Ferrari recently revealed a new model, the 296 GTB. The other Ferraris’ 296 GTB features a turbo V6 engine coupled with an electric motor (PHEV aka plug-in hybrid). I know many Ferrari fans and owners won’t like this composition. However, I liked it!
Over the last two decades, Ferrari has focused on creating louder and louder cars. Different from the Ferraris of the 1990s, today’s Ferraris are very loud. They can even make residents uncomfortable when driven in urban areas.
Ferrari fans may not agree with me. In fact, they might tell me about how important a Ferrari’s exhaust noise is while playing with their smartphone to order food from Amazon!
Recently, the world has changed significantly. We now order food using smartphones and do banking without ever seeing any real money. So, what’s wrong with a Ferrari with a hybrid drivetrain? I believe that nostalgia and the male ego make things sound louder for no reason. Ferrari made this very well for a long time.
Now we know the importance of creating quieter cars, it’s worth noting Ferrari’s achievements in this area. Ferrari’s 296 GTB, powered by a 3-liter V6 turbo engine, produces 663 PS; the electric motor produces 167 PS and 350 nm of torque. In combination, the 296 GTB generates 830 PS and 740 nm of torque. The engine is coupled with an 8-speed DCT automatic gearbox and an e-diff.
Thanks to its electric motor, the Ferrari 296 GTB can travel on pure electricity up to 25 km! That’s amazing. You can travel in pure silence across town without annoying anyone, which makes this Ferrari an excellent car for people like me. The vehicle’s top speed is over 330 km/h and it only needs 2.9 seconds to reach 100 km/h!
For nearly half a century, Ferrari never had an offering with a V6 engine; and now they back to V6 and did a great job. The engine’s architecture is state-of-art, featuring 120-degree V angle to accommodate turbos for quicker response. There is also 350-bar fuel injector pressure and brake-by-wire technology for better braking. Notably, brake-by-wire technology is dangerous territory; Mercedes-Benz failed it with SBC in 2002!
Even the iconic Manettino switch has changed. Frank Stephenson designed the first Manettino for the Ferrari F430 in 2006. The new Manettino is called the eManettino and has four settings.
To wrap up, the Ferrari 296 GTB closes the gap between the SF90 Stradale and the F8 Tributo. It’s the perfect car for a new era of Ferrari. While I know that the 296 GTB wasn’t Ferrari’s first plug-in hybrid (the SF90 Stradale holds that title), it’s the first V6 plug-hybrid. In my personal opinion, the 296 GTB is a fantastic car. It doesn’t shout like other Ferraris and it offers something unique. Despite being a plug-in hybrid, it is still a rear-wheel drive, unlike the SF90 Stradale. I think the 296 GTB would be an excellent car for newcomers to Ferrari!
