Here you have the test of the Ferrari 296 GTB, with its 830 CV. We have squeezed it thoroughly in the Monteblanco Circuit, in Huelva. The best? Marc Gené himself has guided us to discover all the secrets of Ferrari’s second plug-in hybrid sports car.
But the first thing that stands out is that it is not very big… It measures 4.57 meters long, 1.96 meters wide and 1.19 meters high. But the most interesting fact, without a doubt, is that of the wheelbase, which is 2.6 meters, a rather short wheelbase and which Ferrari says is so to allow greater agility.
Flavio Manzoni, Ferrari’s chief designer, has once again created a work of art, sculpting a bodywork where sportiness and elegance go hand in hand, where technique and functionality meet beauty.
It does not have the famous F-Duct duct, but the aerodynamics allies with this Ferrari 296 GTB to glue it to the ground and be a limpet in the curves: for example, the air that hits the lower lip of the front is sent under the car to meet with a fully covered floor.
On the other hand, the air that circulates through the upper part meets a spoiler on the roof that leads it to the rear, where it in turn collides with a moving part that emerges at high speed to provide greater stability to the Ferrari. 296. It is inspired by the Ferrari LaFerrari and is capable of providing 100 kilos of downforce at 250 km/h.
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And in the back, what a sculpture of such elegant shapes and surely you have already noticed it: the exhaust is very high and is located in the center. It is a real rare bird, but what will not surprise you so much is that Ferrari has extracted such a spectacular sound, which it says equals the V12 in the most metallic notes.
Are we talking about the V6?
As you know, the Ferrari 296 GTB is the second hybrid model in the range, in addition to the SF90. Combustion mechanics is represented by an aluminum block and cylinder heads. The V is open at 120 degrees, which is a lot and that facilitates its low center of gravity.
The two turbos go inside that V and rotate at no more and no less than 180,000 rpm. This block alone offers 663 hp at 8,500 rpm: the rest of the power, until reaching that maximum peak of 830 hp, is provided by the electric block that is located between the combustion engine and the gearbox. This electric motor offers 166 hp and is powered by a 7.45 kWh battery.
And yes, that battery is powerful enough to move the Ferrari 296 for 25 km and up to a speed of 135 km/h.
From the interior it is striking that the layout of the controls is a carbon copy of the S90 Stradale, which as you know is also a plug-in hybrid. I like the driving position a lot, with seats that are not very aggressive in their shapes and are quite comfortable. You sit very low and all the controls are directed towards the driver.
The steering wheel has a peculiar shape, it is not round and as usual in Ferrari, it offers all kinds of controls, from the starter, to the wipers, the turn signals and, of course, the famous Manettino.
This 296 could not be missing as a good Ferrari, but as in the SF90, it offers another control that is the eManettino. It is used to manage the hybrid system and has four modes: Qualy or qualification mode (delivers maximum power for a limited period of time); Performance, where the hybrid system is going to give the best of itself, but continuously recharging the battery (part of the engine power goes to recharging the battery and Ferrari calculates the loss of power in about 50 CV less).
Then there would be the Hybrid Mode, the most recommended for day to day and the one that offers the best compromise between performance and consumption, where electronic management determines whether the combustion engine should be activated or not. Finally, the eDrive mode, which is the fully electric mode.
We boot up and yes, you won’t hear a thing. It is curious, because when you see a Ferrari on the street, in addition to being amazed by its impressive bodywork, you are also amazed by its sound, but here the new times rule: you will not hear anything, neither you nor those who see you pass.
The truth is that it is the first time that I ride in a Ferrari PHEV and the feeling is very strange. But hey, if you go to Performance mode, things change a lot… and that sound!! Little by little, the Ferrari that I was expecting is coming out, its leg is sticking out and now is when you have to start measuring things well, until when do you stop accelerating, how far do you sink your foot into the brake… I remind you that this Ferrari offers a specific power of 221 hp / liter which is a real outrage.
But the best part comes with the invaluable collaboration of Marc Gené (he is a luxury and an honor) who guided us on the circuit and knew how to show us how to extract the quintessence from this horse. If you want to see it, press play and enjoy this video…
