Charles Leclerc spotted in St Moritz driving Ferrari’s $400,000 performance SUV

Charles Leclerc has been spotted driving a Ferrari Purosangue during his holiday in St Moritz, with a TikTok clip of the Monaco-based Formula 1 driver quickly gaining traction online after the New Year holiday period.

The short video, posted by a car spotter in the Swiss alpine resort of St Moritz, shows the silver performance SUV moving through traffic, with Leclerc and his partner Alexandra Saint Mleux dressed for the weather in the cabin. 

St Moritz has long been a playground for F1 drivers, celebrities and the supercars that accompany them, and the Purosangue is a magnet for attention. Being Ferrari's first production four-door and four-seat model, it's quickly gained popularity as a daily driver for those who can afford it. And this isn't a surprise. The car bridges the gap between the high-performance cars the marque would usually build and the reality of what the majority of customers want on the road.

Don't let that fool you, though. This £313,000 ($400,000) car fails to follow the traditional SUV playbook. Powered by a naturally aspirated 6.5-litre V12, it was a statement from Ferrari that a higher-production car doesn't need to involve some sort of turbo or hybrid powertrain. 

Instead, it delivers what you want from a Ferrari powertrain: a linear, high-revving response with a tight Maranello snarl. It pushes power through an eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox and into a rear-wheel-biased all-wheel-drive system. This rear bias keeps the car from feeling stale like other all-wheel-drive cars, aiding in its agility and rotation. 

What makes it a cut above the rest is the advanced suspension and active chassis systems. These control body movement, keeping it precise through corners.

It delivers pace at an astounding rate. 0-62mph comes in at 3.3 seconds and it will reach a top speed of 193mph. That's safely within supercar territory, but without the fun of breaking your back when lowering yourself into it. But despite this, it still retains a long bonnet and a rear-set cabin - one that's able to comfortably seat four passengers, or maybe two passengers and a dachshund. 

Leclerc certainly has taste, regardless of where his brand loyalties lie.