With 986bhp, the first production hybrid usurps petrol powered Ferrari's to become the most powerful supercar ever in Maranello's history
Callum Alexander | Callum on Cars | News
The beginning of the end of internal combustion engines at Ferrari has begun.
This is the new SF90 Stradale: the first Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle to emerge from Maranello.
Its name pays homage to the bedrock of the Italian marque - it is 90 years since the inception of Scuderia Ferrari. Stradale translates as road, which is a bit underwhelming, but it highlights the collaboration and influence their track cars instil into their road cars.
The hybrid electrical element hasn’t triggered the trip switch on the power unit department: the SF90 has a 3.9 litre twin-turbo V8 - an engine that has won International Engine of the Year award for the fourth consecutive year – that produces a rampaging 769bhp. It will also make 590 ft-lb of torque at 6000rpm, and to attain these numbers, Ferrari have delved deep into different areas of the engine.
Quick disclaimer: here come the details - at this point you, will be forgiven if you suffer from some temporary bout of attention deficit and retention.
The capacity has been increased from 3,902 cc to 3,990 cc due to a larger bore at 88mm; with the intake system redesigned and now featuring a narrower cylinder head and central injector. The dynamics of the internal fluids has also been modified - the ducts are now horizontally lined up at engine height. The turbo charger assembly has been lowered, with the exhaust line raised - depicted by the exhaust outlets exiting higher up the rear bumper.
The turbos have also been updated with electronically-controlled wastegates that improve catalyser heating as well as compressor volutes to improve fluid dynamics. This reconditioning of the engine has corresponded in a lower centre of gravity - helped with a smaller-diameter flywheel and lighter Inconel material used for the exhaust manifold.
This has been capitalised on by the introduction of three electric motors that kick out a combined 217bhp. A Li-ion battery supplies power to the trio of motors and has a 15.5-mile range in the all-electric eDrive mode, driven solely using the front axle, (more on driving modes in a bit), whilst an 84-mph top speed can be reached.
The engine and hybrid power sources combined equate to a total output of 986bhp, making the V8 propelled SF90 the most powerful road car ever in Ferrari’s history. Good.
One of the three electric motors is at the rear, it’s known as the Motor Generator Unit, Kinetic - or MGUK for short - and has been gleamed from F1, it’s located between the engine and new 8-speed dual-clutch transmission on the rear axle.
This component has also been through the workshop: it has a dry sump; a more compact clutch assembly; the exterior diameter is 20% smaller condensing the package by 15mm – this all lowers the centre of gravity. These changes have made the transmission 7kg lighter than the previous, that figure rises to 10kg with the omittance of reverse gear – yup, reverse is now available under the use of the front electric motors only. Mapped to new gear ratios and these changes to the transmission correlate to a 1% improvement in performance on track, (I know, loads right).
The two electric motors positioned on the front axle bind the SF90 in becoming the first Ferrari to adopt four-wheel drive. This is to accommodate and utilise the hybrid powertrain as has been done by merging with the launch control function for maximum acceleration.
The resultant performance is sure to pin you in the seat: the SF90 will gallop to 62mph in 2.5 seconds and continue on to 124mpg in 6.7 seconds before hitting its full stride with a 211mph top speed.
This reassurance of pace should quell some reservations that purists may have about the introduction of Hybrid technology on the SF90. Any notion of an inhibited Ferrari identity in the performance stakes at least, can be calmed.
Between four different power unit modes can be selected via a new steering wheel-mounted device, called the eManettino: in eDrive, it operates without input from the engine – the SF90 is driven by the electric front axle. The Hybrid option is the default setting where the ‘Control Logic’ system decides whether or not to deploy engine drive – power is optimised for efficiency.
The third is the Performance mode: a priority setting for dynamic driving - the engine is utilised to charge the battery for optimum power; the Qualify mode is almost self-explanatory – it offers zero compromise on power output. It is in this setting that the SF90 set a 79 second lap time around Ferrari’s Fiorano test track – 0.7 seconds faster than the haloed LaFerrari.
To clarify: this isn’t a replacement for the exclusive hypercar, the SF90 Stradale will be positioned above the upcoming 812 Superfast in the range pecking order – but on a different pedestal to the LaFerrari successor.
The chassis is an all new concoction made from a blend of carbon fibre and aluminium resulting in 20% better bending stiffness with torsional rigidity improved by 40%. This helps to combat the added 270kg weight of the hybrid system – with the SF90’s dry weight tipping the scales at 1570kg.
The aerodynamics department has worked closely with Ferrari Design to produce the downforce and efficiency of the SF90 - it will generate 390kg of downforce at 155mph. This has been achieved thanks partly to a suspended wing that has been divided into two sections: one fixed and one moveable – the latter termed the ‘shut-off Gurney’ – where in high downforce driving is lowered to close the blown area, creating a bigger load space.
Ferrari SF90 Stradale
Price: £400,000 est
Engine: 3.9 litre twin-turbo V8, Li-ion battery, 986bhp, 590lb ft
Transmission: 8-speed DCT, 4WD
Performance: 0-62mph 2.5secs, top speed 211mph
Economy: n/a mpg, n/a g/km CO2
Weight (dry): 1570kg
This device is controlled by a ‘control logic’ system: a web of software interfaces that interconnects the MGUK, engine, gearbox and dynamic driving systems comprising of braking, traction and torque vectoring. It is also an area of advancement that is becoming increasingly complicated.
So, the new RAC-e electric axle and electronic Traction Control on all four wheels are new components of the hybrid kit to bolster longitudinal dynamics. The braking system is a brake-by-wire setup that manages kinetic energy recovery through electric motors. While for the Lateral dynamics, the seventh version of Ferrari’s side slip angle control debuts, with eSSC monitoring the torque vectoring trickery to the four wheels.
The front Brembo brake callipers have been redesigned and are now moulded as an aerodynamic component channelling airflow more effectively to the pads and disk. The forged wheels have been created using blown geometry, emulating wing profiles, and manage airflow from inside the wheel arches. This creates suction and more downforce over at the front, with air exiting the wheel arches directed into the air current along the sides of the car – this reduces the SF90’s drag coefficiency.
Ferrari has updated the interior, with emphasis on a ‘wraparound aeronautically-inspired cockpit’. A central instrument cluster with a 16-inch screen is placed on the console; the Human Machine Interface has been updated with the ‘hands-on-the-wheel’ blueprint from F1 developed further in the SF90.
This has been done with the introduction of ‘command touches’ so the driver can operate the car without having to take hands off the wheel. On the right-hand spoke, a small touch pad to operate the central cluster screens; voice and cruise control are poisoned on the left-hand spoke. Just below that, the power unit options reside.
In a retro-cool flashback, the F1 controls on the ‘bridge’ have been redesigned and styled into a gear lever gate – a bespoke fitting with nostalgic references to past Ferrari models. Nice touch.
All in all, quite a radical overhaul, the SF90 represents the template of the next generation of prancing pony road cars, and on initial impressions, using this hybrid Fezza as a yard stick to measure against, the path ahead looks exotic, cool and exciting. Good.
No official price for the SF90 Stradale has been disclosed as yet; it will probably be about £400,000 with production expected to begin in 2020.
Callum Alexander | Callum on Cars | News
Photos: Ferrari Official
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