After finishing his studies at the University of Florence, Flavio Manzoni joined Lancia in 1993. Over the years, the 55-year-old architect and automotive designer perfected himself while working at SEAT, Fiat, and the Volkswagen Group.
2010 is when Manzoni joined Ferrari as director of design, and the first Prancing Horse to bear his mark is the FF four-seat and four-wheel-drive grand tourer. Flavio is also responsible for the SF90 Spider, and he’s much obliged to talk you through the bite-the-back-of-your-hand gorgeous styling of the plug-in hybrid supercar. In his own words, “Ferrari has always redefined the limits of the possible.”
“The SF90 Spider is the perfect embodiment of this spirit, merging engineering and innovation with fascinating beauty.” Manzoni refers to integrating form and function as much as possible, giving the car a unique character without diluting the legacy of the brand. “The architecture and proportions are key elements of the design, especially the compact cabin with a kind of cab-forward effect.”
At the 1:43 mark of the following video, you can also see and hear the SF90 Spider retracting the roof into a compartment located between the cabin and engine bay. The headrests are complemented by two buttresses that are unique to this body style, and Manzoni compares the looks of the rear end to those of a spaceship.
One of the biggest design quirks of this mid-engine land missile is the rear spoiler, which can be described as a shut-off Gurney flap that goes down for maximum downforce and up into the normal position for minimal downforce. That’s definitely different from other supercars out there, don’t you think?
Set to arrive in the United States in the fall of 2021, the SF90 Spider stickers at $625,000 before options. Quite an eye-watering price, but then again, you’re getting world-class performance in a hardtop convertible from the best name in the business.
Just like the fixed-head coupe, this body style is boasting 1,000 PS (986 horsepower) and 960 Nm (708 pound-feet) of torque from a twin-turbo V8 and three electric motors. Because the dual-clutch transmission doesn’t feature a reverse gear, one of those three electric motors is tasked with reversing the vehicle.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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