New Ferrari 296 GTB: 830 CV for a high-performance plug-in hybrid

Once again at a digital event, Ferrari has unveiled one of its new models. In this case, none other than the new Ferrari 296 GTB. A mid-engined berlinetta with plug-in hybrid propulsion, designed to be as usable for everyday driving as it is capable of delivering maximum enjoyment from behind its wheel.

We will look at it in more detail shortly, but to give you an idea of how revolutionary this car is for the Italian marque: it is the first time Ferrari has used a 6-cylinder engine in a road car since the Dino. Don’t worry, this does not mean the 256 GTB is any less of a true Ferrari “in capital letters”. Both its performance and the sound of its exhaust are exactly what you would expect from a model bearing the prancing horse. You can check this in the video below, with the official presentation of the new model.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YViEpnmDrn0

A bit of history: the V6 engine and Ferrari

It is true that six-cylinder engines are not a “rara avis” at Ferrari, although until now they have been almost always linked to competition. Let us recall that the first V6 from Ferrari was created by Alfredo “Dino” Ferrari, designed for Formula 2. The untimely death of young Dino before his creation was completed led his father, Enzo Ferrari, to name this engine after his son, and to market a road model under the Dino sub-brand in 1967. But earlier, in 1957, the first Ferrari to use a V6 was the 156 F2. It was followed by other prototypes with front-mounted engines, or the 246 F1, the single-seater with which Mike Hawthorn won the drivers’ title in 1958.

We have to go back to 1961 to find the first Ferrari with a V6 engine in a mid-rear position, the 246 SP, which won that same year and the following one at the Targa Florio. In 1961 came the first constructors’ title for Ferrari with a car powered by a V6 engine, the 156 F1, in this case with the cylinders at 120 degrees. In 1981 the first turbochargers were installed in the centre of the V formed by the cylinders. In 1982, with the 126 C2, Ferrari became the first brand to win the constructors’ title in Formula 1 with a turbo-powered car. And since 2014, the marque has used V6 turbo engines in its cars in the top category.

Now, Ferrari is bringing the V6 engine back to the cause in its 296 GTB, where the name originates from the first two digits of the engine’s displacement (2,992 cm3), the number of cylinders (6) and the initials of the name Gran Turismo Berlinetta. But this is a very special V6.

The propulsion system of the Ferrari 296 GTB: a Formula 1 legacy

Here there is no longer any distinction between competition and road models: this is the first time a Ferrari model uses a 6-cylinder turbo engine with banks at 120 degrees coupled to an electric motor and with plug-in hybrid technology. With 3 litres and an output of 663 CV, the V6’s specific power figure represents a new record for a series-production car: 221 CV per litre of displacement.

The propulsion system integrates the V6 engine with the turbochargers inside the V, an 8-speed DCT gearbox and an MGU-K electric unit located between the engine and the gearbox, plus a high-voltage battery with 7.45 kWh of capacity and an inverter. The total system output reaches 830 CV at 8,000 rpm, with a maximum torque of 740 Nm at 6,250 rpm. The battery allows the 296 GTB to travel up to 25 km in fully electric mode.

Developed entirely from scratch, the V6 is a genuine engineering achievement. The wide angle of the V formed by the cylinders allows the turbochargers to be installed in a very central position, reducing the path of the airflow. For the combustion chamber, developments first debuted in the SF90 Stradale are used, with direct injection at a maximum pressure of 350 bar.

The turbochargers, symmetrical and of the single-scroll type (one single inlet), are supplied by IHI. They reach a maximum rotational speed of 180,000 rpm. Compared with other turbos used by Ferrari in V8 engines, the compressor and turbine wheels have been reduced, achieving a reduction of up to 11% in inertia, which allows a more instantaneous power delivery. The MGU-K unit integrates an electric motor derived from those used in the brand’s Formula 1 single-seaters. The motor is axial flux, with a single stator and a double rotor, so it is very compact. It develops up to 167 CV and reaches a maximum torque of 315 Nm.

The top speed of the Ferrari 296 GTB is 330 km/h, with 0 to 100 km/h acceleration in 2.9 seconds and 0 to 200 km/h in 7.3 seconds. The fastest lap at the Fiorano Circuit, a figure that has become standard for every new Ferrari lately, is recorded at 1 minute and 21 seconds.

Design, aerodynamics and chassis of the Ferrari 296 GTB

One could write a book describing these sections of the 296 GTB, especially the aerodynamics. Don’t worry, I won’t go on at length. Nor on the design, since you have the photos and the video for that. To me it looks beautiful, especially that truncated tail with a single central exhaust.

When it comes to “cutting the wind” or generating additional downforce, Ferrari knows how to handle active aerodynamics well. For this there is the rear spoiler, inspired by the LaFerrari. It generates up to 360 kg of downforce when travelling at 250 km/h in the highest aerodynamic load configuration, which adds 100 kg over the low-load “LD” (Low Drag) mode. No movable flaps are used at the front.

Airflow through the bodywork has been optimised to cool the engine, the gearbox and the brakes. It should be noted that temperatures in the engine bay can reach up to 900 degrees Celsius. The shape of the bodywork and the underbody create a certain ground effect that pins the car to the asphalt, and the design of the exhaust outlet allows the openings needed to ventilate all the components under the engine cover to be optimised. The rear diffuser is also special, with unusually clean shapes.

For the chassis, a complete novelty is the so-called 6-way Chassis Dynamic Sensor, with functions such as the “ABS evo” controller or a grip-estimation sensor integrated into the ESP itself. Weight control was key to accommodating the hybrid system; the V6 engine alone saves 30 kg compared with the V8s. Unlike the SF90 Stradale, here power is delivered only to the rear wheels.

The traditional steering wheel control, now called the eManettino, includes four operating modes: eDrive electric propulsion, with a top speed of 135 km/h; Hybrid, geared towards efficiency and performance; Performance, with the combustion engine always active and promoting battery charge maintenance to ensure the availability of maximum power, prioritising performance; and Qualify, where maximum performance takes priority.

The new ABS controller and the new grip-estimation device make it possible to make the most of the tyres’ performance, with braking distances that improve even on the Ferrari F8 Tributo by almost 9% when braking from 200 km/h.

Assetto Fiorano configuration

For the more nonconformist, or those seeking a more radical setup, Ferrari offers the Assetto Fiorano tuning on the 296 GTB, with aerodynamic modifications and lightweight components. Among the latter are the Multimatic dampers, derived from GT racing, and carbon-fibre appendages on the bumpers and inside the vehicle, which alone save around 12 kg.

With this Assetto Fiorano configuration, customers can request a bodywork finish inspired by the 250 Le Mans, along with options such as the ultra-lightweight rear window made of Lexan (providing an additional weight reduction of about 3 kg) and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R Performance tyres.

Ferrari 256 GTB image gallery