Maranello’s four-door thoroughbred is back under the magnifying glass, and this time it appears to be wearing a high-tech hat. Spy photos captured by Walter Vayr of Gabetz Spy Unit show a heavily camouflaged Ferrari Purosangue prototype roaming public roads with an unmistakable rig strapped to its roof.
Vayr cheekily quipped whether the rooftop contraption was designed to spot paparazzi or test next-generation driver assistance systems (ADAS). While Ferrari hasn’t officially confirmed anything beyond the obvious sight of tape and sensors, all signs point to real-world data collection for a potential mid-cycle refresh, the rumored Purosangue M.
The mystery roof gear, held in place by temporary straps across the top panel, houses a horizontally oriented device whose exact tech specs remain unknown. Up front, the extended nose reveals massive lower air intakes and razor-thin headlights peeking through the zebra-striped wrap, while the swept-back roofline and muscular wheel arches maintain the vehicle’s signature stance. Around the back, a roof-mounted spoiler, partially visible tail lamps, and quad exhaust tips round out the test mule’s rear profile, set atop classic five-spoke silver wheels and blacked-out lower side cladding.
Whether these heavily cloaked body panels hide cosmetic tweaks, aerodynamic revisions, or purely chassis-testing sensors is anyone’s guess. Rumors of an updated “M” variant (Maranello’s internal designation for Modificata) suggest potential electronic updates and subtle styling evolutions, though details on horsepower bumps or launch timelines remain firmly under wraps.
Testing driver aids on public streets makes practical sense, giving engineers real-world traffic data to refine emergency braking or lane-keep calibration. Yet, the sight of a 715-horsepower, V12-powered carrying sophisticated driver aids raises a humorous question: do owners really buy a supercar crossover to let computer algorithms handle the steering?
The current Purosangue already boasts an impressive suite of ADAS tech, including adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, traffic sign recognition, rear cross-traffic alert, driver drowsiness detection, and a surround-view parking camera.
But if Maranello is currently calibration-testing even smarter sensors, future Purosangue drivers might soon have the luxury of sitting back while their $400,000 super-SUV handles the morning commute all by itself.