Ferrari has pulled the covers off its new 296 GTB – a plug-in hybrid sports car that promises to be the most fun to drive out of all of the brand’s supercars.
Designed to sit between the F8 Tributo and hybrid SF90 Stradale, Ferrari has put a fresh focus on compact dimensions and driving pleasure on the new model.
Using a new turbocharged six-cylinder 2.9-litre engine – the first Ferrari-badged road car to feature a V6 engine ever – and combining that with an electric motor, the 296 GTB produces 818bhp in all. That allows for a 0-60mph time of just 2.9 seconds and a top speed in excess of 205mph.
With its 7.45kWh battery charged up, it can also travel for a claimed 15 miles purely on electricity, too. But really it’s the compact new engine that’s the star of the show, which has been cleverly integrated as low to the floor as possible, while Ferrari even says it has a V12 rasp about it. Unlike the all-wheel-drive 1,000bhp SF90 Stradale, though, the 296 GTB purely sends its power to the rear wheels, with an eight-speed automatic transmission being used.
With a wheelbase 50mm shorter than Ferrari’s mid-rear V8 cars and a clever focus on aero, the 296 GTB weighs just 1,470kg. The weight savings can go further with an optional ‘Assetto Fiorano’ package that brings racing upgrades and lighter materials.
With looks inspired by Ferrari’s 250 LM from 1963 with its elegant silhouette, the design is also packed with a range of hidden aerodynamic features that improve downforce. An active spoiler in the rear bumper, for example, can generate up to 100kg of extra downforce.
Inside, the 296 GTB mirrors that of the SF90 Stradale, with a minimalist layout dominated by a large digital dial screen for the driver.
First deliveries of the new Ferrari 296 GTB aren’t expected until 2022, with prices likely to start from around £250,000.
