THE FIRST EVER PLUG IN HYBRID ELECTRIC FERRARI, THE SF90 STRADALE IS A THUNDEROUS WHIR OF EMOTION AND EXCESS

BY EVAN MONROE

The 90th anniversary of Scuderia Ferrari the racing division of the famed Italian automaker is reason enough for the release of a new model, but Ferrari had an additional gift to offer sport enthusiasts in its just debuted SF90 Stradale. The first ever car from the Maranello based factory to feature plug in hybrid electric technology, it combines a 770 horsepower V8 with three electric motors two of which are independent and on the front axle, the third at the rear between the engine and the gearbox, in all totalling 162 kilowatts. In chorus, these power plants produce a stupefying 986 horsepower, with zero to sixty happening in 2.5 seconds, placing it among the 10 fastest production cars in the world.

If the (likely temporary) aim is environmentalism, the Stradale can toodle along for 16 miles or so on electric power alone, but it doesn’t take much pedal enthusiasm to awaken the Kraken, which is happy to slingshot the aluminum and carbon fiber bodied two seater to over 200 miles per hour very briskly.

For all its breakthrough drivetrain tech, the Ferrari has been deliberately interior rendered to be wonderfully straightforward largely cleared of switches and buttons. A driver display contains basic info a secondary just to the right of the center hump presents speed (again), plus cornering forces, exterior temperature, and other tidbits. Touch sensitive inputs do most of the switch work (including environmental controls).

Another Ferrari first time ever for the Stradale in the highly unlikely event that the base version is a little too sedate is that buyers can select an alternative model “with a more sportsoriented specification,” including grey and black racing striped livery. Anxious pre buyers can check out the SF90 Stradale at September’s Universo Ferrari exhibition in Maranello. No MSRP was made available by press time, but scuttlebutt is that it’ll be a hair over $500,000, which is $160,000 or so pricier than a base Ferrari 812 Superfast. Enviro enthused moguls to the front of the line.

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