Like it or not, it’s only a matter of time before Ferrari will slap its badge on an SUV, much like Lamborghini’s raging bull adorns the Urus and Rolls-Royce’s Spirit of Ecstasy statuette sits proudly on the Cullinan. Bentley’s Flying B can be seen on the Bentayga, while Maserati’s trident logo dominates the Levante’s grille. In other words, the list of automakers without an SUV to call their own is getting shorter and shorter.

Car manufacturers are giving people what they want, and apparently there is a market for a “Ferrari Utility Vehicle.” Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ head honcho Sergio Marchionne admitted in an interview with Autocar that there had been concerns the so-called FUV would dilute the image of the Maranello brand. However, those concerns are a thing of the past and now Ferrari is forging ahead with the development of its prancing horse on stilts.

Little is known about the firm’s first-ever SUV, but FCA’s boss has already revealed it will drive and look like a Ferrari. The company that has given the automotive world the legendary F40 is working on a hybridized V8 to power what will become Ferrari’s first regular production hybrid, and there’s a good chance the SUV will get it.

Latest intel indicates we won’t have to wait a lot of time to see the more practical Ferrari as rumor has it a reveal is scheduled to take place before the end of 2019. The decision to accelerate development (it was supposed to arrive after the end of the decade) is a far cry from Marchionne’s famous statement from early 2016 when he said “you have to shoot me first” when asked about the prospects of a Ferrari-badged SUV.

While Ferrari is getting ready to hop on the SUV bandwagon, it doesn’t mean all automakers are willing to go down this road. Take for example McLaren, which has made it crystal clear it does not have any plans to roll out a jacked-up vehicle. It’s the same story at Koenigsegg, while a Bugatti SUV doesn’t seem to be on the agenda. Of course, things could change in the future…

Source: Autocar

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