Ferrari’s serious fun
296 GTB: WHEN FORCE AND DESIGN COMES TO VISIT YOUR ALLEY
New gateway to a non-GT coupe model features hybrid technology.
‘Fun to drive” and Ferrari used in the same breath might sound like a tautology to many fans of the Prancing Horse. After all, isn’t that true of everything made by Maranello?
However, when that promise also states that the definition of fun to drive has been redefined, without the use of one of the late Enzo Ferrari’s charismatic V8 or V12 engines, matters automatically get more serious as undivided attention intensifies.
Aside from having only six cylinders – a first for a Ferrari road car since the iconic 264 Dino GT of the 1960s, the 296 GTB, or Grand Turismo Berlinetta – the new 296 GTB model faces not just the pressure of its power unit, but also being the new gateway model to Ferrari ownership.
Taking up the position below the F8 Tributo as the most accessible non-GT coupe model, the first Ferrari model to wear GTB name since 488 GTB made its official South African debut last month after bowing internationally last year.
Said to build on the marque’s often forgotten V6 tradition that stretches back to 1957, the 296 GTB has been styled along the line of not only its senior sibling, but also the SF90 Stradale and the 250 LM that became a dominating force in sports car racing in the 1960s.
Noticeably stockier and more compact than the F8 Tributo on first glance, the 296 GTB has had its aerodynamics sculpted in a such way so as not to attract attention in the same way as its sibling.
Made out of carbon fibre and fitted with a Ferrari first treetray front splitter, a comparatively small rear spoiler, carbon diffuser and side sills, the 296 GTB is claimed to produce 360kg of downforce at 250km/h, with an additional help being a sealed underbody and chassis made out of aluminium.
Fitted with Ferrari’s latest Slip Control system, brake-by-wire ABS and electronic differential, the interior has been designed in a wrap-around style with all of various functions displayed on the instrument cluster and controlled via the steering wheel.
Snug and decked-out in leather and carbon fibre, the 296 GTB’s main drawing card though resides at the rear in the form of that V6. Mounted low down, the bespoke 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 delivers 610kW/740Nm thanks to being backed by a 122 kW electric motor.
Positioned low down, a lot even for a Ferrari, the 120-degree twin-turbo bent-six displaces 2.9 litres and despite claims of it having been lifted from the Alfa Romeo Giulia QV and Stelvo Q, it is in fact a bespoke to Ferrari unit made exclusively for the 296 GTB.
Pumping out 488 kW, the engine, like the 3.9-litre V8 in the F8, has been supplemented with a 7.45-kWh battery that drives a 122kW electric motor housed within the eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox.
Despite tipping the scales at 1 470kg, the hybrid system produces a combined 610kW/740Nm, which allows for a top speed of 330 km/h – 0 to 100 km/h in 2.9sec, 0 to 200 km/h in 7.9sec and an all-electric range of 25km at speeds up to 135 km/h.
Buyers can also opt for the Assetto Fiorano package, which brings adjustable Multimatic shock absorbers, eschewing of the interior door panels and replacing the rear window with a piece of Lexan plastic.
Special Michelin Pilot Sport Cup2R tyres are wrapped around the 20-inch alloy wheels, rounded off by a special silver and yellow paint option.