DON’T BANK ON A V6 SPOILING THE FUN
So the 296 GTB is arriving, yet it seems like only 20 minutes since we drove the 488 GTB for the first time. I was talking to a colleague about its engine. “Pretty good… for a turbo,” we decided.
The introduction of the 488’s turbo motor ensured that the 458 Speciale, with its screaming naturally aspirated V8, remained a high point of Ferrari’s mid-engined supercars.
But it didn’t affect the 488’s position as the number one choice among its competitors, whether they came with a turbocharged V8 or a naturally aspirated V10. Because the truth is it’s just as much about the chassis.
Simply put, ever since the 458 arrived, Ferrari’s mid-engined two-seater has been the standout supercar. It has a balance, a willingness to change direction and a playfulness that you rarely find anywhere else.
On a circuit, you can throw one around like it’s a Toyota GT86. On the road, steering that’s a little quick for some tastes aside, it’s engaging and rewarding like no other supercar.
The engine is only an aside to the experience: the ride, steering, handling, braking and gearshift are all huge parts of the enjoyment.
Besides, two cynical hacks’ idea of “pretty good for a turbo” is, in truth, brilliant for a turbo and good by just about any other standard.
V6 engines can sound pretty darned spectacular, too (Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio, anyone?), and if you were to trust anybody to get one right, it would surely be Ferrari.
to generate up to 360kg of downforce at 155mph with the hardcore, track-oriented Assetto Fiorano pack specified, and even in standard guise produces 100kg more than its predecessors.
Various defining design cues promote a visual relationship with other new-era Ferraris, including the SF90 Stradale and Roma, while distancing the new arrival from the F8 Tributo and its closely related 488 GTB forebear. Ferrari also claims to have taken inspiration from classic models including the 1963 250 LM, which inspired the design of the B-pillar, rear haunches and Kamm tail. The wraparound windscreen, meanwhile, is a cue borrowed from the one-off P80/C and the Japanese-market J50.
Air intakes were made as small as possible for a cleaner look by routing hot air underneath the car, which means it is kept separate from the cool air needed for the rear-mounted intercoolers. The hybrid system’s radiators, meanwhile, have been vented to the rear so that the front of the car can be aerodynamically optimised, with a more tapered design than used previously.
A raft of downforceenhancing tweaks were also made possible by the use of the ‘Aero’ brake calipers inspired by the SF90 Stradale, which are cooled via ducts integrated into the headlights. This frees up room for the central section of the car’s underbody to be brought as low to the ground as possible, thereby “exaggerating the suction created as a result of ground effect”.
Ferrari highlighted that the rear-end design specifically marks a break from tradition in combining elements of Spider and coupé styling cues, with a defined separation between the roof and B-pillars and a pair of sizeable buttresses flanking the engine bay. These help channel air efficiently in the absence of a rear screen running from the roof to the rear. As is tradition, an open-roof Spider version is expected to follow.
CHASSIS
The development programme for the 296 GTB was said to be centred on “delivering class-leading levels of driver engagement” while boosting usability and accessibility.
To that end, the powertrain has been kept as compact as possible, and there are a raft of new components being introduced for the first time, including the Transition Manager Actuator for switching quickly between
❝ Its Laferrari-based rear spoiler is said to generate up to 360kg of downforce at 155mph ❞
the two power sources, the “world-first” six-way Dynamic Chassis Sensor and a new ABS Evo function that reduces brake pedal travel and ensures “greater repeatability of stopping distances”.
The revamped ABS system does away with the old yawrate sensor, measuring acceleration and speed across three axes to better determine when to intervene. It also reduces the 124-0mph stopping distance by 8.8%.
The 296 GTB has a 50mmshorter wheelbase than the F8 Tributo, which Ferrari said enhances agility, while the added weight of the hybrid system is largely offset by the lighter petrol engine and use of various lightweight materials, meaning the car has a dry weight of 1470kg – just 35kg more than its V8 stablemate.
INTERIOR
The 296 GTB leans heavily on the tech-heavy cabin design of the SF90 Stradale flagship, which Ferrari said represents “a clear break from the past”.
A concave dashboard section houses the digital gauge cluster and steering wheel, while located either side of the instrument panel are capacitive touch controls for an array of functions. A head-up display features, too, while the speakers are finished to match the dashboard for a minimalist look.
One nod to the past, however, comes in the form of a gearshifter styled to reference Ferrari’s classic ‘H-gate’ design.