NO one has ever needed any encouragement to drive a Ferrari fast.
These things are powered by V8 or V12 screamers which beg to be rinsed.
But, of course, if you get nicked speeding in one, you are not going to get any sympathy out of a copper just because you’re in a Ferrari. The 296 GTB is the most significant new Ferrari for years because it is the first V6 hybrid. Which a lot of purists might not like. But actually, it is giving you the first genuine excuse to drive fast. The 296 will do 15 miles as an EV — and that V6 engine acts like a massive power generator.
Put simply: The harder you drive, the more electrons flow into the 6kWh battery. So if you’re stopped for speeding in a 296, at least you can tell the officer you wanted to recharge the battery before hitting the town limits and driving past schoolkids in eDrive mode. Now, I must admit I was a bit worried about this car. A V6 plug-in hybrid Ferrari? I mean, seriously?
The engine is the heart and soul of a Ferrari. Its identity. And batteries are heavy. The opposite of what a supercar should be. But I needn’t have worried because, Good Lord, this car is blinding. Yes, the hybrid system adds 170kg but the short wheelbase and the incredibly low centre of gravity mean it handles more like a Ferrari. Challenge race car than a road car.
It’s the mutt’s nuts. Front-end grip is mega. The steering scalpel-sharp. The brakes like anchors. And it’s fast. Crazy fast.
In truth, the hybrid system does more for performance than saving the planet. The F1-derived e-motor cancels any turbo lag at the bottom end. Power is endless. Look ahead at the horizon and you’re already there. Total concentration is required.
Now, I know why it took 11 signatures for me to get the keys. I’ll back up that last paragraph with some numbers for you: The 2.9-litre engine produces an astonishing 633hp. The e-motor adds another 167 horses. Total output: 833hp. All to the rear wheels. The 0-62mph sprint time is irrelevant, this thing rockets from 0-124mph in just 7.3 seconds. And I’ll concede, it does sound good.
Ferrari engineers christened the 296 “piccolo V12” — little V12 — and I’ll let them have that. It does reach the harmonic orders of a V12 as it soars to 8,500rpm. Perhaps I should also explain the name: 296 stands for 2.9-litres, and six cylinders, and GTB is Gran Turismo Berlinetta.
As for looks, you like? Me too. It is the perfect blend of art and science. Elegant and essential. The headlights and air intakes (for the front brakes) are one simple piece of design. The high-up central exhaust is a technical necessity but also looks wicked. The active rear wing sits flush with the tail lights when not in use. At speed, it pops up to generate 100kg of downforce.
Those muscular rear haunches hide the radiator and intercoolers. Every inch of this car serves a purpose. Because ultimately the difference between what works and what doesn’t is just air. The cut-off rear of the cabin or “flying bridge” is a nod to the 250 LM (Le Mans) from the Sixties.
Hop inside a 296 and it is pure PlayStation: Digital dash, huge flappy paddles, haptic controls, Performance and Qualifying mode, carbon-shell race seats and not much else. Because you don’t need much else. Visibility is excellent, with the windscreen wrapping around you like a motorcycle visor. Gripes? Apart from the £241k price tag, nothing really.
The 296 is easy to drive fast and easy to drive slow. It’s a ballerina with an iron fist. We all know Ferrari has to be seen to be doing the right thing as we rush head-first towards electrification. But actually this car is genius. It will appease environmentalists and please petrolheads at the same time, once they can be persuaded to try it. I’d have one over an F8.
Over to you, McLaren . . .
Source: thesun.co.uk
