Latest News
Volvo: Safety Beyond the Star Ratings
The Ferrari 296 GTB flips the script with a V6 hybrid powertrain more than capable of delivering supercar thrills.
A New Kind of Ferrari
Ferraris are known for their stunning designs and roaring V12s. The new Ferrari 296 GTB indubitably features the latter, but absent is a V12 in back. Instead, the 296 GTB is powered by a mid-mounted hybrid V6. Supercars have been flirting with hybridization for years now, but the 296 GTB represents a major leap into the future for the traditionalists at Ferrari. Not least because the 296 GTB will be the first badged Ferrari to feature a V6 engine (owning to its sub-brand positioning, the famous V6 Dino never carried the prancing horse logo).
Design
The Ferrari 296 GTB is a striking yet subtle car, opting for elegance over ostentation. It’s a wide car. The front-end air intake spreads like a sly and knowing grin while the headlamps provide a mischievous squint. The 20-inch wheels look even larger than that in proportion to the rest of the car. Most notable however, are the wide rear hunches providing the sense that the car is hunkering down, coiled and ready to pounce even at rest. And nestled in these hunches are a pair of massive intakes gulping in air to feed the turbo V6. A transparent cover over the engine bay allows you to admire the beating heart within.
Specs
Ferrari has done plug-in hybrids before the 296 GTB, take the SF90 for instance. But the 296 GTB makes use of its hybrid nature unlike any predecessor. Positioned mid-ship is a turbocharged 3.0L V6 paired with an electric motor. Together they combine for 819 horsepower and a redline at 8,500 rpm. An eight-speed dual clutch automatic comes with the requisite paddle shifters. The 296 GTB even gets 15 miles of electric only driving range, making it one of the few Ferraris that won’t wake the neighbors when you depart the garage.
Performance
It might not be a V8 or a V12, but the 296’s V6 engine sounds remarkable beyond all reasonable expectation. Engineers dubbed it the piccolo V12 for its distinct yet evocative musicality. Turbo lag is expertly controlled and throttle response nearly instantaneous. The ceramic brakes provide confident stopping power. These, working in conjunction with the electronic ABS, an electronic limited-slip differential, and the Side Slip Control system, make the 296 GTB an absolute track monster. Of course, the 296 GTB also impresses moving in a straight line. It sprints from zero to sixty-two mph in just 2.9 seconds and reaches a maximum speed of 205 mph. V6 or no, the 296 GTB is every bit a Ferrari once you put the pedal down.
Questions Answered
The 296 GTB just might be the best driving car in a segment loaded to the gills with exceptional automobiles. Yes, it’s that good. Considering the $322,000 price tag (exorbitant no doubt), the 296 GTB is something of a steal when compared to peers and even lesser cars that sport higher asking prices.
The Ferrari 296 GTB proves we need not fear for our electrified future. The edge is still here, honed and as sharp as ever. With the 296, Ferrari has dialed in the perfect balance of petrol and electrons for maximum excitement.
