These are times of change that are lived in the automobile industry. After having electrified some of its models, Ferrari took another “step” towards the future with the brand new Ferrari 296 GTB.
The “honor” that falls on the model whose spy photos we brought you some time ago is great. After all, this is the first Ferrari on the road to receive a V6 engine, mechanics to which he associates yet another “concession” to the modernity made by Maranello's house: a plug-in hybrid system.
Before we let you know in detail the “heart” of this new Ferrari, let us just explain the origin of its designation. The number “296” combines the displacement (2992 cm3) with the number of cylinders you have, while the acronym “GTB” stands for “Gran Turismo Berlinetta”, which has long been used by the Cavallino Rampante brand.
the first of a new era
Although Ferrari V6 engines have long existed, the first one dates back to 1957 and animated the Formula 2 Dino 156 single-seater, this is the first time that an engine with this architecture has appeared in a road model from the brand founded by Enzo Ferrari.
It is a brand new engine, 100% produced and developed by Ferrari (the brand remains “proudly alone”). It has the aforementioned 2992 cm3 of capacity, and has six cylinders arranged in a 120º V. The total power of this engine is 663 hp.
This is the production engine with the highest specific power per liter in history: 221 hp/liter.
But there are more details worth mentioning. For the first time at Ferrari, we found turbos placed in the center of the two cylinder banks — a configuration known as the “hot V”, whose advantages you can learn about in this article in our AUTOPEDIA section.
According to Ferrari, this solution not only saves space but also reduces engine weight and lowers the center of gravity. Associated with this engine we find another electric motor, mounted in a rear position (another first for Ferrari) with 167 hp that is powered by a battery with 7.45 kWh of capacity and that allows you to travel up to 25 km without wasting a drop of gasoline.
The end result of this “marriage” is a maximum combined power of 830 hp at 8000 rpm (a value higher than the 720 hp of the F8 Tributo and its V8) and a torque that rises to 740 Nm at 6250 rpm. In charge of managing the transmission of torque to the rear wheels is an automatic eight-speed DCT gearbox.
All of this allows Maranello's latest creation to reach 100 km/h in just 2.9s, complete 0 to 200 km/h in 7.3s, cover the Fiorano circuit in 1min21s and reach a top speed of over 330km /H.
Finally, since it is a plug-in hybrid, the “eManettino” brings us some “special” driving modes: to typical Ferrari modes such as “Performance” and “Qualify” are added the “eDrive modes” ” and “Hybrid”. In all of them, the level of “involvement” of the electric motor and the regenerative braking are parameterized depending on the chosen mode focus.
“Family air” but with many new features
In the field of aesthetics, the effort in the field of aerodynamics is notorious, highlighting the reduced air intakes (in dimensions and number) to the essential minimum and the adoption of active aerodynamic solutions to create greater downforce.
The end result is a model that has kept the “family air” and that quickly causes an association between the new Ferrrari 296 GTB and its “brothers”. Inside, the inspiration came from the SF90 Stradale, mainly the focus on technology.
Aesthetically, the dashboard presents itself with a concave shape, highlighting the digital instrument panel and the tactile controls placed on its sides. Despite the modern and technological look, Ferrari has not relinquished the details that recall its past, highlighting the command in the center console that recalls the commands of the “H” box of the Ferraris of the past.
Assetto Fiorano, the hardcore version
Finally, there is also the most radical version of the new 296 GTB, the Asseto Fiorano variant. Focused on performance, this brings with it a series of weight reduction measures to which it adds an even more careful aerodynamics with several appendages in carbon fiber on the front bumper to increase the downforce by 10 kg.
In addition, it comes with the Multimatic adjustable shock absorbers. Specially designed for track use, these are directly derived from those used in competition. Finally, and always with the tracks in mind, the Ferrari 296 GTB also has Michelin Sport Cup2R tires.
With the delivery of the first units scheduled for the first quarter of 2022, the Ferrari 296 GTB still does not have official prices for Portugal. However, we were given an estimate (and this is an estimate since the prices are defined by the commercial network after the official presentation of the model) which points to a price, including taxes, of 322,000 euros for the normal “version” and 362,000 euros for the Assetto Fiorano version.