The Ferrari SF90 XX Stradale and Spider Are The First Road-legal Models Developed By Ferrari’s Track-Focused XX Division

You know what the ‘Speciale’ suffix means on a Ferrari model moniker: a hardcore version of an already fast car! And then there’s the XX programme, which harnesses the extremes of that specific model to create a track-only weapon, offering the most raw and undiluted experience.

Best of both worlds

The chaps from Maranello, for the first time, have combined the characteristics of the Special Series and the XX programme to create the Ferrari SF90 XX Stradale and XX Spider. This makes it the first road-legal car to get the XX programme treatment and the results are evident right from the design to the performance figures.

Design

Ferrari has taken the striking design of the SF90 Stradale and incorporated a host of active aerodynamic fins, slats, wings, and modifications to the cooling system for its electric and thermal components to make it the most efficient aerodynamic performance of any road-legal  prancing horse. 

The nose has been redesigned for a more aggressive look, which also improves the capacity for air intake, in turn improving the performance of the V8 underneath. The air dams in the fenders are prominent in profile, alongside the new rims, which have also been designed to boost aerodynamics and follow what Ferrari calls star-burst wheels.

The most obvious addition is the presence of the massive fixed wing, which draws inspiration from the XX programme models and is something that hasn’t been seen on a street-legal Ferrari since 1995. 

The twin taillights have been replaced by a single wraparound light bar which spans the width of the aggressive rear. Carbon fibre has of course been used generously, as seen on the front lip, spitter, wings, roll bars, and diffuser. The retractable hard top on the Spider can be opened or closed in just 14 seconds, at speeds of up to 45kmph. 

Cabin

The cabin has gone through an extensive weight-saving procedure, with a focus mainly on the door panels, tunnel and mats that now get a race-specific fabric with carbon fibre used for certain components. The XX programme’s racing proficiency gets further highlighted inside the cabin with the carbon fibre racing seats, which not only save weight but also offer improved bolstering. All in all, it is a space that focuses more on shaving seconds off the timing sheet than driving comfort.

Powertrain

The Ferrari SF90 Stradale’s powertrain was already a potent one and Ferrari has somehow managed to extract an additional 30PS, taking the overall combined output to 1030PS and 804Nm. This is achieved via the same twin-turbocharged 4-litre V8 working in conjunction with three electric motors and a 7.9kWh battery pack.

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Its plug-in hybrid technology offers a deceptively quiet, pure-electric range of 25km. Unleash the electric motors and the ICE unit at its zenith, and the SF90 XX will do the 0-100kmph sprint in just 2.3 seconds, with 0-200kmph coming up in 6.5 seconds for the coupe, and 6.7 seconds for the Spider.

There are bigger brakes lurking behind the stylish rims, while you get a host of electronic aids to eke out the maximum performance possible. The SF90 XX’ hybrid powertrain also gets extra boost control logic which, as the name suggests, offers additional power for a short duration, filling in the output gaps of the ICE engine. 

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You know how some cars are bound to be collectors’ items? We reckon this one fits the bill perfectly, as not only is it the first XX-developed road-legal Ferrari, but will also be restricted to a 799-unit production run for the coupe, and 599 units for the Spider. And of course, all of them are already accounted for, so you can’t get your hands on one even if you have the requisite Rs 9 crore (estimated ex-showroom price) lying around. So good luck finding one in the pre-owned market!