The car is a beast and a complex one at that, the sheer power all of 818hp (165bhp of e-thrust supplemented by another 663bhp from the twin-turbo V6), you can feel all of it come together as the speedometer moves from 0-100 in just under 3 seconds. It hugs the corners smoothly and feels intimate and connected to the track as you whizz at the top speed close to 330kmph. The BIC track is a tricky one, with sharp hairpin bends, but the Ferrari 296GTB gives you the confidence to play race car driver and test your modest skills.
The interiors are well thought out and spacious, while the car, in all its sleek and shiny glory, is a thing of beauty. And the fact that it is a hybrid adds depth and dimension to the drive experience. And we agree with experts across the world when they say that this is, perhaps, the best mid-engined supercar at the moment.
Here is a video of an adrenaline-filled day of adventure we had at the BIC test driving the 296GTB as well as admiring the exquisite cars from the iconic brand that were displayed.
296 GTB – THE HYBRID EVOLUTION
The 296 GTB, the latest evolution of Maranello’s mid-rear-engined two-seater Berlinetta, redefines the whole concept of fun behind the wheel, guaranteeing pure emotions not just when pushing the car to its limits, but also in day-to-day driving situations.
It ushers in an authentic revolution for Ferrari as it introduces a new engine type to flank the marque’s multi-award-winning 8- and 12-cylinder power units: a new 663 cv 120° V6 coupled with an electric motor capable of delivering a further 122 kW (167 cv). This is the first 6-cylinder engine installed on a road car sporting the Prancing Horse badge: it unleashes its massive 830 cv total power output to deliver previously unthinkable performance levels and an innovative, exhilarating and unique soundtrack.
The 296 GTB’s plug-in hybrid (PHEV) system guarantees it is an incredibly usable car as well as cutting pedal response times to zero and delivering a 25km range in all-electric eDrive mode. The car’s compact dimensions and the introduction of innovative dynamic control systems as well as meticulously honed aero ensure that the driver will instantly experience its astonishing agility and responsiveness to commands. Its sporty, sinuous design and extremely compact dimensions also visually underscore its exceptional modernity, brilliantly referencing the likes of the 1963 250 LM, the perfect marriage of simplicity and functionality.
POWERTRAIN
The 296 GTB is the first Ferrari road car to sport a V6 turbo with a vee with an angle of 120° between the cylinder banks, coupled with a plug-in electric motor. This new V6 has been designed and engineered from a clean sheet by Ferrari’s engineers specifically for this installation and is the first Ferrari to feature the turbos installed inside the vee.
The powertrain assembly comprises a V6 turbo ICE, with the 8-speed DCT and E-Diff, and the MGU-K located between the engine and the gearbox. A clutch is set between the ICE and the electric motor to decouple them in electric-only eDrive mode. Lastly there is a high-voltage battery and the inverter which controls the electric motors.
FIRST FERRARI WITH AN ELECTRIC MOTOR
This is the first ever Ferrari with a rear-wheel drive-only PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle) architecture in which the ICE is integrated with a rear-mounted electric motor producing up to 122 kW (167 cv) derived from the Formula 1 application from which it also inherits the MGU-K (Motor Generator Unit, Kinetic) moniker. The electric motor and ICE communicate via the Transition Manager Actuator (TMA) which allows them to be used both together to produce a combined power output of 830 cv or decouples to allow the electric motor to run solo.
STYLING – EXTERIOR
The Ferrari 296 GTB’s design is the result of the desire of the Ferrari Styling Centre to redefine the identity of the mid-rear-engined two-seater Berlinetta by giving it an extremely compact line with an original, modern look. Thanks to its short wheelbase and its monolithic, sculpted structure, the 296 GTB is indeed the most compact Berlinetta to emerge from Maranello in the last decade.
The 296 GTB’s impeccably clean, simple architecture seems the work of a single pencil stroke. There are neither artificial optical effects designed to lighten the car’s volumes nor stark colour contrasts. Instead, the designers chose the most convincing archetype to give the car a unique identity all of its own, so unique it rewrote the entire rulebook by rediscovering the most authentic principles of Italian car design.
COCKPIT
The 296 GTB’s cabin raises the concept of the formal purity of the functional elements to new heights. From a formal perspective, when the engine is off, the onboard instruments go black, enhancing the minimalist look of the cabin. Exclusive Italian leather trim to the seats and trim is further enhanced by the noble technical materials used on the functional components.
Once the Start Engine button is pressed, all of the components gradually spring to life and the 296 GTB reveals its technological glory in the form of an exceptionally modern, ergonomic and completely digital interface. The main instrument cluster is set into a deep cleft carved out of the dashboard trim, itself characterised by a deliberately clean, taut surface. From this styling solution emerges the steering wheel and the instrument cluster supported by two visible structural supports, which taper seamlessly into the dashboard. Completing the picture are two side satellites, each with its own capacitive touch area, and an air vent. The passenger side is very minimalistic with the standard passenger-side display, allowing them to live the driving experience very much as a participant, almost a co-driver.
ASSETTO FIORANO
For clients who want to exploit the car’s extreme power and performance to the utmost, the 296 GTB Assetto Fiorano package is available: it is completely uncompromising in terms of maximum performance, thanks to significant weight reduction and aero contents. Most notably, these include special GT racing-derived adjustable Multimatic shock absorbers optimised for track use; high downforce carbon-fibre appendages on the front bumper that can deliver an additional 10 kg of downforce, a Lexan® rear screen, and more extensive use of lightweight materials such as carbon-fibre for both cabin and exterior.
The Assetto Fiorano package involves much more than simply replacing elements. Some components required that the standard basic structure be redesigned, including the door panel, resulting in an overall weight-saving of 12-plus kg. Lastly, a special livery inspired by the 250 Le Mans can also be ordered exclusively by owners that opt for the Assetto Fiorano package. Its design runs from the front wings and hugs the central grille and delineates its edges. This styling element continues along the bonnet, creating a hammer motif before running lengthways up to the roof and then down onto the rear spoiler.
