Turbocharging requires plenty of exhaust pressure for spooling, thereby muffling the sound of a given engine. Remember the naturally-aspirated 458? It was replaced by the 488, which – obviously enough – doesn’t offer the same level of aural pleasure.
Although the 488 wasn’t the first application of the F154 twin-turbo V8, it was the first mid-engine Ferrari to receive said powerplant. Originally a 3.9 in the California T, this lump displaces 4.0 liters in the SF90 Stradale and its Spider-bodied sibling.
Novitec has recently had a go at improving the SF90’s aural qualities with the so-called Power Optimized Exhaust System, a setup that you can specify in three distinct flavors: stainless steel, Inconel, or Inconel with 999 fine gold plating. This upgrade is joined by a set of sports cats, allowing the force-fed V8 to breathe out better. Once again, the German tuner is much obliged to charge extra if you want said catalytic converters plated in 999.
999 indicates a gold content of 999.9 parts for every thousand, the finest kind of gold available. Also referred to as 24 karat, this kind of gold is extremely soft because it’s not alloyed with other metals.
As far as Novitec’s exhaust system for the SF90 is concerned, the finishing touch comes in the form of carbon fiber-dressed tailpipes. The carbon garnish can be had in either gloss or matte. Customers who like to be ridiculed by other drivers and passersby can always switch to gold plating for the outlets.
Photo: Novitec
Pictured as a Spider, the SF90 in the video below further dons a set of Novitec forged wheels and something referred to as CANTRONIC. This device is best described as a suspension control module for sharpened handling. The CANTRONIC can also be used to lift the rear wing of the rear spoiler of the Lamborghini Aventador at speeds lower than 110 kilometers per hour (make that 68 miles per hour) to ensure better cooling for the 6.5-liter V12 mill.
Speaking of which, the Aventador was replaced by a plug-in hybrid with a completely new V12 rather than a reworked Aventador engine. Also a 6.5 like its predecessor, the new powerplant is joined by a dual-clutch transaxle and three electric motors.
Chances are the Raging Bull of Sant’Agata Bolognese took inspiration from the Prancing Horse of Maranello for this configuration, although it should be highlighted that it’s a little different from the SF90. The most performance-oriented Ferrari that money can buy as of October 2023 will be canned in the lattermost part of 2024, but fret not.
Ferrari currently works on the successor of the SF90, with early chassis mules boasting larger side air intakes for better cooling and more power. The yet-unnamed replacement is likely to reach dealers in early 2025 or the summer of 2025, making it either a 2025 model or a 2026 model.
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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