Ferrari SF90 Spider is Maranello's first retractable hard-top hybrid
Let the good light in.
Ferrari first unveiled its SF90 Stradale plug-in hybrid hypercar in 2019. Now, about a year and a half later, the Italian automaker has seen fit to throw a little more sun and wind into the equation.
Ferrari on Thursday unveiled the SF90 Spider, the convertible variant of the SF90 Stradale. It's the automaker's first production plug-in hybrid drop-top. Its roof can be deployed while rolling, and it takes about 14 seconds to deploy or store. An adjustable rear window helps keep cabin turbulence at bay while the top is down, too. Making extensive use of aluminum, Ferrari claims that the roof is some 80-ish pounds lighter than a conventional retractable hard top, and it takes up about half the storage space as the technology did when it launched on the 458 Spider in 2011.
A whole lot of work went into maintaining the slinky profile of the SF90 Stradale while integrating an entire retractable roof. Some of the surfaces have been massaged to incorporate the tonneau cover so that it effortlessly merges into the B-pillars, making it look like the vehicle was designed as a drop-top from the outset. Drop that top, and the hypercar looks lower and more aggressive, thanks in part to roll hoops with differently colored trim pieces. Ferrari didn't forget about theater, either; no matter where the roof currently is, there will always be a view of the V8 engine mounted midship.
Inside, the SF90 Spider is largely the same as the SF90 Stradale, which is to say it's pretty darned impressive. Easily the most technologically advanced Ferrari interior to date, the driver's eyes are drawn to a single 16-inch high-definition curved screen that puts every piece of relevant information in easy view, whether it's navigation information or what's playing on the audio system. Even the steering wheel is futuristic, sporting capacitive-touch buttons for just about every task available, though some physical buttons remain for the turn signals and windshield wipers. There's also a head-up display that changes its layout based on vehicle mode, showing everything from turn-by-turn directions to a big ol' tachometer.
Ferrari's most advanced powertrain makes its second appearance in the SF90 Spider . It starts with a 4.0-liter turbocharged V8, a modified version of the one found in the 488 GTB . With more displacement and a new fuel system, among other tweaks, output is a sufficient 769 horsepower. But that's not all -- three electric motors throw another 217 horsepower into the mix for a net delivery of 986 hp, or 1,000 CV if you like the metric system. The largest electric motor bolts to the transmission, while a smaller pair connect to each front wheel, giving the car all-wheel drive. An eight-speed dual-clutch transmission delivers that power to the ground with 200-millisecond shifts.
The SF90 is easily Ferrari's most technologically progressive vehicle to date.
Four drive modes are on offer. The first, eDrive, uses just the electric front axle to propel the car, offering about 16 miles of electric-only range from its 7.9-kWh battery at speeds up to about 84 mph. Hybrid mode focuses on efficiency, swapping between the engine and electric power as required. Performance mode keeps the engine running to help keep the battery topped off for instant power on the road, while the final Qualify mode turns the entire focus toward raw performance.
If the standard SF90 Spider isn't enough, Ferrari offers an Assetto Fiorano upgrade package that adds Multimatic shock absorbers designed for track use, in addition to more lightweight materials, a carbon fiber rear spoiler and super-soft Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, as well as an optional two-tone livery that spices up the visuals a bit more. Fully kitted out, the SF90 Spider weighs just 3,682 pounds and produces 860 pounds of downforce while cornering at 155 mph. Yeah, you read that right.
Deliveries begin in the second quarter of 2021. It will cost about 473,000 euros (about $557,000, directly converted), or about 10% more than the SF90 Stradale.