The Gentleman Magazine Issue 20 | April 2020 | Page 48

The internal combustion engine and the electric motors work
in synergy to unleash an incredible 1,000 cv which means
the SF90 Stradale sets a whole new benchmark in terms of its
performance and innovative content not just with regard to the
Ferrari range, but also its competitors.
INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE
Thanks to its 780-cv power output, the turbo V8 featured in
the SF90 Stradale raises the bar for the performance limits
achievable by this type of architecture. The starting point
was the F154 family engine which has won the International
Engine of the Year award for the fourth consecutive year, an
unprecedented achievement for any power unit.
Together with its 195 cv/l specific power output, which is
the highest in the segment, the engine also delivers 800 Nm
of torque at 6,000 rpm. To deliver this extraordinary result,
Ferrari’s engineers focused on several different areas of the
engine, starting by increasing its capacity from 3,902 cc to
3,990 cc thanks to a larger bore of 88 mm.
The intake and exhaust system was completely redesigned and
now features a new, narrower cylinder head with a central
injector and the adoption of 350-bar GDI, another first for a
Ferrari V8.
To improve the internal fluid dynamics, not only was a larger
diameter intake valve adopted but the ducts are all horizontally
lined up at engine head height; the turbo charger assembly has
been lowered while the exhaust line is higher, as testified by
the fact that the tail pipes are now in the upper section of the
rear bumper. The turbos are now equipped with electronically-
controlled wastegates to improve catalyser heating and new
compressor volutes to optimise fluid-dynamics.
The re-engineering goes well beyond fluid-dynamics: the
rationalisation of the layout has resulted in both a lower centre
of gravity, thanks in part to the adoption of a smaller-diameter
fly wheel, and a reduction in overall weight thanks to the use
of Inconel instead of steel for the exhaust manifold. Meticulous
attention was lavished on sound quality when redesigning the
exhaust system and the result is fuller, richer harmonics across
the entire frequency range.
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GEARBOX
The SF90 Stradale sports a completely redesigned 8-speed, oil-
bath, dual-clutch transmission. New gear ratios and improved
transmission efficiency yield a significant reduction in fuel
consumption in urban and motorway driving (-8% in the
WLTP cycle) without having to compromise on performance.
In fact, there is even a 1% improvement in efficiency on the
track.
An optimised layout, achieved through the adoption of a dry
sump and a significantly more compact clutch assembly with
a 20% smaller exterior diameter than the current gearbox, has
shaved 15 mm off the installed height in the car which, in turn,
lowers the centre of gravity of the running gear by the same
amount.
Despite the addition of an eighth gear and a maximum torque
boost to 900 Nm (the latter an increase of 20% on the current
7-speed), the gearbox’s overall weight is actually 7 kg lower.
That figure rises to 10 kg when the elimination of the reverse
gear – now incorporated in the function of the front electric
motors – wheels is included.
The new clutch’s performance is 35% higher, transmitting up
to 1200 Nm in dynamic torque in gear shifts. Thanks to new-
generation actuation hydraulics, total clutch fill times have
been cut to 200 ms compared to the 488 Pista’s 300 ms.
ELECTRIC MOTORS
The SF90 Stradale is equipped with three electric motors
capable of generating a total of 220 cv (162 kW). A high
performance Li-ion battery provides power to all three motors
and guarantees a 25-kilometre range in all-electric eDrive
mode, using just the front axle. When the internal combustion
engine is turned off, the two independent front motors deliver
a maximum speed of 135 km/h with longitudinal acceleration
of ≤0.4 g. Reverse can only be used in eDrive mode which
means the car can be manoeuvred at low speeds without using
the V8. The front motors are integrated into the launch control
strategy for maximum performance when accelerating.
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