SF90 Stradale hybrid is most powerful Ferrari road car yet

Complementing the V8 is a trio of electric motors - two mounted at the front and one mounted at the rear between the engine and gearbox, giving all-wheel drive. All three generate a total of 217bhp to make the 986bhp total. They are powered by a relatively small (7.9kWh) lithium ion battery pack that makes the SF90 Stradale capable of 16 miles of electric-only running at speeds of up to 84mph. The battery can be charged either by plugging it in (no charging time has been revealed) or using the engine as a generator.

The two power systems channel through a newly developed eight-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. It’s lighter and more compact than the outgoing seven-speed unit and promises an 8% reduction in fuel consumption in normal driving on the WLTP cycle. Shifts are also claimed to be 30% faster. The advancements also extend to the brakes, with Ferrari recording a 100-0mph stopping distance 2m shorter than the LaFerrari. 

All of this results a 0-62mph time of 2.5sec - a record for a roadgoing Ferrari. Furthermore, 0-124mph takes 6.7sec, while the top speed (claimed not to be the main performance focus) is 212mph. Ferrari also says the new car pulls out a 64-metre lead from the LaFerrari in one lap around its Fiorano test track. 

A new power mode selector, dubbed eManettino, can be cycled through four driving modes. eDrive keeps the engine switched off for as long as the battery lasts, while Hybrid is the default setting, balancing both power sources; Performance keeps the engine running to ensure the battery is fully charged and Qualify allows maximum electric motor power for a certain time period to deliver all-out performance. 

Chassis and dynamics

The SF90 Stradale sits on a newly developed platform. Ferrari’s first series-production multi-material chassis, it makes use of aluminium and carbonfibre. The result is a dry weight of 1570kg, still around 315kg more than the LaFerrari, which uses a full carbon tub.

The use of high-strength alloys allows Ferrari to claim 40% higher torsional rigidity than for previous platforms, improving dynamic performance and reducing noise, vibration and harshness levels. 

Extensive work on integrating the new power systems has resulted in a new Electronic Slide Slip Control (eSSC) system. This brings a special traction control system that's designed to distribute both engine and electric motor power to the individual wheels that require it. 

The SF90 Stradale also features a new brake-by-wire control system that allows braking torque to be split between the hydraulic system and electric motors, whereas the traditional hydraulic braking system is used only to support the electric regeneration under hard braking. Ferrari has also introduced a torque vectoring system on the front axle to manage traction on the inside and outside wheels.

Ferrari claims the combination of these systems allows “a whole series of solutions to boost the SF90 Stradale’s lap times, while simultaneously guaranteeing that drivers of all kinds could make full use of the car’s potential and have fun behind the wheel”. 

Styling and aerodynamics

Described as “quite a long and complex job” by Ferrari's director of design, Flavio Manzoni, the SF90 Stradale’s exterior is designed to provide the optimum balance between maintaining the style, heritage and proportions of classic Ferraris and employing advanced aerodynamics.

Two bodystyles are available on the SF90 Stradale: the standard one and the Assetto Fiorano package, which is aimed at forgoing some comfort in the name of offering better track pace. It features a taller rear spoiler for increased downforce, a more stripped-out interior and bespoke carbonfibre detailing, resulting in a weight reduction of 30kg. It also gets Michelin Cup 2 tyres with a bespoke compound instead of the Pirelli P Zero tyres of the standard car. 

The SF90 Stradale's shorter overhangs - including a rear one that’s shorter than the front - have created a cab-forward layout that's said to emphasise the mid-engined look and feel. The cabin area is 20mm lower than on previous Ferraris and bubble-shaped with larger rear flying buttresses - a classic Ferrari cue. Slim C-shape headlights are integrated into the brake air intakes and use matrix LED technology, while the tail-pipes are centrally mounted and higher than ever before. 

Ferrari claims the SF90 Stradale is “the new benchmark for downforce and efficiency in high-performance road cars”. The headline figure is 390kg of downforce generated at 155mph - 30kg more than the LaFerrari. 

The stand-out bodywork element features as part of the rear wing. Dubbed the ‘shut-off Gurney’, it’s a mobile section of the spoiler that in high-downforce conditions is lowered towards the body to create a new tail geometry, or raised up when low drag is needed for straight-line speed. A complex system of vortex generators and two front diffusers ensure airflow from the front to the rear is optimised.

Interior

As with the rest of the car, the SF90 Stradale’s interior is totally new. Even entering it is a different process, with a new keyless entry system incorporating a key shaped and styled like the Ferrari logo and doors that open via push buttons from the inside. 

The dashboard is dominated by a completely new interface and a 16in curved digital instrument cluster. All car functions and infotainment are controlled through this, with only a handful of touch-sensitive icons either side of the wheel for climate and driving assistance functions.

A head-up display also features for the first time, but it’s the new steering wheel that's most significant. Ferrari claims 80% of the car’s functions can be controlled from here, citing that “eyes on the road, hands on the wheel” was a key safety motivation during development.

Despite the technological advances, a few classic touches still remain, including the gear selections built into an ‘H-gate’-style metal gear lever.