Originally published at: https://www.pakwheels.com/blog/1000hp-ferrari-sf90-stradale-revealed-not-usual-plug-hybrid/
Ferrari is easily among the most recognizable, iconic and ostentatious automakers on the planet, being associated with sporty, fast and gorgeous looking (and often red!) cars. So the hype around any new Ferrari is unprecedented, unveiled in Maranello, Italy, on Wednesday, Ferrari's latest addition defies convention by being a Plug-in Hybrid, a first for the Italian firm. Of course, for a Ferrari, electrification did not just mean an increase in eco credentials but also markedly better performance. Let's see how they did as we take a look Ferrari's latest offering.
Performance:
Without further preamble, let's get into the performance numbers because that's what matters on Ferrari. The new exotic beast is still primarily motivated by a direct and port injected, variable intake 4.0L Twin-Turbo V8 (Thankfully), which it shares with its close cousin, the 488, albeit with a few significant tweaks, including a slight boost in displacement (3,990 cc versus 3,902) and a new fuel injection system. As a result, it puts out a meaty 768 HP compared to the 488 Pista's 710. But that's just the beginning. The Stradale pairs the engine with not one, not two but a trio of electric motors. The biggest sits in the middle of the car and is attached directly to the transmission, providing a maximum of 148 horsepower. The engine and the motor are connected to a revised, eight-speed, dual-clutch transmission that's not only smaller than before but shifts 30% faster: just 200 milliseconds. That smaller transmission and revised turbo placement bring the entire assembly lower in the chassis, a fact that is apparent the second you peek through the clear engine cover. Those who love gazing at Ferrari's famous crimson valve covers may be a bit disappointed to see that the engine sits so low that you can barely even see them. But they're down there, nestled in a bed of aluminum and carbon fiber. The other two motors sit at the front axle, individually driving each of front wheels to provide a combined maximum of 84 horsepower and enabling torque-vectoring all-wheel drive in a powertrain layout that bears a strong resemblance to the Honda/Acura NSX's. These motors are kept juiced up by 7.9 kWh Lithium-ion battery that is good for 25-32 km of EV only range, during which it can run on battery power alone. Interestingly, during this EV-only mode, the Stradale is only powered by the two motors in the front, so the horror of horrors, now we have a front wheel drive capable Ferrari.
But enough of that EV nonsense, what we care about is the performance, and the Stradale delivers (as if this was a surprise). Total theoretical power of the entire system is limited slightly by the output of the battery pack, providing a maximum 217 horsepower from the three motors. That, added to the V8's power, brings us to that 986 horsepower figure - which is a nice, round 1,000 if you prefer PS or metric horsepower. Combine this prodigious power figure with the fact that all the electric torque is available from 1 RPM and the scarlet beauty propels from 0 to 100 km/h in 2.5 seconds, just a feather slower than a Tesla Model S P100D, but 0.3s faster than the McLaren Senna, which is seen as a primary target. Top speed is an "adequate" 340 km/h, just shy of the LaFerrari's 347 km/h top speed. However, if even this does not appeal your fancy, then do not worry Ferrari also has the Assetto Fiorano package (pictured above), that shaves off 30kg of weight from the Stradale, mostly thanks to carbon fiber wheels and titanium springs.
Read Also: Ferrari’s hidden secret: The one-off Ferrari you weren’t supposed to know
Exterior:
[gallery ids="119840,119842,119844,119843,119841"]
While I am personally a function over form kind of person, those rules can be bent a little when it comes to a Ferrari. However, it seems that Ferrari's engineers and designers do not have that luxury, they need to design an exterior that is a work of art that is simultaneously aerodynamic enough to achieve the performance figures that we drooled over above. As Enrico Galliera, Ferrari's chief marketing officer, said, "Design should be functional to the technology, but should still be something that is called a piece of art."
While beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I don't expect there to a lot of people who don't find the Stradale's design to be seductive. The clean overall design low-hood, sweeping headlights, the attractive, though admittedly a busy little rear and the flying buttresses that extend back to support the rear wheels in a shape that Ferrari calls "the slingshot effect" all add up to a fantastic looking ride.
Interior:
If you are a Ferrari traditionalist and have been disappointed by the addition of a Plug-in Hybrid system and the modern design, then I have bad news, you won't find any solace inside either. Because this is Ferrari's most progressive and high-tech interior to date. The highlight is a massive 16-inch curved display that sits behind the steering wheel. Continuing the trend from cars like the 488 GTB, this is not only the gauge cluster but also the infotainment interface, so everything from radio tuning to navigation is all here. If that weren't enough, the Stradale has a new head-up display (HUD) that will reconfigure based on your driving mode. Navigating to the track? It'll show you speed and turn information. Trying to find that last tenth at the track? It'll turn into a big, projected tachometer.
[gallery ids="119850,119851"]
Controlling all that is the latest iteration of the Ferrari steering wheel that will be familiar to those who've driven basically any Ferrari since the 458, but takes the concept of putting everything you need on the steering wheel to the next level. The big change is reducing the number of buttons while simultaneously increasing the number of things you can control right from the wheel. How? The magic of touch. The wheel features multiple capacitive-touch interfaces for everything from scrolling through pages on the multi-function display to toggling between hybrid modes. Physical, tactile controls, however blessedly remain for crucial functionality like using the turn signals and turning on the windshield wipers.
Our Verdict:
Ferrari's latest foray into electrification is significant for two reasons. Firstly it signals the end of an era, a couple of years back, the general consensus in the industry was that Ferrari is completely averse to electric cars. This belief was first reinforced by former Ferrari President and Chairman Luca di Montezemolo when he remarked: “You will never see a Ferrari electric because I don't believe in electric cars because I don't think they represent an important step forward for pollution or CO2 or the environment.”. While in April of 2016 Ferrari's CEO Sergio Marchionne touted EVs to be “an almost obscene concept”.
It is safe to say that times have changed and even a giant like Ferrari, despite resistance has had to embrace the reality that is the electrification of cars. The future is undeniably electric and the days of the internal combustion engine are numbered, and now even Ferrari knows this; Cheif Technical Officer Michael Leiters says the SF90 is just the "first step in a direction that Ferrari is committed to pursuing with unwavering determination." So, I expect more Ferraris in the future with battery packs in their bellies.
[gallery ids="119861,119862,119863"]
Secondly, the Stradale marks Ferrari's entry into the contemporary electric hypercar market and is planned to go against the Aston Martin Valkyrie, Mercedes-AMG One McLaren Speedtail. It will be interesting to see what the future holds. Which one do you think will be the best electric hypercar? As always feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments below and stay tuned to PakWheels.
