New 986bhp hybrid Ferrari SF90 Stradale revealed

Ferrari has revealed the SF90 Stradale, its new flagship supercar. For the first time in Ferrari’s history, a V8 petrol engine is mated to three electric motors, giving a combined power output of 986bhp. It’s the second of five cars Ferrari is introducing in 2019, and will sit above the rest of their current road-going range.

The engine is a completely reworked version of Ferrari’s famous 3.9-litre V8 engine, a process which has pushed displacement up to 4.0 litres. It’s the Italian company’s most powerful eight-cylinder engine ever built and kicks out 769bhp on its own. Three electric motors and a small 7.9kWh battery provide another 215bhp, with two of the electric motors sitting on the front axle to provide four-wheel-drive.

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Performance is as ludicrous as you’d expect for a car with almost 1,000bhp; 0-62mph takes just 2.5 seconds, the car’s top speed is 211mph and it’s claimed that the SF90 Stradale is faster around Ferrari’s Fiorano test track than the limited-run LaFerrari. Despite this incredible speed, the Ferrari SF90 Stradale can also manage up to 15.5 miles solely on electric power, with an 84mph top speed in the eDrive setting. The power is marshalled through a new eight-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox.

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Ferrari has used the electric motors and battery for other gains besides performance. The gearbox doesn’t have a reverse gear because the car can back up using battery power alone, which saves weight. Other developments include a braking system that can harvest some of the energy that would otherwise be lost to top up the battery, and a new version of Ferrari’s Slip Slide Control system means each wheel can be controlled individually.

Underpinning the new car is a brand-new chassis made from a mix of aluminium and carbon fibre. It’s slightly heavier than other Ferraris due to the extra weight of the battery and motors.

The SF90 Stradale’s styling is almost concept-car-like, with super-thin automatic LED headlights and a large splitter at the front, and a canopy that looks like it’s one piece of glass. At the rear, the design is mostly dictated by aerodynamics, so it has flying buttresses, a huge diffuser and an active rear spoiler, which pops up when required. The tail-lights are squarer than previous Ferraris, and the exhausts exit right in the centre.

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Inside, most of the buttons are touch-sensitive pads for the first time, although the vast majority of controls are still on the steering wheel. There’s a 16-inch, fully configurable digital instrument cluster in front of the driver.

The SF90 name honours 90 years of the Scuderia Ferrari racing team, with the Stradale name indicating that the car is intended for the road. Production of the SF90 isn’t limited to a certain number, and approximately 2,000 people are already on the waiting list to buy one. Prices haven’t been revealed but we expect a starting figure of around £350,000-£400,000 before options.

Read our review of Ferrari’s current flagship, the 812 Superfast.