It’s More Than Your Typical Hybrid System
Yesterday we reported on the new Ferrari SF90 Stradale. It is a breathtaking machine to look at, and the power numbers are absolutely fantastic. With that said, there was so much to dig into with the new Ferrari, that we didn’t get to give you every detail about the company’s fancy new powertrain, and oh, is it special.
As we said yesterday, the new SF90 Stradale offers a 3.9-liter turbocharged V8 engine for motivation. That engine is connected to three electric motors and has a combined power output of 989 hp. But that’s just glossing over what is truly an innovative powertrain.
The internal combustion engine alone produces 769 hp. The engine is new, though it’s roughly the same size and configuration as the mill found in the 488 GTB. Ferrari chose to increase the displacement from 3,902 cc to 3,990. That’s a small bump, but worth noting. The engine also gets a new fuel delivery system and some other new components to make it the most powerful and most advanced engine Ferrari has ever produced.
Let There Be Electric Power
Now on to the electrics. This is a plug-in hybrid car. That means there are electric motors and a battery. The motors are uniquely positioned. Two at the front and one between the engine and gearbox. The two at the front allow for some advanced torque vectoring—similar, in a sense, to what Acura did with the NSX—and provide an additional 84 hp. The biggest of the three motors is the one in the middle of the car, and it puts out an additional 148 hp.
As far as battery goes, Ferrari fitted a 7.9 kWh battery pack to the car. This gives the motors the juice they need to do their thing and it also allows for up to 15 miles of electric-only range—not exactly Tesla numbers, but then this car is no Tesla.
8 Speeds and All Four Wheels
Prepare yourself for the first all-wheel-drive Ferrari. The SF90 Stradale is the first Prancing Horse to filter power to all four wheels. Power is managed by a new 8-speed dual-clutch transmission. It shifts 30 percent faster and is smaller in overall physical size, reducing weight.
The all-wheel-drive system can be set up to work in numerous ways. How the V8 engine and electric motors interact all depends on which of the four drive modes you select. eDrive is the electric-only mode, Hybrid mode is what the car starts in and is a little bit of everything (think normal drive mode in regular cars), Performance keeps the power high and the batteries topped up for spirited driving, and Qualify mode is full power and all-out crazy performance.
Speaking of performance, the SF90 Stradale is a true beast of a machine. Zero to 60 mph comes in 2.5 seconds, and the car can rage to 124 mph in 6.7 seconds on its way to a top speed of more than 211 mph. This Prancing Horse can really run.
