Mansory Pugnator: the best way to get blacklisted by Ferrari

Is Pugnator Schwarzenegger's latest blockbuster? No, it's simply Mansory's latest aesthetic "massacre" of the prancing horse, this time with the Ferrari Purosangue SUV as guinea pig. Naturally, the tuner didn't hesitate to replace the coat of arms. Ferrari by his own, and to rename the model Pugnator, which means "the fighter" in Latin. Before saying more about the special "Tricolore" edition that was presented at the Monaco top marques show, Let's start by looking at the risks to which customers who are tempted by excessive personalization outside the rules are exposed.

Personalization departments, a palliative to abusive customization?

Having a car that's unique in the world has become the new must-have luxury trend: it's the best way to seek exclusivity, flaunt one's success and flatter one's ego. But if you can do whatever you want with certain models, that's not the case at Ferrari, which is very particular about how owners use their cars.

Gone are the days when Ferrari imposed red as the only color on the F40, and now, like other luxury brands, the Prancing Horse has developed its "Tailor Made" customization department, allowing customers to customize their Ferraris as they wish. Prestige brands have been quick to recognize the interest of their clientele in this made-to-measure offering and the substantial margins it can generate on each model sold, but it's all highly regulated. Modifications must preserve the manufacturer's brand image, while guaranteeing the vehicle's residual value, since Ferrari remains the undisputed leader in the collector's market. Manufacturer" customization was also a means of regain control over customizationIt's a world of surprises and horrors.

Ferrari's excommunication

This means that those who dare to do anything with a Ferrari can pay dearly, or rather will no longer be able to afford anything new from Maranello, and being a star doesn't guarantee immunity: several celebrities have been "blacklisted" for breaking the rules. By repainting his 458 Italia F1 model in electric blue and affixing black rims that weren't from the Ferrari catalog, before selling it at auction, Justin Bieber found himself banned in 2017 from the potential customer list.

Mansory, proof that luxury and good taste don't always go hand in hand

Mansory, of course, is a textbook case of how to incur Maranello's wrath. The German tuning specialist, founded by British-Iranian Kourosh Mansory, is known for its daring preparations. In addition to engine reprogramming, the company is renowned for the extravagance of its upholstery and body modifications. Admittedly, these are high quality in terms of finish, but very blinged-out and rather tasteless. But a Ferrari aesthetic line is not just any old thing.

Mansory has already made its mark on many models, such as the Portofino, the SF90 Stradale, the 488, the Roma or even the 599 GTB and 812 Superfast, both of which were released in models called "Stallone" (a reference to the Italian stallion, yes, like Rocky). Forged carbon, an overdose of appendages, flashy upholstery, it's as if a Ferrari had found itself in a Bollywood delirium.

A dispute in the past

Tensions have existed between Ferrari and Mansory in the past. A dispute arose in 2011 over the "4XX Siracusa", a preparation based on the 488 GTB. Ferrari felt that certain details of the body kit were too close to the design of the LaFerrari FXX K hypercar, particularly in the hood and front bumper areas.

Maranello took legal action for counterfeiting, which was initially dismissed by a German court, then appealed to the Court of Justice of the European Union, since the German Federal Court had deemed itself incompetent in a technically complex case. The court ruled in Ferrari's favor, recognizing the Emilian company's full ownership of the rights relating to the design of the Ferrari FXX K and, consequently, the German company's infringement of the related intellectual property.

If the Predator were an SUV...

Let's return to the Pugnator, which transfigures the Purosangue. The bumpers are redesigned and made more aggressive, the air intakes are considerably enlarged and the front apron is entirely redesigned in carbon fiber. Mansory loves forged carbon, with its marble-like texture, and uses it everywhere. It's found on much of the front end, fascias, skirts, spoilers and even mirror caps.

This Tricolore version, of which only 3 will be produced, pays "homage" to Italy, from green to white to red, from bow to stern. The front end is painted in a green hue which, combined with the textures of the forged carbon, gives a very "reptilian" look. All that was missing was to insert LED pupils in the headlamps, and you'd have a crocodile's face. At the rear, this forged carbon turns blood-red, giving a more demonic effect. Note the 4 aligned mufflers and the double finned spoiler, to optimize visibility of the rear window...

The interior fits better

In the midst of this orgy of carbon, the cabin saves the day, so to speak, and is almost elegant in comparison to the bodywork. Immaculate white, papal we might say, dominates the interior, enhanced by red and green accents, again to recall the Italian tricolor. Piping, personalized seatbelts, embroidered headrests and even a flying "zero point marker" all contribute to this patriotic celebration. The steering-wheel gearshift paddles are also in Italian colors. In the door panels and on the seats, the Mansory name and an "Atelier Mansory" badge are backlit.

Under the hood, the 6.5-liter naturally-aspirated V12 has been "tweaked" with a little reprogramming. Combined with the new 4-stream sport exhaust system, the block now delivers 755 hp and 730 Nm of torque, up by 30 hp and 14 Nm respectively.

In short, buyers of this Pugnator have been warned. With just 3 examples to choose from, they'll be well catered for when it comes to exclusivity, and won't go unnoticed. On the other hand, they won't be welcome at Maranello. Unless the brand's strategy has changed, and is turning a blind eye, in order to attract a new clientele and deconstruct its "conservative" image?