In the interest of promoting Ferrari's first plug-in hybrid, we have selected the right way to order a 2020 SF90 Stradale. And order you can. Unlike the LaFerrari, the SF90 is a series model without a production cap. A 986-hp twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8/three-motor powertrain should make it faster, while a 7.9-kWh battery could make it completely silent for 16 miles. The SF90 promises hypercar heroics without straying from Ferrari's more conventional mid-engined cars, the F8 Tributo and the 488 Pista. In terms of size, ergonomics, and doors that open the boring way, the SF90 is less garage queen and more late-night grocery getter. All those empty charging stations at supermarkets might as well see some action.
Of course, the Ferrari waiting game means if you place a deposit today, your SF90 may not arrive for another year after the first deliveries in early 2020. That's typical. But for all the radical style and technology, an SF90, with its somewhat accessible price, is the workaround to Ferrari's most unapproachable models—those limited runs where Ferrari can choose not to accept your money.
Not as expensive as you thought, right? At roughly half the cost of a new LaFerrari (and with four fewer cylinders), the SF90 is a steal if it can reach 60 mph in 2.5 seconds and top 211 mph as Ferrari claims. Since it's a plug-in hybrid, the EPA is likely not to saddle the SF90 with a gas-guzzler tax—a roughly $3000 discount off the bat. Including the $3750 destination charge and a $1750 fee to pay for Ferrari's marketing (really), you're in for at least $512,800 before taxes if you do the right thing and don't register the car in Montana. Since it's a plug-in, the feds will credit $4126 off your taxes. We'll repeat: The government will pay you to drive a Ferrari.
While we could have brought the 812 Superfast loaner we're driving at this very moment to our local Ferrari dealership in Connecticut to spec a complete car, we'd rather not waste the salesman's time with fantasies. Instead, we headed to the Ferrari.com configurator that doesn't show any prices. It also doesn't have any big red books filled with paint samples, no polished tables with stacks of leather swatches and colored seatbelts, or walls and walls of brakes and steering wheels. Actual Ferrari buyers can choose whatever they want and have access to a private configurator that renders all of their options as it does on the company's public website. So take our SF90 spec as just the start of our wishes, not the final build.
The Fiorano Pack drops weight, adds a carbon rear lip spoiler, upgrades the shocks, and fits stickier tires. It probably puts a Corolla-sized dent in the window sticker, too. Carbon-fiber wheels were first seen on Shelby Mustangs, so that's an obvious pick. They also match the SF90's deep air intakes and other black carbon bits. But this sinewy body needs a lighter color to reveal its muscle. We chose the gorgeous Azzurro California because baby sky blues don't age, and we picked the silver stripe and yellow front bumper accent because it says "race car" without shouting Dodge Hellcat. The yellow coordinates with the SF90's version of a matching necktie and pocket square, its brake calipers and Scuderia Ferrari side shields. We picked titanium pipes since that exotic metal, combined with its thinner gauge in exhaust applications, tends to emit shriller, louder sounds. On an EV, that's critical for pedestrian safety.
Inside, Ferrari doesn't allow many choices in the regular configurator. Still, we went for the comfortable and deliciously ribbed Daytona seats in a dark red. Forget the racing seats. In a roadgoing Ferrari, it's preferable to put carbon fiber on the dash instead of at your back, so we chose the carbon interior upgrade. The 16-inch curved display for the instrument cluster is standard, and for some first-time Ferrari buyers, it may be the entire reason to buy the car. Throw in some floor mats, and this SF90—for what we estimate would be $600,000 with these options—is a wonderful gift to ourselves before the market crashes again.
