Ferrari 296 GTB Review: Thrilling V6, Frustrating Tech
▼ Summary
– Ferrari covered travel and accommodation costs for the author to attend the Lone Star Le Mans event in Austin, Texas.
– The author’s initial test drive of the Ferrari 296 in Italy was brief but revealed a firm yet comfortable ride and easy-to-use hybrid system.
– A later three-day test in Austin allowed for a more thorough evaluation of the Ferrari 296’s performance and technology.
– In city traffic, the Ferrari’s electric-only mode provides sufficient power and good visibility for smooth driving.
– Outside the city, the V6 engine’s power is essential, with Hybrid and Performance modes available to manage battery usage and engine operation.
Exploring the Ferrari 296 GTB reveals a car that masterfully blends a thrilling V6 powertrain with hybrid technology, though its advanced infotainment system presents some notable frustrations. My first encounter with this mid-engined Ferrari took place on a carefully selected route near the company’s Italian headquarters. Navigating from the Po Valley into the Apennine mountains, the drive featured tight winding roads, sharp inclines, and challenging hairpin turns. Those few hours behind the wheel were thoroughly engaging, yet too short to fully evaluate all the car’s technological features. On Italy’s uneven pavement, the suspension felt firm yet compliant, and the hybrid system operated seamlessly, allowing for silent, electric-only travel through small villages.
That initial drive occurred in 2022 during the debut of Ferrari’s 499P race car. Recently, I reconnected with the 499P at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin as part of a World Endurance Championship event. This provided a second, more extended opportunity to experience the 296, this time over three full days rather than just a handful of hours.
Traveling west from Austin leads to a network of serpentine roads that carve through the surrounding hills. While spending an entire day exploring these routes would have been simple, it felt unnecessary since I had already sampled the 296’s dynamic handling on similar terrain. Besides, the racetrack called, although I confess to taking deliberately long, scenic detours to and from the circuit each day.
In city traffic, surrounded by fleets of autonomous vehicles like the all-white Waymo Jaguars and brightly wrapped Zoox Toyotas, the Ferrari’s eDrive mode proves entirely capable. This setting utilizes an axial flux electric motor positioned between the 2.9-liter V6 and the eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. The electric motor delivers 165 horsepower and, more critically, 232 lb-ft of torque, providing ample thrust for moving the car’s approximately 3,300-pound weight at urban speeds. Forward visibility is excellent, and the throttle response is finely tuned, allowing precise control over acceleration.
Once outside the city, the full force of the V6’s 654 horsepower becomes essential. Drivers can select from three distinct driving modes. Hybrid works best when the lithium-ion battery has a charge, with the system intelligently shutting off the gasoline engine to conserve fuel when possible. If the 7.4 kWh battery runs low, switching to Performance mode is the answer. This setting keeps the combustion engine active and uses excess power to recharge the battery, all while producing a much more aggressive and exciting exhaust note.
(Source: Ars Technica)
