When we think Ferrari XX our mind immediately goes to the Enzo FXX supercar, or more recently, the 599XX track special that pierced eardrums with its front-engined V12 layout. We often forget about the most recent Ferrari LaFerrari FXX K Evo, the overall design of which was so track-focused that it barely resembled the car on which it was based. Understanding this connection between road and track, Ferrari has unveiled the SF90 XX Stradale and Spider – the first road-legal vehicles to bare the XX moniker – limited to 799 and 599 examples respectively.
Power figures may only be up 30 CV (1,030 CV) over the SF90 Stradale. However, the internal components of the mid-rear-mounted V8 turbo engine have been changed, with polished inlet and exhaust ducts, a higher compression ratio with new pistons and machining of the combustion chamber.
All of this is managed by new software logic and increased aerodynamics, including a fixed rear spoiler that helps double the maximum downforce of the standard car.
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The SF90 XX sounds better too, with a redesigned tube from the intake plenum now closer to the bulkhead for increased harmonics and a resonator now closer to the engine for a richer mid-range sound and edgier sound in the higher RPMs. Taking patented gearbox logic from the Ferrari Daytona SP3 the SF90 XX also brings overrun crackles and pops on lift-off in the medium/high revs.
Acceleration figures are immense, with a 0-100 km/h of 2.3 seconds and a 0-200km/h time of 6.5 seconds. The SF90 Stradale was a missle, but the SF90 XX sounds like it will be a league above.
At the rear of the vehicle, you’ll now find a fixed wing – the first to appear on a road-going Ferrari since the days of the F50 – and one that delivers up to 530 kg of downforce at 250 km/h. Interestingly, it works in conjunction with the active rear spoiler that sits above the twin exhausts built into the trimaran design of the tail. The stance from the rear is exceptional, only enhanced by the numerous louvres around the body.
Inside, sound is further enhanced by the lack of carpets and leathers. Replaced by technical fabrics and carbon-fibre around the functional areas, e.g. the upper dashboard is finished in Alcantara, while the lower part is trimmed in fabric. The seat is the stand out addition to the interior in our eyes, with a visible carbon-fibre tubular structure that looks like a fixed bucket seat, but actually houses elastic trim materials to hide the separation between the backrest and seat squab. They save 1.3 kg in weight compared to the SF90 Stradale’s single-piece seat.
Ferrari will only produce 799 Stradale and 599 Spider examples respectively. Price? It means nothing in the world of hypercars, especially when all the SF90 XX have already been allocated to their respectrive owners, but if you had to ask the SF90 XX costs around USD$844,000 for the coupe, and USD$932,000 for the Spider. We wouldn’t expect owners to lose a single penny on their purchase.
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