The 458 Italia is capable of telling the driver when the brakes, tyres and engine are at the optimum operating temperature. Called virtual race engineer, a display in the dash to the left of the rev counter shows a schematic of the car, and components change colour according to temperature. Yellow means the temperatures aren’t high enough, green is the perfect temperature and red means the car is too hot. They shared a language, and they shared a lot of other things. I think that they were both excellent drivers, and they were both very, very competitive. It was a great tragedy that both of them got killed in accidents.” It’s also Ferrari’s first ever production four-door four-seater. There was the Ferrari Pinin concept car from 1980, but that project was shelved and the Prancing Horse hasn’t attempted anything similar since. The reason? If you believe Ferrari it’s because it wasn’t possible to do so before now without compromising the Ferrari DNA. And whether or not you buy into the idea that it’s not an SUV, a lot has been done to ensure that despite its raised ground clearance there’s still something of the Berlinetta about Ferrari’s first four-door four-seater.

And I probably shouldn’t mention this but one other (well-known) journalist we spoke to on the launch, who’d been driving the Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT, said the German car felt like an elephant in comparison to the Ferrari. That says it all. Pricing and availability The servicing business used to concentrate on older cars that official Ferrari dealers had lost interest in, but nowadays Lyon is finding that owners of more recent models also appreciate the GTO touch. Restoration is a smaller business than it once was, both because most great cars have now been ‘done’ and because owners don’t wear them out. Stories and advice about our beloved classics Are these the 23 ugliest cars ever made? Alan Mann unveils electric Ford Mustang restomod Goodwood Revival's cutest race? Yes and no › More here...Last year Leclerc started season with two wins from the first three races, but by the sixth round in Spain Max Verstappen had taken the lead and then never let it go. Ultimately, a combination of reliability issues, strategy mistakes and driver errors put an end to Ferrari's title challenge midway through the year, although in the second half of the season it was also out-developed by rivals Red Bull. Despite some incredulity at Ferrari’s insistence that the Purosangue is not an SUV, having driven it we know what the company is getting at; Maranello’s first production four-door four-seater may tip the scales at more than 2.3 tons and genuinely fit four adults plus luggage, but from behind the wheel it feels like a significantly lighter, more agile machine.

The cabin in our test car was dark in colour but didn’t feel gloomy, and lighter upholstery is available. Ferrari has made more of an effort to use sustainable and recycled materials in the Purosangue, including the introduction of a new type of Alcantara, produced in collaboration with the Italian textile company, that uses certified recycled Polyester. So owners can boast of their unquestionable environmental credentials.A Tuscan Vila-inspired home for our Ferrari clients and enthusiasts” Jan Hendrik Voss, President of Ferrari Australiasia. There certainly appears to be more confidence inside Ferrari than outside at the moment, and that is something that has not always been historically true. What the Purosangue does, of course, is open up the potential for Ferrari not only to add another vehicle to the garages of existing customers but also attract an all-new type of owner; one for whom a car with four proper seats and rear doors are an absolute necessity. Exterior design and layout Stefano Domenicali, former Ferrari F1 team principal, now CEO of Formula 1, said: “Every time there is an occasion to celebrate at the factory or a moment to share, it is experienced not only with the racing team, but also with the other side of the company on the GT side, because Ferrari is all one company, and it is very important to share these kinds of things. Everyone feels that, under the F1 brand, they are seen as a team that is recognized worldwide. The company takes that responsibility seriously – of being seen as a model for Italian industry all around the world. Convinced? The fact is that almost everyone outside of the Maranello-based car maker will refer to the Purosangue as its first SUV, and though it’s true that no other performance SUV is powered by a naturally-aspirated V12 (let’s ignore the luxurious Rolls-Royce Cullinan), there are a few obvious rivals in terms of body shape and on-paper performance; namely the Lamborgini Urus, Aston Martin DBX707 and Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT.