SF90 Stradale: Ferrari's first proper production hybrid

published 26 July 2019

"The Ferrari SF90 Stradale plug-in hybrid is Ferrari's first big step toward electrification," says Andrew Kwok on Cnet's Roadshow. But that "shouldn't rankle too many cankles, because it also happens to be the fastest Ferrari production car to date". True, the brand's LaFerrari model was also a hybrid. But that was a "limited-run hypercar", made for "a few lucky individuals". The SF90 Stradale, on the other hand, is a "proper production Ferrari", made to celebrate Ferrari racing's 90th birthday. That means "more well-heeled buyers will be able to slip behind the wheel and get a taste of where Ferrari is headed over the next decade".

You'll need deep pockets, says Paul Horrell in Top Gear magazine. It is priced at around £400,000. Still, that seems like a bargain when you consider that an Aston Martin Valkyrie or some of the Koenigseggs are about five times the price. And you get a lot of car for your money. "The cockpit has moved forward, the overhangs are shortened, the silhouette of the tail has risen even as the height of the engine below it has dropped. The rationale is, of course, aerodynamics, but the emotional effect is knee-tremblingGorgeous, isn't it?"

"Extraordinary it is," says Chris Chin on The Drive. The SF90 is faster than LaFerrari and it has a "more traditional power train That means instant torque right from the get-go, thanks to the inclusion of three electric motors in total, on top of an already potent V8 power plant". The petrol engine alone produces a "whopping" 769bhp. Combined with the 590 pound-feet of torque, that makes it "the most powerful V8 from Ferrari, ever". The electric motors add another 217bhp, producing a grand total of 986bhp. It's not for nothing that Ferrari named the Stradale after its Formula One racer.

Subscribe to MoneyWeek

Subscribe to MoneyWeek today and get your first six magazine issues absolutely FREE

Get 6 issues free

https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/mw70aro6gl1676370748.jpg

Sign up to Money Morning

Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter

Chris Carter spent three glorious years reading English literature on the beautiful Welsh coast at Aberystwyth University. Graduating in 2005, he left for the University of York to specialise in Renaissance literature for his MA, before returning to his native Twickenham, in southwest London. He joined a Richmond-based recruitment company, where he worked with several clients, including the Queen’s bank, Coutts, as well as the super luxury, Dorchester-owned Coworth Park country house hotel, near Ascot in Berkshire.

Then, in 2011, Chris joined MoneyWeek. Initially working as part of the website production team, Chris soon rose to the lofty heights of wealth editor, overseeing MoneyWeek’s Spending It lifestyle section. Chris travels the globe in pursuit of his work, soaking up the local culture and sampling the very finest in cuisine, hotels and resorts for the magazine’s discerning readership. He also enjoys writing his fortnightly page on collectables, delving into the fascinating world of auctions and art, classic cars, coins, watches, wine and whisky investing.

You can follow Chris on Instagram.