The Gentleman Magazine Issue 20 | April 2020 | Page 47

Particularly noteworthy is the innovative shut-off Gurney,
a patented active system located at the rear of the car which
regulates the air flow over the upper body, reducing drag at
high speeds with low lateral dynamics loads and increasing
downforce in corners, under braking and during changes of
direction.
The new car is epoch-changing from a stylistic perspective as
it completely rewrites the mid-rear-engined sports berlinetta
proportions introduced on the 360 Modena twenty years ago,
instead taking its inspiration from Ferrari’s recent supercars. A
good example is the cockpit, which has a smaller frontal section
and is placed closer to the front of the car to reduce drag. This
was also achieved without impacting on-board comfort.
The track-derived “eyes on the road, hands on the wheel”
philosophy takes on a truly central role for the first time too,
significantly influencing the ergonomics and styling of the
interior. The result is an HMI (Human-Machine Interface)
and interior layout concept that are a complete departure from
previous models.
Another major innovation is the steering wheel which now
has a touchpad and a series of haptic buttons that allow the
driver to control virtually every aspect of the car using just
their thumbs. The central instrument cluster is now entirely
digital with the first automotive application of a 16” curved HD
screen which can be fully configured and controlled using the
controls on the steering wheel.
On the central tunnel, improved ergonomics have been
combined with an element from the past: the automatic
gearbox controls are now selected by a grille-style feature that
references Ferrari’s legendary manual gear-shift gate. Thus past
and present skilfully merge to point the new Ferrari towards
the future.
The SF90 Stradale also sees the debut of the new ignition key
with full keyless technology which will gradually be introduced
across the rest of the range, personalised with the model’s
name. Thanks to a special compartment in the central tunnel,
it becomes an integral part of the car’s styling.
In addition to the sporty version, which references the shape
and colour of the signature rectangular Prancing badge sported
by Ferrari’s road cars, there will also be a more elegant metal-
coloured version.
For the first time on a Ferrari, clients can choose between
the standard car and a version with a more sports-oriented
specification. The Assetto Fiorano specification includes
significant upgrades, including special GT racing-derived
Multimatic shock absorbers, extra lightweight features made
from high-performance materials such as carbon-fibre (door
panels, underbody) and titanium (springs, entire exhaust line),
resulting in a weight-saving of 30 kg. Another difference is the
high downforce carbon-fibre rear spoiler which generates 390
kg of downforce at 250 km/h. The Assetto Fiorano includes
Michelin Pilot Sport Cup2 tyres designed specifically to
improve performance on the track in the dry. They feature a
softer compound and fewer grooves than the tyres provided
as standard.
POWERTRAIN
The SF90 Stradale is the first ever Ferrari to feature PHEV (Plug-
in Hybrid Electric Vehicle) architecture which sees the internal
combustion engine integrated with three electric motors, two
of which are independent and located on the front axle, with
the third at the rear between the engine and the gearbox.
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