When I first took a seat inside the Ferrari Purosangue, a sports car whose name translates to "thoroughbred" such is its speed and power, I felt unexpectedly calm.
Having only held a driving license for less than five years, the mere thought of getting behind the wheel of a vehicle that costs more than my house would typically terrify the life out of me.
But sitting inside the Ferrari Purosangue outside our alpine hotel in Kitzbühel, Austria, I was remarkably tranquil.
Of course, my calmness was in part down to the heated seats that also had a targeted massage setting with a choice of five different types of massage and three levels of intensity.
But it was also down to the fact that despite the Purosangue being a bonafide luxury sports car, on the whole the car had me feeling instantly at ease.
Now, I've never owned or even been inside a luxury sports car, so it felt special to feel so content inside one that costs over €350,000.
But thanks to the Purosangue's practicality, by which I mean the car was remarkable easy to control and manoeuvre – the Purosangue is a one-of-a-kind vessel.
When you think of an opulent Ferrari sports car you might think of something like the Ferrari F8 Spider: a sports car that's loud, sharp, and designed to turn heads.
The Purosangue, though, is a different kind of sports car. It's softer, relaxed and more refined, yet it has that same opulence we've come to expect of a Ferrari.
There's actually something very quiet luxury about the Purosangue. It's an IYKYK situation. It's the kind of car that feels and drives like a classic Ferrari, yet it's purposely understated.
That said, the Purosangue is still as powerful as you'd expect a Ferrari to be and it handles as well as you'd expect it to handle. Another reminder of how Ferrari makes performance, driving pleasure, and comfort coexist.
Under the hood of Ferrari's first-ever four-door four-seater car is where the brand's beastly prowess comes into play. Not only will you find Maranello’s naturally aspirated V12 engine that helps it to reach 200km/ph in 10.6 seconds, but you'll also find Formula 1-inspired calibration concepts.
So while it might visually bear the design language of a luxury SUV, the Purosangue most certainly isn't one – as Ferrari is also quick to point out.
Even stripped of chunky spoilers, flashy rims, and the sharp lines you'll often find on Ferraris like the Spider and the OG F40, the Purosangue, with its curvy shell, still has the glitz and glamor of a powerful Ferrari super car.
So trust me when I tell you that if you ever take a seat in the uber-comfortable cockpit of the Purosangue, you'll immediately be overwhelmed by a sensation that firmly reminds you: yeah, I’m driving a Ferrari!
