Ferrari 296 GTB

Draped in Alcantara leather, the cabin of the Ferrari 296 GTB looks extremely driver-focused, with much of the visual drama of the interior focused towards the driver’s cockpit. Much of the design elements here have been inspired and taken from the SF90 Stradale, which includes the huge 16-inch full-TFT instrument console sitting within a large curved binnacle.

Placed behind the Formula One-inspired three-spoke multi-functional sports steering wheel with a host of buttons for various functions and large and sleek paddle shifters, the instrument console is flanked by housings for the AC vents and touch-controlled functions for the automatic climate control and adjustments for the outside rearview mirrors in them.

The angular design of the AC vents and screens here is carried forward the AC vents on the co-driver side, which also has an additional slim rectangular screen placed within the dashboard in front of the seat. With sports seats on offer, the Ferrari 296 GTB also gets a minimalist transmission tunnel having an old-school-like design for the transmission switches and various other controls.

Inspired by the smooth curves appeal of the Ferrari 250 LM from 1963, the Ferrari 296 GTB looks cutting-edge and extremely aerodynamic in its appeal. In true Ferrari fashion, the 296 GTB has a lot of curves all around, a low-slung stance with extremely low ground clearance and edgy design elements everywhere with air passages to make it look super fast even at a standstill.

At the front, the Ferrari 296 GTB has a long swooping bonnet, which comes with smooth curves flowing over it and has angular headlamps featuring all-LED illumination on the lower edges of the side bulges. The headlamps have air passages positioned next to their inner edges, which have daytime running LED strips over them. More air passages can be seen in the slim housings on the outer edges of the headlamps and the massive air dam spread across the front bumper in two halves, which also has a slim-looking splitter below it.

The side profile of the Ferrari 296 GTB is equally dramatic when viewed, with it having curved bulges over the rounded wheel arches. The rear fenders, in comparison, look more muscular, while also having a huge hollow between it and the door panel for a better and more volumetric air passage. With 21-inch alloy wheels, the Ferrari 296 GTB’s side profile also has low-slung door panels with flush-type handles and side skirts, which look in sync with the wraparound theme for the windscreen.

At the back, the Ferrari 296 GTB looks as dramatic and distinguished as the front, with a truncated rear windscreen midway of the length of the car, behind which there is a curved gloss-finished cover for the powertrain beneath it. The extreme rear of the 296 GTB has a curved wing running between the slim combination tail lamps featuring LED inserts. There is a neatly positioned centrally-mounted trapezoidal exhaust port in the middle of the curved layer above the rear bumper, which has a massive diffuser with fins on both sides.

The Ferrari 296 GTB is offered with multiple drive modes like Sport and Race, which are controlled via the Magnettino knob on the steering wheel and work in sync with the Side Slip Control for faster and more responsive acceleration and stability around corners. With an electronically-raised suspension setup and lift system on the front axle, the drivability of the Ferrari 296 GTB on urban roads becomes easier, but the ride quality is still on the stiffer side.

The Ferrari 296 GTB is the brand’s first car to offer a six-cylinder engine for its powertrain. Here, there is a 3.0-litre 120-degree twin-turbocharged V6 petrol engine paired with dual-rotor, single-stator electric motor. While the engine produces 663 PS, the motor develops 167 PS of power. The combined power output of the engine and motor stands at 830 PS.

Paired with an 8-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, the powertrain also has a 7.45 kWh lithium-ion battery for a pure electric-only range of 25 km. With a top speed of 330 kmph, the Ferrari 296 GTB can also reach the 100 kmph mark from a standstill in 2.9 seconds.

While the Ferrari 296 GTB might not have heavily-equipped driver assistance systems, it still gets some decent ones like adaptive cruise control, electronic stability control, launch control, and vehicle dynamics control, in addition to the front and side airbags.

On paper, the 296 GTB might sound timid for a Ferrari for having a V6 engine, and not a traditional V8 or V12. However, the hybrid powertrain, of which the V6 engine is a part, is tech-rich and offers great performance and efficiency at the same time. Meanwhile, the true Ferrari aspects of sharp handling and oodles of starry appeal are still intact in the Ferrari 296 GTB.