From a pair of open-top Prancing Horses to the majestic front-engined Roma, local Ferrari distributor Naza Italia has been incredibly busy in 2020, pandemic and ensuing MCO notwithstanding. However, the series of new launches would not be complete without one of the most significant cars to roll out of the red walls of Maranello in recent times: the SF90 Stradale. 

At long last, Ferrari's first plug-in hybrid vehicle has finally arrived in Malaysia. And you can tell it's a big one when the opening presentation slide lines it up alongside the F40, F50, Enzo and LaFerrari; limited-run flagships, each one definitive of its respective motoring era. Named to honour Scuderia Ferrari's 90th anniversary, the SF90 belongs in such company on the basis of its significance as the brand's first series-production PHEV and the sheer power its dual-propulsion powertrain produces. 

The total figure is 1,000PS - yes, a THOUSAND - which roughly translates to 986bhp; more than any road-legal Ferrari special ever had. Of this total, 770bhp is derived from the brand's award-winning, F154 V8 - in this case being the most Ferrari has ever extracted from an eight-cylinder engine - while 216bhp is the product of the SF90's three electric motors: an F1-style MGUK (Motor Generator Unit Kinetic) in the rear and a pair of motors on the front axle. With the front wheels driven electrically, the SF90 is essentially Ferrari's first AWD sports car. And if you're driving it in fully-electric eDrive mode, which lasts up to 25km, the SF90 basically transforms into an FWD EV. Blasphemous? Somewhat. But extremely clever nonetheless.

Managing all of that power is the new eight-speed dual clutch transmission that has also found its way into the Roma and recently-revealed Portofino M. And it certainly does a fantastic job of it. The SF90 Stradale does 0-100kph in 2.5 seconds - 200kph is hit in 6.7 - all the way to a top speed of 340kph. Despite the 270kg of electrical components it carries, the SF90 is still objectively Ferrari's fastest and most powerful series production car that's fit for public roads. Clever aerodynamics capable of generating 390kg of downforce at 250kph (with the Assetto Fiorano option, but more on that in a bit) and a series of racy vehicle control logics such as eSSC (electronic Side Slip Control) and electric traction control all help keep the SF90 Stradale manageable while upholding its positioning as Ferrari's "first series production supercar". 

In the Italian carmaker's dictionary, supercar refers to creations in the F40, Enzo and LaFerrari's mould. And by stats and features alone, the SF90 Stradale is certainly up there with the Prancing Horse's greatest hits. However, such pedigree comes at a price. In Malaysia, the base price before duties, options, taxes and insurance is a whopping RM1,908,000. And you'll have to top up even more if you want your SF90 in the Assetto Fiorano specification pictured, which isn't merely a slab of silver paint across the car. The package also includes special GT racing-derived Multimatic shock absorbers, a bunch of carbon fiber and titanium components (door panels, springs, exhaust, etc.) that shave 30kg off the kerb weight, a carbon fiber rear spoiler responsible for the aforementioned downforce and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup2 tyres. 

On the bright side, the hefty ticket price also grants owners seven years of maintenance, now made all the more rewarding at Ferrari Malaysia's newly renovated flagship showroom in Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Naza Italia invested RM3.5 million to update its facility as per Ferrari's new corporate identity, not that you'd expect any less considering that's roughly the amount you'll need to fork out to purchase and register a brand new SF90 Stradale in Malaysia.