Review of our AF SF90 - is this car what people say it is? | Page 2 | FerrariChat

Review of our AF SF90 - is this car what people say it is?

Discussion in 'SF90 Stradale' started by Lukeylikey, Jul 13, 2021.

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  1. MANDALAY

    MANDALAY F1 World Champ
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    May 23, 2013
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    ANGELO
    OMG the SF90 ALSO comes OEM that crappy scour pad material on the roof lining ???

    IMO go after the salesman he should have known better. Cant believe the number of F8 owners were never told but i didnt imagine this cheap absolutely nasty stuff to be on a SF90. unreal :(
     
  2. Lukeylikey

    Lukeylikey F1 Rookie
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    Mar 3, 2012
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    I had an early order, some of the options available now, such as surround view, weren’t available originally. I think that’s always a great option and I don’t care about the lumps on your wing mirrors. A wing mirror is a ‘lump’ itself. Perhaps the leather roof was not an option early on? Seems a bit unlikely but it was definitely not on the dealer configurator otherwise I would have ticked the box. We’re currently on our travels in our PS which has alcantara roof lining. So much nicer! The PS has a double indented roof on the inside too, very nice.
     
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  3. jm2

    jm2 F1 World Champ
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    Today's WSJ.
    Ferrari SF90 Stradale: A Hybrid Built to Be Noticed
    Ferrari’s first ever plug-in hybrid, the SF90 Stradale, heralds a new style direction—and a high-tech architecture—as the company moves toward electrification.


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    BACK TO THE FUTURE Ferrari’s SF90 Stradale, a plug-in hybrid, departs from the mid-engine proportions first introduced on the 360 Modena berlinetta (1999-2004). The SF90’s cab-forward profile, blister-like canopy and shorter overhangs preview Ferrari’s styling direction in the new era of hybridization.
    PHOTO: FERRARI
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    By
    July 30, 2021 3:57 pm ET

    I STEPPED OUT of the hotel—a weathered pensione in the Italian Alps named the Hotel Corona—to find the Ferrari SF90 Stradale test car surrounded. A group of high-schoolers were downstairs to meet their tour buses. I explained that I was an American journalist, just borrowing the car for the weekend. The very idea staggered them.

    I proceeded to belt my suitcase into the padded carbon-fiber passenger seat. So much for looking cool. The SF90’s erogenous profile and thrilling outward views come courtesy of the ultra-low cowl and a hood line that plunges between bounteous wheel arches like the neckline of a racy dress. But the decolletage didn’t leave much room for cargo capacity—a mere 74 liters in the front trunk, the frunk. If you are planning a long weekend in the SF90, the car requires that you leave either your loved one or their belongings on the curb.

    The kids begged me to rev the engine. But when I pressed the Start button (actually a bit of touchpad on the steering wheel so marked), the illustrious twin-turbo V8 behind me didn’t respond. The SF90—a plug-in hybrid—wakes up in electric-only mode. Pfft. Stand back, kids, I’m about to save the Earth.

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    EYES ON THE PRIZE The SF90 Stradale’s short front overhang, steeply sloped nose and low scuttle provide excellent outward visibility. The interior features a new “bridge” (center tunnel console) design, with a shift-mode switch array in the shape of classic mechanical-gated shifters.
    PHOTO: FERRARI
    Ferrari calls the SF90 Stradale ($663,623, as tested) its “new standard-bearer for hyper-technological extreme cars brimming with future-forward content.” Translation: The first of many hybrids, leading inevitably toward all-electric models. The SF90’s exquisite proportions, silhouette and ratios of front and rear overhang preview Ferrari’s styling direction in the new era, chief design officer Flavio Manzoni has said, as the exteriors morph around emergent platform technology.



    Others may call it a compliance baby, built to reduce fees/fines/taxes for emissions and consumption just about everywhere Ferraris are sold, exploiting plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) provisions that are themselves a bit dodgy. That’s also fair. Approximately no people will plug in this car daily to access a meager 15.5 miles of all-electric range. And yet in a world where Tesla sedans can hit 60 mph in 2 seconds, it seems inevitable that Ferrari would resort to some kind of e-drive front end, in order to transmit more power to the ground.

    Oh, the SF90 is all kinds of forza. Lensing the light of 736 kW into delirious acceleration and trip-hammer upshifts (0-124 mph in 6.7 seconds) the two-seat berlinetta can make an Italian toll plaza vanish faster than David Copperfield. At full song—around 7,500 rpm, near that B4 note from “Nessun Dorma”—the 3.9-liter V8 has an old familiar wail.

    But the way the SF90 gets there—entraining an additional 594 pounds of e-motors, battery pack and power electronics, AWD and associated cooling—is a little counter-narrative for Ferrari the brand. The SF90 will require the company to revise some of its sacred oaths of essentialism and immediacy.

    The kids wanted me to do a burnout leaving the hotel. Gladly. But first I had to back out silently—reverse thrust is provided by the dual front electric motors—and start throwing switches. On the new “eManettino” switch panel, in the lower-left quadrant of the steering wheel, I tap-selected Qualify mode, which permits maximum discharge of the 7.9 kWh battery and full power from the three electric motors.

    The SF90 will require the company to revise some of its sacred oaths of essentialism and immediacy.

    With the gas engine throbbing, it was then necessary to turn off electronic traction control, by twisting and holding the vehicle-dynamics manettino until ESC OFF indicator lights. Lastly, I pulled the transmission selector from Automatic to Manual mode, and toggled the right flappy-paddle to confirm first gear. The SF90’s launch-control switch shortcuts the process, but I wanted to make smoke, not catapult off a cliff.

    The SF90 is complicated, morally and otherwise. Its PHEV architecture comprises three electric motors: two axial-flux motors in front and one radial-flux motor between the V8 and gearbox—the cybernetically empowered eight-speed, dual-clutch transmission. A slim lithium-ion battery pack (7.9 kWh) is mounted transversely ahead of the engine. The electrics’ combined output (220 cv max) is laid atop the 3.9-liter V8’s insane max of 780 cv, for a nominal combined maximum of 1,000 cv, or 986 hp. Which turns out to be enough.

    The other big deal: Unlike brake-based torque-vectoring systems—which impart more torque to the outside wheel by braking the inside wheel—the SF90’s dual-motor front axle can instantly load up additional torque on the outside wheel rather than merely compensate for loss of traction on the inside. This dramatically increases the car’s maximum yaw rate around an alpine switchback, to put it mildly. I used to have a kidney on each side.

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    AIRBENDER Among the SF90’s aerodynamic tricks is a two-section suspended rear wing, with one element fixed and the other moveable, the latter called the shut-off Gurney. At 180 mph the SF90 Stradale can generate 859.8 pounds of road-holding aero downforce.
    PHOTO: FERRARI
    To grumpy, change-averse traditionalists: Yes, this one is pretty fussy. For example, the SF90 defaults to hybrid all-electric mode when started and will tend to favor electric propulsion, up to speeds of 84 mph—unless and until the system needs the engine to recharge the battery. So it can be humming along at highway speeds in e-drive when the V8 suddenly roars to life. Mamma mia! I thought I’d hit a land mine.

    Not all traditions are worth preserving. Ferrari’s longstanding philosophy for human-machine interface, inspired by F1 race cars—“hands on the wheel, eyes on the road”—has now produced a steering wheel so functional as to be practically unusable. Quick, find the volume control (on the backside of the wheel). The matchbox-sized capacitive switch pads require a surgeon’s touch and inordinate eye-time. I do love Ferrari’s heads-up display and navi graphics.

    Change is coming to Maranello. The SF90 wants to be sure you see it.
     
  4. Scott4503

    Scott4503 Rookie

    Dec 1, 2014
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    Thank you for such a great review as I consider switching from 812GTS to this
     
  5. Divexxtreme

    Divexxtreme Formula Junior

    Aug 14, 2020
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    Thanks, Lukey. Outstanding review, and very much appreciated. I currently have an F8 and put a deposit down on a 296, but after reading this and doing some more research I've decided to change my 296 order to a SF90 coupe. I think it will complement the F8 better than the GTB will.
     
  6. SF1000

    SF1000 Rookie

    Aug 2, 2021
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    Melbourne, Australia
    Excellent write up @Lukeylikey very informative and appreciate the insight from your perspective
     
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  7. Caeruleus11

    Caeruleus11 F1 World Champ
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    I hope as @Lukeylikey will share more of his experience and thoughts over time. Very much appreciated reading your- and everyone’s- thoughts so far.


    Sent from my iPad using FerrariChat
     
  8. Lukeylikey

    Lukeylikey F1 Rookie
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    Haven’t done too many more miles, up to 700 now, but have driven both PS and GTS on a mini road trip before going back to SF90. I love our PS and since it is yellow, there are certain times it captures the mood and surroundings perfectly. But I think it is my least favourite of the three. The other two are probably my favourite of all Ferraris. That’s quite a big statement, I have absolutely loved our Speciale and will never sell it. We have done so much in it, even did the Mille Miglia with our daughter. And I also love driving our 512M, full of personality and the real poster car for me. But there’s something about the GTS. It is better than our non-GPF 812 SF, even for sound - a little quieter but much nicer. It looks better (unusual for a convertible) and has better suspension settings. Brilliant around the bends, less harsh in normal use. It’s sound with the roof down is magnificent. We spec’d the expensive sound system, needn’t have bothered.

    Jumping out of that into the SF90 should be a disappointment if you listen to many who have drawn their conclusions about the car based on the spec sheet. It isn’t.

    It feels very solid, a level above other Ferraris except the hypers. The interior, the exterior, the seats, the driving…. The best compliment I can pay it is that in reviewing this car, its hybrid system features well down the list of things to talk about. Select Qualifying mode and the hybrid is seamless, just not noticeable except when you puzzle it through afterwards you just know it is making this car drive better. The first thing that strikes you is the summary feel of the car. Taken together, it works brilliantly and you feel like you can paint your thoughts on the road as you drive. Rather than getting in the way of driving, the tech on this car works with you and doesn’t interrupt. Be it hybrid, 4wd, nannies or EPAS. This is a unique and very special ferrari. I was so enamoured about driving the GTS that when I got back in the SF90 I wondered if I would suddenly see it in a different light and be a bit disappointed. Don’t get me wrong, the GTS and SF90 are not competitors. Just that the GTS is so good as a car and a toy that if the SF90 doesn’t offer anything over it in sporty driving dynamics, what’s the point in the extra price? GTS already has better engine and sound plus an open roof.

    Needn’t have worried. Is there a better two-car garage than these two? I even include the awesome GT2 RS in that. Sure, for very regular track use you might favour the 2RS or a 3RS. But though I can’t be definitive because I haven’t put the SF90 on track yet (I have followed one around Silverstone in the 2 RS so I have a good idea about it) I already know it will be good. On the road it is so good. It is very stiffly sprung in AF spec but when you’re going for it, that is an easy trade-off to accept, especially with the GTS in the garage. The SF90 can do things the GTS or Superfast just can’t. At a pace the Pista can’t match either. It feels a more elevated car than the Pista. I’m struggling to really articulate what I mean but it feels like ‘big brother’ as it was so aptly named on fchat. It feels anything but unwieldy, it feels sharp, dialled in and brilliant. It’s engaging like the Speciale and more perhaps than Pista. It moves around under pressure from your right foot and you need to be on your game. It is the first car I have ever driven that I can’t go full chat on the road. My sense of knowing what speed my reactions will cope with have had their limit breached with this car on almost all occasions. I know the places locally I can safely push the Pista without risk to others. Not so with the SF90. Is that its Achilles heel? Perhaps. If the track is the only place you can push this car to the limit, it’s not really practical as a track car being so expensive and since 1/3 off the cost would buy a decent 3RS. But it has one brilliant saving grace. Extra brilliant given all the tech this car has. It’s such a good ‘car’ (meaning tool to drive quickly) that even at less than 9 or 10/10ths it feels good to drive. It always has more and for those very rare occasions where you meet a bit of road you can safely let go, it holds tremendous appeal. But for other occasions where you can drive quickly, at maybe 7/10ths of what is possible the SF90 still has that feel-good factor, that thing that all the best cars do; make you forget the price and just engage with the moment, the road, the car, you and your thoughts. In my view, and admittedly at an early stage, I think this will turn out to be not only a great car but a great Ferrari.

    If you’re set against one in principle or if you can’t justify the expense, I have no beef with those conclusions. But if neither of those apply and you want a car that is going to feel special, you should give this one a long look.
     
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  9. Fortis

    Fortis Formula Junior

    Nov 2, 2019
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    You should refrain from writing any more reviews because you are making the wait for the delivery of my SF90 Spider unbearably difficult LOL

    J/K keep writing them I enjoyed very much reading it, thank you for taking the time.
     
  10. Jo Sta7

    Jo Sta7 F1 Rookie
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    Over the years of buying and using fun cars I've come to the conclusion that utilizing a super fast car at 8/10ths, knowing that on the rare occasion, when appropriate to push it, the car has more to give is more rewarding from an ownership standpoint than using a slow car at 10/10ths often and feeling let down in those situations where you want more.

    A lot disagree, but that's how I feel.
     
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  11. JJ77

    JJ77 Formula Junior

    Oct 3, 2020
    499
    +1 especially the engagement part…
     
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  12. Caeruleus11

    Caeruleus11 F1 World Champ
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    Thank you @Lukeylikey - I think you just put every magazine and social influencer to shame with your magnificent write up. Just fabulous. I think you’ve perfectly described the magic of modern Ferraris. Yes theres a lot of technology, but it never gets in the way of being a fun, engaging, and special driving experience.


    Sent from my iPad using FerrariChat
     
  13. inox

    inox Formula Junior

    Oct 11, 2017
    351
    If I understood correctly the opening post in this thread and Function modes chart (posted a bit later in page 1), the 4WD drive appears to be applied only when traction is limited. Is this really so?

    This is quite interesting. But shouldn't it be more efficient to prioritize those two front motors (over the rear motor) more often as they drive the wheels directly? The rear motor has to transmit power through the gearbox and differential which must cause more power losses.
     
  14. Lukeylikey

    Lukeylikey F1 Rookie
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    Yes, it is correct. Since it is an electrical drive system the awd intervention is seamless and instant. Much better than an FF/Lusso for instance, where you have a mechanical system which is slower witted and more noticeable when it engages. The big, big plus for this system is the front torque vectoring which transforms the mountain road driving experience at high speed. The car is faster and more capable than anything else I have driven and yet it is still fun too. This is a tech-laden car that still feels organic to drive. By that I mean instant throttle response - less lag than our Speciale, which I always thought was hair-trigger in the throttle department but the SF90 beats it, the crucial off-throttle response is Speciale-good too. Then you add massive power AND torque plus a front end that attacks a tight bend and torque vectoring that keeps the front nailed to the line and friendly adjustability at the rear with power and throttle control. With the front end nailed on, you can adjust the rear at will and end up fully immersed in the road. I found it intoxicating on our recent Spanish roadtrip. It’s not raw like a Speciale but it is far more capable without losing the engagement. I know some don’t like the hybrid as a concept but at least Ferrari have offered a return for the extra weight penalty (which you don’t easily notice anyway).
     
  15. Twosherpaz

    Twosherpaz Formula Junior

    Feb 25, 2014
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    Great writeups.

    I have very little to add and have a pretty skewed perspective as I drove the car on the track basically between SCV12 Essenza and FXXK Evo events. I am blessed to be able to drive the GT3 racecar and Senna GTR as well on a regular basis.

    It is with that caveat that my analysis is burdened.

    After driving the car down the road ten hours to the track, my expectation was that this car would be my best street car on the track. I had test driven one at Sonoma raceway perhaps at 60%.

    Here is a strange mental gyration I went through: prior to getting the 765LT, I always said the Dodge Viper ACR was my best street car on the track. The 765LT exceeded that. So, I was comparing the AF SF90 to the 765. The weight disadvantage kept me from proclaiming the SF90 as my favorite street car on the track. Despite great acceleration and performance.

    The weird mental gyration is that I started saying the SF90 was less than, for me, both the 765LT and the Weissach 918. I had not compared the 918 before to “regular” street cars. The fact that the SF90 now at least compares to the Weissach 918 is significant.

    I’ve never really understood how the Weissach 918 does stuff so well at 400-600 more pounds than the P1 or La Ferrari. But the more I drive all three the more I appreciate how well the 918 performs. The characteristics of the SF90 compare to the 918 in that it is too heavy to be ideal, and yet it does stuff it has no business being able to do so well.

    Hopefully, I was not too confusing to the reader. It made sense in my head, lol. Trying to summarize, AF SF90 too heavy to delight me as much as the 765LT on track, but comparable to the Weissach 918.
     
  16. JJ77

    JJ77 Formula Junior

    Oct 3, 2020
    499
    As an ex 918 owner couldn’t agree with your analysis more…
     
  17. Jo Sta7

    Jo Sta7 F1 Rookie
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    So on track 765>918>=SF90. I'm reading this right?
     
  18. Twosherpaz

    Twosherpaz Formula Junior

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    Both are slightly better than the SF90, IMO. I never felt a comparison on the 765 to the 918 when I drove the 765.

    Thinking about it now, no, I don’t think I would put the 765 over the 918 Weissach. The thing is, I had never before even considered one of the big three super cars in the realm of street car comparisons. The SF90 had me doing that.
     
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  19. of2worlds

    of2worlds F1 World Champ
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    Does the SF90 have you rethinking the platform for your Ferrari SP model at all?
     
  20. Twosherpaz

    Twosherpaz Formula Junior

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    Lol, do I want to throw away over three years of work and millions of dollars and an almost complete SP? No.

    The experience of creating a one-off car with Ferrari has been one of the most enjoyable adventures I have taken. Even Covid did not diminish the journey. While I was unable to see my full size model for many months, as I related in my first face-to-face meeting with the team in over a year earlier this month, the places I setup zoom calls, the things I was doing at that time, the excitement in seeing pictures of the car as it was developed, all had their own unique and enjoyable flavor. I will remember those moments until I can hide my own Easter eggs.

    We all look forward to sharing the car with you next year!
     
  21. KZEVO

    KZEVO Karting

    Jul 25, 2021
    132
    @Twosherpaz what color is your SF90? Looks stunning. Thank you @Lukeylikey for such in-depth thoughts on the car. As an owner of a 458, I've been mulling over the past few days about securing an allocation of the SF90 (expected to close soon) but torn between whether I'm better off adding a speciale or pista to the garage. Speciale would replace the 458 but a pista or SF would complement the 458...at least those are the thoughts for now.
     
  22. buddyg

    buddyg F1 Veteran
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    So your feeling is what it is but what are the lap times of the SF90 vs these other cars?
     
  23. Fortis

    Fortis Formula Junior

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    I know this is the wrong thread but could you please tell me more about the SCV12?
     
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  24. inox

    inox Formula Junior

    Oct 11, 2017
    351
    OK. I think I'm starting to get a picture how the system operates. While for maximum straight line acceleration it would make sense to prioritize front e-motors over the rear e-motor (due to smaller mechanical losses), Ferrari has chosen to use front motors mainly for torque vectoring and short bursts (with priority on drivability over maximal continuous acceleration). The use of front motors maybe also limited by the output of the battery, allowing only short bursts of all three motors working together.

    While SF90 has significantly more punch out of the corners when compared to 296 GTB, in continuous acceleration the difference may be much smaller than max horsepower figures (1000 vs 830 cv) suggest, due to similar battery capacities and around 100 kg lower weight of 296 GTB.
     

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