First Drive: Ferrari’s First V-6 Powered Production Car Hits the Track Like a Beast

Certainly the thought has always been, a Ferrari that rolled off the line with a V-6 engine, a power plant common to Camrys and Kias, would signal the end of time for Maranello. Yet the 819bhp Ferrari 296 Gran Turismo Berlinetta (GTB) – not only the brand’s first V-6-powered production car, but a plug-in hybrid V-6 production car – is a flying start for a new era. More than that, it’s a revelation, and not just because of how it inhales sections of trail like a much heavier breathing beast.

Ferrari built its early heritage on cars with 12 cylinders up front, but it achieved great motorsport success by placing a V-6 behind the cockpit, introduced with the Targa Florio-winning 246 SP in 1961; that same year, Ferrari won the Formula 1 drivers’ and constructors’ championships with the six-cylinder 156 “Sharknose”. (Then, of course, there was the road-going Dino, which debuted in 1967 with a 2.0-liter V6 producing 178 hp, but those cars were never officially branded with the Prancing Horse badge until ‘to the latest eight-cylinder versions.)

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Lorenzo Marcino

As with many of Ferrari’s motorsport champions, the 296 GTB benefits from the stability and balance of a rear mid-engine layout. Its twin turbochargers are tucked into the 120-degree gap between the cylinder banks with the exhaust sitting on top, a “hot-vee” configuration that reduces weight, lowers the center of gravity and improves output. The 165hp electric motor (powered by a 7.5kWh battery) sits between the engine and the eight-speed dual-clutch transmission; With the 654 hp of the 2.9-liter engine, the total power is 109 hp more than that of the F8 Tributo. And with a $318,000 price tag about $40,000 over this car, the 296 GTB is definitely not an entry-level model. Nor is it a transient footnote in the interregnum between mechanical and all-electric, not when Ferrari 296 GTB powertrain project manager Cristiano Pompucci refers to it as “the next chapter in the history of our sports berlinettas”.

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Of course, the automaker received some unsolicited help writing this particular chapter, with Pompucci acknowledging that the car was a direct response to the latest European emissions regulations. But cancel any idea of ​​compromises, or the 296 GTB will cancel them for you.

The 3,241-pound (dry weight) model is among the most nimble in the Ferrari stable, with balletic handling thanks in large part to the 102.3-inch wheelbase, the shortest in the current lineup. The hybrid system’s continuous power obliterates turbo lag and allows the six-stroke to shoot from zero to 60 mph in around 2.9 seconds, devouring the main straight of Spain’s Monteblanco circuit along the way. Engaging the brake-by-wire system – heavy calipers are shared by the SF90 Stradale – in conjunction with new Evo ABS Assist and Ferrari’s six-way dynamic chassis sensor brings the machine from 124mph to a stop in 351 feet, surpassing the lighter F8 by nearly 33 feet. Together with the active rear spoiler, which deploys up to an additional 220 pounds of downforce, it makes the hairpins of the 2.76-mile circuit that much less hairy.

Lorenzo Marcino

Off-road, while exploring the countryside outside of Seville, the GTB demonstrates its grand touring prowess. This is where the eDrive and hybrid modes excel. Accelerating from a red light at full electric power, I pass a small funeral process heading down a side street. The car is respectful in its quietness, with the ability to remain decoupled from the engine for 15 miles. Less impressive: the interior’s disappointing JBL audio system, devoid of the bloated audio of some other OEM-supplied setups, and the tiny infotainment screen, both of which feel uninspired. And traditionalists will surely bristle at the all-digital instrument cluster, although it will suit the vehicle’s nod in the future and I’m grateful for the head-up display.

No matter how good the car is, the biggest hurdle Ferrari may have to overcome is the perception that its latest version is the result of procrastination, with the brand hesitating on its pure electric vehicle message. A Ferrarista, owner of the 458 and F8, worries that despite its claimed target date of 2025, “Ferrari will strike late in the all-electric fight and get a black eye.” But this model is a demonstration of what the automaker can do despite restrictions, not because of them. And with its ferocious performance, handsome proportions and grand touring comfort, the 296 GTB feels like Enzo himself is saying, “Go for it.”

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