Ferrari SF90 Stradale PHEV set at $846,888

FERRARI Australasia unveiled its all-new SF90 Stradale at a gala event in Port Melbourne this week, marking the right-hand-drive debut of Maranello’s plug-in hybrid supercar prior to local deliveries beginning late in the third quarter of 2020.

Priced from $846,888 plus on-road costs, the SF90 Stradale shown at the Melbourne event featured an optional Assetto Fiorano package which, according to Ferrari CEO for the Far East and Middle East (and interim chief of Ferrari Australasia), Dieter Knechtel, could account for up to half of all Australian orders.

Loaded with a $111,306 price premium, the track-ready Assetto Fiorano pack brings a specific rear carbon-fibre spoiler to increase vertical load, aluminium dampers and titanium springs, a specific rear ‘Lexan’ engine cover with louvres (a la F40) and bespoke interior carbon parts.

Named after the Scuderia Ferrari (SF) racing team, which recently celebrated its 90th birthday, the SF90 Stradale is essentially a series-production replacement for the limited-run LaFerrari (2014-17) – the Maranello marque’s first-ever road-going hybrid.

“In terms of positioning, the SF90 Stradale is not going to substitute any car of our current model range, it is an additional to our range,” Mr Knechtel confirmed.

“It becomes our new top of the range in terms of performance and fun to drive, and it is going to deliver a completely different driving experience.”

As GoAuto reported in June, first Australian examples of the Stradale were snapped up by the keenest of Ferrari customers earlier in the year following a VIP reveal in Italy, despite the fact that pricing had still to be announced.

“We would say (the SF90 Stradale) is a car that perfectly fits with the desires and ambitions of the ‘Pure Ferrarista’, who is a performance enthusiast, someone who loves to reach the limit and a beauty lover – someone who loves the perfect combination of performance and design, and considers everything Ferrari a piece of art … someone who’s looking for the best technology in every area of the vehicle,” Mr Knechtel said.

The SF90 Stradale marks the first time a V8 has been positioned at the very top of the Ferrari line-up.

Instead of the LaFerrari’s naturally aspirated 6.3-litre V12, the Stradale uses a development of the 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8 from the F8 Tributo, now expanded to 4.0 litres (3990cc) and producing 574kW of power at 7500rpm and 800Nm of torque at 6000rpm.

In combination with three electric motors – one that sits between the engine and a new eight-speed dual-clutch transmission (with 35-per-cent-faster shifting), the other two driving the front wheels – the SF90 Stradale’s total power output of 736kW equates to exactly 1000 metric horsepower.

With all-wheel drive aiding its launch ability, that is enough for record-breaking acceleration from a Ferrari – 0-100km/h in 2.5 seconds and 0-200km/h in 6.7 seconds.

Yet the SF90 Stradale is also capable of driving for up to 25km using electric power alone.

Ferrari says the SF90 can lap its Fiorano test track in 1min19sec and can pull up from 100km/h in less than 29.5m.

It also claims the SF90 Stradale debuts 45 new innovations – most of them patented – including a single 16-inch wraparound digital instrument cluster and a new-generation steering wheel that controls 80 per cent of cabin functions.

According to Ferrari Australasia, if you ordered an SF90 Stradale now you would be holding its new-generation ‘key’ (one that slots into its own home in the centre console) during the final quarter of 2020, or at the very earliest, late in the third quarter.

With one month to go in 2019, Ferrari has delivered 243 vehicles to customers in Australia for the year to date – up 9.5 percent over the same period last year – compared to an overall market that has fallen 8.2 percent in total sales volume.