Enhanced new derivatives of plug-in hybrid hypercar cater to both lightweight road car and track-toy buyers
Ferrari has debuted what it claims are its fastest and most extreme street-legal vehicles to date – the 2023 Ferrari SF90 XX Stradale and the matching SF90 XX Spider.
Based on the Italian performance brand’s range-topping Ferrari SF90 Stradale plug-in hybrid hypercar, the XX versions dial everything up to 11 including more power, less weight and vastly more aggressive aero and chassis packages, in an attempt to bridge the gap between its Special Series road cars and track-only XX monsters.
This road-legal track-car persona is hammered home by the SF90 XX’s imposing new aesthetic, headlined by an array of vents, vast intakes, big wings and enormous rear diffusers, all of which combine to generate twice the downforce of an ordinary SF90.
For those interested in specific numbers, the rear wing alone is claimed to generate 530kg of downforce at 250km/h, while the front diffuser contributes more than 45kg at the same speed.
Extra drag of course means a lower top speed, which in this instance drops from 340km/h to 320km/h, but the SF90 XX will be able to corner faster and accelerate harder than its donor vehicle thanks to the extra 22kW/4Nm provided by its engine’s bespoke pistons, combustion chamber, mapping and higher compression ratio.
Peak power from the twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8, tri-motor plug-in hybrid system is now rated at 758kW/804Nm, which is claimed to yield a 2.3-second 0-100km/h acceleration time and 6.5-second 0-200km/h time, marking improvements of 0.2sec in both respects compared to the standard SF90.
A 40kg weight reduction plays a part here as well, given the SF90 XX Stradale tips the scales at 1560kg without any fluids.
The enhanced powerplant is hooked up to an equally enhanced eight-speed dual-cutch automatic transmission featuring an all-new shift logic to liberate more performance and driver engagement.
Helping drivers is a raft of advanced new driver aids including the second-generation Ferrari Dynamic Enhancer, ABS EVO controller and electronic Side Slip Control.
All of these systems have been tailored to the SF90 XX’s harder-core character and intent, allowing it to go and stop harder for longer –something aided further by a new extra boost function available in the ‘Qualifying’ drive mode, which unleashes up to 30 bursts of extra power each session.
Ferrari reckons the extra downforce and more advanced systems of the SF90 XX result in a “nine per cent improvement in lateral performance compared to the SF90 Stradale in high-speed handling conditions” and a 10 per cent reduction in body roll.
Extra braking performance is assured by beefier 390mm rear rotors and redesigned pads intended to maximise the contact patch with the carbon-ceramic discs at all four corners.
Alcantara and carbon-fibre are the two most prominent materials used within the driver-focused cabin in an effort to amp up the sense of occasion and save weight. The latter is also helped by the minimalist new centre console, beside which resides a pair of lightweight racing seats with harnesses.
Ferrari is yet to announce an opening price tag for its extreme new XX road and track toys, but you can bet the Spider will carry a hefty price premium over its coupe sibling, which in turn should command a significant price premium over the already-pricey SF90 Stradale (from $846,888 plus on-road costs).
Said Spider pairs all of the aforementioned goodies with a retractable hard-top roof that can be operated at up to 45km/h and takes just 14 seconds to either raise or lower.
The payoff for the extra drama and headroom is a 100kg weight penalty compared to the coupe, which might sound like a lot but actually makes no difference to the claimed 0-100km/h time and adds just a tenth of a second to the 0-200km/h sprint time.
Just 799 examples of the SF90 XX Stradale will be produced, while the SF90 XX Spider will be limited to 599 units – most of which will probably be offered to Ferrari’s favourite clients before being made available to brand newcomers.
Keyword: Hard-core new Ferrari SF90 XX Stradale and Spider revealed