A six-cylinder Ferrari, capable of traveling even in pure electric. Impossible? No. If it’s the new Ferrari 296 GTB. The latest born in Maranello is ready to mark a step in the evolution of the brand founded by Enzo Ferrari, combining maximum sportiness with high sustainability. To find out how it goes we went to Spain, driving it through the hills behind Seville and through the curves of the Monteblanco track.
Ferrari 296 GTB, size and style
The design of the 296 GTB stems from the desire of the designers of the Ferrari Style Center to redefine the concept of a rear-mid-engine berlinetta, giving the car a compact, modern and original line. Thanks to the short wheelbase, it represents the most compact berlinetta of the Maranello company of the last decade. The typical fastback setting was abandoned to focus on a passenger compartment that was set in a powerful volume, the result of the short wheelbase and the composition of elements such as the muscular fenders, the visor roof, the flying buttresses and the unprecedented vertical rear window. From these forms derives a predominant passenger compartment in the overall perception of the car. Another feature of the 296 GTB is the truncated tail, a surface machined from solid that enhances the compactness of the volumes. At the top, the transom incorporates a horizontal element that encloses integrated lights and spoiler. With the lights off, the effect is a black screen that runs horizontally across the bumper; turning on the projectors illuminates two strips of light at the ends. To complete the perception of the traditional double round light, two scratches have been introduced that accommodate the other light functions in the lower part. As for the dimensions, the 296 GTB is 4565mm long, 1958mm wide, 1187mm high and with a wheelbase of 2600mm. The dry weight is 1470 kg.
Data sheet
The architecture of the 296 GTB is characterized by a 6-cylinder turbo engine arranged at a 120 degree angle, coupled to a plug-in electric motor. The V6, designed and developed from scratch for the 296 GTB by Maranello technicians, provides for the housing of the turbochargers inside the ‘V’: this, in addition to bringing significant benefits in terms of compactness, lower center of gravity and mass reduction. , favors the achievement of high levels of power. In fact, the new V6 Ferrari sets the record for a production car in terms of specific power: 221 hp / l. The integration with the electric motor at the rear brings the maximum power of the 296 GTB to 830 hp. Added to this is the ability to travel up to 25 kilometers in fully electric mode. The powerplant consists of a V6 turbo internal combustion engine, the 8-speed DCT gearbox with Ediff and the MGU-K electric machine positioned between the engine and gearbox and aligned with the thermal engine. The clutch, placed between the thermal and electric engine, takes care of the decoupling of the two elements in electric running conditions. The high-voltage battery and the inverter that manages the electric motors complete the car’s powertrain. Its compactness and structure allowed for axial shortening of the powertrain, which ultimately contributed to the reduction of the 296 GTB’s wheelbase. The electric car charges the high-voltage battery, turns on the internal combustion engine, provides it with additional torque and power (up to 167 hp) and allows you to drive in full-electric mode. The MGU-K’s improved design allows it to achieve a maximum torque of 315Nm, approximately 20% more than in previous applications. Thanks to an innovative design based on laser welding, the high-voltage battery positioned in the car floor has a capacity of 7.45 kWh and a competitive power / weight ratio. To minimize volume and weight, the cooling system, cell compression and fixings are integrated in a single component. The cell modules contain 80 cells connected together in series. Each Cell Supervisor Controller is installed directly into the modules in order to maximize volume and weight reduction.
Ferrari 296 GTB interior
The cabin of the 296 GTB develops around the completely digital interface introduced on the SF90 Stradale, with a characterization more devoted to elegance. When powered on, the 296 GTB displays a digital interface. As on the SF90 Stradale, a selector for the management of energy flows called eManettino was installed on the 296 GTB alongside the traditional Manettino for vehicle dynamics controls. The eManettino includes four operating modes that can be selected via steering wheel controls
Ferrari 296 GTB, road test
The road test of the Ferrari 296 GTB has definitively removed any doubts about the choice to mount a V6 plug-in hybrid engine on a Prancing Horse supercar. Despite the “not very noble” number of cylinders for a Ferrari, in Maranello they managed to bring the concept of “fun to drive” to the road. At first reading it might seem like the classic phrase coined in a marketing meeting but, kilometer after kilometer, the exponential increase in fun confirmed the concept. The 296 GTB in addition to being very fast, the overall power reaches 830 horsepower, showed great ease of use and the ability to adapt perfectly to the user’s needs. It can be a comfortable weekend grand tourer and at the same time the ideal companion to reduce the lap time on the track. Another point comes from the sound, where the notes emitted are close to those of a traditional V12 in many situations. All this by adding the electrical component, capable of ensuring 25 km in pure electric (useful for example in urban contexts or to leave the home garage without waking up the whole family) and to contribute to the maximum power of 830 horses. Price? It starts from just over 267 thousand euros but easily exceeds 300 thousand euros “thanks” to the long list of options.