Ferrari Purosangue Handling Speciale

VEHICULE :

Ferrari Purosangue Handling special

POWERPLAN :

6.5l V12 NA

THE NUMBERS:

725 HP / 310km/h / 0-100 : 3.3s

IN SHORT :

I’ve made no secret of my skepticism regarding the so-called "luxury high-riding sports car" trend. When Ferrari first pulled the covers off the Purosangue, I poured myself a very stiff drink and stared at the wall for an hour. A four-door, four-seater Ferrari? It felt like watching a racehorse being fitted with a saddlebag. But then you look at the specs, and you realize Maranello isn’t playing the same game as everyone else. Now, they’ve introduced the "Handling Speciale" configuration, and I find my cynical exterior cracking just a little.

This isn’t a facelift; it’s a sharpening of the blade. They’ve gone into the active suspension and tightened the screws, claiming a 10% reduction in body roll. To the engineers, that’s just data. To those of us who actually care about how a car feels through the palms of our hands, that means a "more compact feel." It means the car is listening to you, rather than just suggesting a direction and waiting for you to catch up.

The heart of the beast, of course, remains that naturally aspirated V12. No turbos, no hybrid assistance—just 6.5 liters of old-school, dry-sump mechanical perfection. In the Handling Speciale, they’ve tweaked the shift strategies. In the ‘Race’ and ‘ESC-Off’ settings, the gear changes are now more decisive, and above 5,500 rpm, the engine note has been sharpened into something that sounds properly aggressive. It’s a riotous, spine-tingling noise that reminds you exactly why we haven't all switched to battery-powered appliances yet.

They’ve also added some "styling elements"—carbon-fiber side shields, matt black exhaust tips, and new diamond-cut wheels. It’s all very "look at me," which I’ll admit isn't exactly my style, but at least the car hasn't lost its proportions in the pursuit of vanity.

Driving this thing is going to be a bizarre experience. You’re sitting in an elevated position, yet the transaxle architecture and 49/51 weight distribution mean the physics are undeniably Ferrari. 3.3 seconds to 100 km/h and a top speed over 310 km/h? In a four-seater? It’s absurd. It’s completely unnecessary. And yet, there’s a part of me—the part that still gets a knot in my stomach at the sight of a 250 GTO—that respects the sheer, stubborn audacity of it.

Ferrari isn't apologizing for the V12, and they aren't hiding it behind a veil of eco-marketing. They’ve just made it louder and faster. It’s an exclusive, high-maintenance plaything for people who have everything, but at least it still requires a driver who knows what they’re doing. It’s not an autonomous pod; it’s a machine that demands respect.

I still miss the days when a Ferrari was a low-slung, two-seater race car for the road. But if the world insists on moving to these high-riding haulers, I’m glad it’s Maranello doing the building. They’ve managed to keep the soul intact, even if they had to build four doors to hide it.

Keep the shiny side up.

JIM KHANA

The auto

brief

Modern Speed. Analog Soul. Tracking the future of mobility through the lens of heritage.

Subscribe on Spotify, Apple, or via RSS.

theautobriefnews@gmail.com

© 2026. All rights reserved. TECH ART CREATIONS KLG

We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.

Terms & Conditions

"All product and company names, logos, and trademarks mentioned or displayed here are the property of their respective owners. The use of these logos does not imply endorsement, affiliation, or sponsorship. No copyright infringement is intended.

Images or media on this page are used for descriptive, educational, or commentary purposes. We do not claim ownership of these photos, and rights remain with the original creators. If you own the rights to any material and wish for it to be removed, please contact us