The first with the aileron
It is one of the fastest production cars on the planet, it is super exclusive and equally expensive, but, above all, it debuts concepts never before seen on a Ferrari series: la SF90 XX Spider will be produced in solo 599 specimens (all already sold) and embodies a new way of having fun in the universe of Cavallino supercars. Together with the coupé version (the SF90 XX Stradale) it is the first road Ferrari to be called XX, that program which for about twenty years has brought Maranello’s wealthiest customers to the curbs with cars built specifically for the track, without the constraints road car approvals. There Ferrari SF90 XX instead it has the plaques, but reinterpreting its philosophy. And so the sinuous lines of the SF90 Spider from which it derives have been distorted with panels from the car body completely new (in composite material) designed to maximize the aerodynamic load which, thanks to the new fixed rear wing (not seen on a road Ferrari since the F50), reaches 530 kg at a speed of 250 km/h.
Style and function
To achieve such a result the Ferrari men have the front trunk was eliminated (but we don’t miss it much, given that it was tiny, 74 litres) and rotated the radiator dedicated to the electrical part of the hybrid system by 180 degrees to create a particular S-shaped duct – called S-Duct – which channels air from the front towards the top of the car. In this way the hot air coming out of the radiator is no longer pushed downwards and this has made it possible to make the system even more efficient. bottom of the car, almost completely closed. We also find new aerodynamic elements in the wheel arches equipped with extractors to evacuate the “turbulent” air trapped in the wheel area, while, at the rear, theaileron action it is combined with that of the shut-off gurney: it is a mobile element in the upper part of the tail that raises and lowers depending on whether it is necessary to increase the aerodynamic load or reduce it when traveling in a straight line at very high speeds.
How it has changed
From an aesthetic point of view, the Ferrari SF90 XX Spider it also has a unique design for the rear where instead of the four headlights of the SF90 Spider there is a thin LED light bar which also acts as a brake light and, just lower at the ends, as a direction indicator. LThe interior is essential, “bare”: to save weight, all unnecessary coverings have been eliminated and the carbon shell seats are of a new design and even lighter (1.5 kilos less per seat) than the previous ones. Storage is almost completely absent, limited to a cup holder in the center and a small pocket between the backrests: it is clearly not a car designed for trips, even short ones, but only for the pure driving fun. As for technology, we find, as on the car from which it derives, a large digital dashboard that can be configured via tactile controls on the steering wheel spokes and a small screen in the center oriented towards the passenger. All the most important functions are there, but it is not the most intuitive systems to interface with.
A few more horses
But let’s get to the mechanical part of the Ferrari SF90 XX Spiderbecause even under the bodywork there are several new features: the power of the hybrid system has increased slightly, which can now count on 30 more horsepower (1030 in total): 17 come from the revised biturbo V8 with new pistons and new profiles for the combustion chambers, 13 from the electrical part (updated in the software) consisting of three electric motors, one placed between the eight cylinder and the eight-speed dual clutch gearbox, the other two at the front to give traction to the front wheels. Needless to say, the accelerations they take away literally the breath: 2.3 seconds are enough to sprint from 0 to 100 km/h and just 6.7 seconds to reach 200 km/h. The maximum speed is 320 km/h, slightly lower than that of the “normal” SF90 Spider due to the new aerodynamic appendages.
A specific calibrationthen, it was also reserved for the steering and transmission, while the electronically controlled shock absorbers are specific for this application. As for the hybrid part, the Ferrari SF90 XX Spider works in the same way as the SF90 Spider: thanks to a 7.9 kWh battery placed behind the seats, you can travel up to 25 km with zero emissions (and front-wheel drive, because in purely electric mode only the two front motors work). The battery is recharged from a socket located opposite the fuel cap, but the fastest way to get it back to 100% is not to plug it in, but rather to drive briskly in the sportiest driving modes, where between the action of regenerative braking and that of the V8 there is never any risk of running out of power.
What suspensions!
But how do all these innovations translate into the driving experience? Acceleration aside, getting behind the wheel of the Ferrari SF90 XX Spider you immediately have the sensation of driving a car closer to the world of racing than that of normal road cars. You can hear practically everything, from the slightest imperfections in the road to the noise of small pebbles hitting the bottom, while as soon as you open the throttle a little more, the symphony of the eight cylinder and the intake sound of the turbochargers become perceive strongly.
When the straights give way to curves, the Ferrari SF90 XX Spider surprises from every point of view, starting from the suspensions: because despite being very stiff (roll has been reduced by 10% compared to the SF90 Spider) and designed for use on the track, they manage to absorb all the bumps properly of the road surface without ever causing the car to break down even when there are significant depressions. And so you can press on the gas pedal with greater confidence, safe in the knowledge that you won’t have to deal with sudden “backslides”. The credit for this behavior, obviously, also goes to the electronics which decide how much power to give you at any moment in a very fluid way and never with sudden torque cuts.
You can also brake when cornering
Compared to the car from which it derives, the feeling of the brake pedal also improves: the carbon-ceramic system, derived from the cars that compete in the single-make Ferrari Challenge championship, stops this supercar “in a handkerchief”, but at the same time is well modulated and thanks to the proprietary “Abs Evo” anti-lock brake system (which predictively manages the clamping of the discs on the individual wheels independently) it is possible to apply braking when entering a bend, guaranteeing a strong sense of stability even when approaching at the limit. The steering is very precise, slightly less responsive than other recent controls of the Cavallino, but designed for driving between curves at the very high speeds of which this one is capable. Ferrari SF90 XX Spider.
It will go down in history
The best technology available today on one Ferrari is found on this one SF90 XX Spider and the result is exhilarating: despite the technical complexity of a car powered by four engines, the result is a satisfying and even simple drive, once you get used to the enormous power available under your right foot. And even in this spider variant (with the carbon roof that folds in just 14 seconds up to 45 km/h) there is never any lack of rigidity. Defects? Difficult to find, if not for the obvious ones of such an extreme supercar, such as the lack of space for objects and luggage and the noise. A special car that costs a lot, but with a certain future collector value.
