Piloting the most powerful Prancing Horse to date can now be a breezy, face-rearranging experience thanks the new SF90 Spider.
You’ll recall that the SF90 Stradale coupe was introduced in 2019 with a buzzy hybrid powertrain, following a trend marked by other electrified hypercars like the currently available Lamborghini Sian and upcoming Aston Martin Valhalla and McLaren HPH models.
Said powertrain is comprised of a minutely larger, 769-horsepower version of 4.0-liter, turbocharged V8 found in the 488 Pista, and three electric motors—two in the front, one in the back—that bring an additional 217 horses to the party for total maximum output of 986 hp. That power is fed to all four wheels through Ferrari’s F1-developed drivetrain an eight-speed, dual-clutch transmission that’s capable of making shifts in just 200 milliseconds.
All of that Italian-engineered greatness is retained in the SF90 Spider. But what’s really impressive is that Ferrari has figured out how to avoid the characteristic dip in performance that commonly results when a coupe is made into a convertible. Even with a retractable aluminum hardtop that can be stowed in 14 seconds, the SF90 Spider boasts the same blistering 2.5-second zero-to-60 mph time and 211-mph top speed as the Stradale.
The roof’s surface was designed to optimally manage the direction of the aerodynamic flow toward tail. A key element is the suspended shut-off Gurney that automatically adjusts for parameters such as speed, acceleration, steering wheel angle and brake pedal pressure to minimize drag and maximize downforce. The intake vents directly behind the roof were also rearranged transversely behind the Spider’s rear screen to account for the retractable hardtop’s stowage compartment, Car and Driver notes.
The SF90 Spider’s sleek, nearly all-digital interior is similar to the coupe’s with a 16-inch high-def instrument cluster and a customizable heads-up display. The steering wheel is equipped with touchpad controls for the headlights, windshield wiper, turn indicators, as well as four buttons that can be used to select the power unit mode.
Right out of the gate, the SF90 Spider is available with a Assetto Fiorano performance pack featuring upgraded Multimatic shock absorbers, a carbon fiber and titanium diet that sheds a modest 46 pounds off the 3,681-pound curb weight, a carbon fiber rear spoiler, soft-compound tires that are suited to the road and track, and a two-tone blue livery.
Car and Driver reports that the 2021 Ferrari SF90 will cost $558,000 when it hits dealers next year.
