Ferrari is looking ahead to a future full of firsts. Its first EV is on the way as is its first SUV, but the company will stick to an old favorite to make the Purosangue feel like a proper Ferrari.

Although it has long been rumored that the car would be powered by a V12, the company has now publicly confirmed that this will be the engine that powers the SUV. Speaking to Reuters, the brand’s new CEO, Benedetto Vigna, said that the V12 was the only proper option for the Purosangue.

“We’ve tested several options, it was clear that the V12, for the performance and driving experience it could provide, was the right option for the market,” he said. “The Purosangue is son of our tradition.”

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In addition, the brand today tweeted that “a new Ferrari is coming,” that would be powered by a V12 engine and thus be “born without compromises, unmistakably Ferrari at heart.”

Ferrari has long been associated with the V12 engine, so the decision to use it here may have to do with more than just driving experience. Tied, in the imaginations of many, to some of its most famous cars, the Italian automaker may have opted for the engine layout in order to appeal to its fanbase’s love of history as much as its love of speed.

As suggested above, the automaker is in the midst of a transitional period. Its new CEO has been hired to shepherd the brand that has historically been defined by its relationship with internal combustion toward electric models. It recently introduced the 296 GTB, for instance, a hybrid supercar.

It remains unclear if the automaker will offer any alternative powertrains, but all will soon be revealed. A full unveiling is expected in the coming weeks or months with sales of the paradigm-busting SUV expected to start in 2023. The Purosangue will take on a growing range of super SUVs, such as the Aston Martin DBX707 and the Lamborghini Urus.

Lead image credit: S. Baldauf/SB-Medien for Carscoops