrari; the Italian stallion would never stoop so low as to chase a fat profit margin. Well, not until now, that is, and where stallions had previously feared to tread, they may well be entering the line-up, according to the UK’s Car Magazine.

An artist's impression of the Ferarri SUV; image source: Car Magazine

Not so long ago, Sergio Marchionne, CEO of Fiat Chrysler and thus Ferrari, claimed that you would have to shoot him first, when answering a question about the likelihood of there being a Ferrari SUV. Well, we hope that there are plenty of Kevlar jackets over at Fiat Chrysler HQ because it is pretty damn certain that there will be a Ferrari SUV in the near future.

In a way, the car will not be a full SUV, but more of a cross-over derived from the GTC4 or Lusso, which is due to be launched in 2020 to replace the current Ferrari FF. Presently, there doesn’t seem to be any name for the soft-roader but there is a code name, and that is the F16X. The Lusso is slated to be an AWD front engine tourer with a V-12 power plant, but the F16X is more likely to be fitted with a V-8 and enjoy a higher ride height and be fitted with ‘suicide-doors’, and thus have no B pillar to get in the way.

Ferrari has always been a bit of a boutique manufacturer, currently producing a mere 8,000 cars a year. And whilst Sergio may be dead against launching the SUV, the ability for Ferrari to increase its volume to perhaps as many as 16,000 cars per year may have been too compelling an argument to ignore. Rumours have it that this will not be a cheap car either, with prices of around USD300,000 being bandied about.

So, how will Sergio explain his U-turn? Well, he could hide behind the fact that this is a X-over and not a full-fledged SUV, even though that is a bit thin. He could also take a page from Henry Ford’s playbook who once said “Never complain and never explain”.