Ferrari's Replacement For The SF90 Will Be Wild

The Autoblog spy photographers have been very busy of late, and their most recent submission is a new Prancing Horse, reportedly carrying the internal codename Project F173M. This Ferrari 296 GTB forms the basis of the next SF90 Stradale, which probably won’t be called that. Confused yet? Well, the 986-horsepower, V8 hybrid, AWD SF90 came first in 2019, then Ferrari created the 296 GTB with 819 ponies in 2022. The gulf between the two cars in terms of outright performance figures was much closer than it was with the F8 Tributo that the 296 effectively replaced, and combining these factors with the arrival of Lamborghini’s own hybrid AWD supercar, the 1,001-hp Revuelto, compels Maranello to change things. And change they will. Our spies claim the SF90 nomenclature will stick around, but that’s not Ferrari’s way, renaming even cars that receive only subtle updates. And what about the arrival of the SF90 XX? It has been argued that this variant was only introduced to get SF90s out the door after declining sales, and whether that’s fair or not, Ferrari has traditionally only applied the nomenclature at the very end of a generation.

Will The SF90 Will Lose Two Cylinders?

Ferrari has been embracing what was once its least-used engine configuration, the V6 now finding itself in the halo F80, a car that many expected to be powered by twice as many cylinders – but our spies claim the V8 and triple e-motor setup will remain. On the one hand, a lighter, more compact V6 could provide performance and efficiency benefits, but on the other, leaving the Roma-replacing Amalfi as the only V8 doesn’t entirely make sense. The V8 clearly still meets emissions regulations, and with electric motors, it’ll be even easier to maintain cleanliness. In addition, having two V6 AWD 1,000-hp offerings in one lineup seems redundant, though Ferrari could argue the more expensive car is more capable on track. Still, there’s a curious detail about this mule: it’s not an SF90 with temporary bodywork – it’s a 296 GTB. Look at the mirror housings and roofline, and the glasshouse in general. The ridiculous offsets of the wheels are another clue.

Far Away From Fiorano

Our spies caught this prototype in Germany, which means that Ferrari can’t comprehensively develop Project F173M at its Fiorano test track. Ferrari’s miniature circuit still offers learning opportunities, but frankly, it’s too short, too slow, too flat, and too smoothly surfaced to fully explore and expand a car’s capabilities – descriptors that have never been applied to the Nürburgring. Looking at the front of the car, we see more reasoning for Ferrari’s foray far beyond Italian borders: the areas where headlights would normally be found appear to have become much bigger air intakes, indicating a new aerodynamic approach. The extended rear end may be indicative of a longtail design, but again, this appears to be a 296 mule (179.7 inches), so it would need some prosthetic assistance to match the bigger SF90 (185.4 inches). Nonetheless, it’s tough to be sure what has been done for performance reasons and what is changing due to stylistic considerations; Ferrari’s latest evolution in design embraces hidden or minimized lighting systems, and with tiny slits for eyes, these could be placed or shaped in any way. The rumor mill suggests the finished product will be revealed at a presentation in September, but early next year is also possible.

Related: Ferrari Turning Up The Heat With Two New Models