Ferrari 296 GTB Debuts With New V6 PHEV
Is this a fan-rendered modernised Ferrari Dino tribute? NO, it’s the new Ferrari 296 GTB.
Ferrari couldn’t avoid the downsizing trend, but they’ve decided to do it in style, releasing a new car to herald the return of the V6, which has not been seen the time of the Dino. This all-new Ferrari 296 GTB (Gran Turismo Berlinetta) even has similar Dino proportions, one could say.
The 2.9L engine in the 296 GTB is not only special because it’s their first V6 in many years, but also because it’s a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV). The recent Ferrari SF90 Stradale is also a PHEV, but with a larger, 4.0-litre V8 under the hood.
This new 2.9-litre 120° V6 is unrelated to the Maserati V6 that’s coming to the MC20. By itself, it produces 663PS, which is a new specific power output record for a production car with 221PS per litre. Ferrari has done this by mounting their turbos between the two cylinder banks, AMG-style.
It’s quite the impressive motor despite having fewer cylinders than your typical Ferrari, it’s still able to climb the rev range to 8,500rpm. Overall power output goes up to 830PS when combined with its electric motor. On a full charge, that electric motor can move the vehicle 25-26km emissions-free.
It features an 8-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Because of all this equipment, the vehicle weighs 1470kg, even with the Assetto Fiorano package, which uses lightweight materials. The vehicle can be optioned with a special livery inspired by the 250 Le Mans.
The Ferrari 296 GTB also debuts a 6-way Chassis Dynamic Sensor (6w-CDS), which is a first in the automotive industry. Aero is also unique on the 296 GTB, as Ferrari have opted to use an active spoiler on the rear bumper in order to generate extra downforce instead of using it to manage drag. At maximum, this system produces over 100kg downforce over the rear axle.
The Ferrari 296 GTB competes directly against the all-new McLaren Artura, another Plug-in Hybrid with a V6 mounted in the middle.
Here’s the press release with more.
PRESS RELEASE
A truly revolutionary vehicle for Ferrari, its introduces a new type of engine: a 663cv 120° V6 coupled with an electric motor. The combined output of the hybrid architecture is a massive 830cv, and it thus delivers incredible performance, together with an exhilarating and unique soundtrack.
Importantly, the car’s name – which combines its total displacement (2,992cc) and number of cylinders with the GTB (Gran Turismo Berlinetta) acronym, in finest Ferrari tradition – was chosen to underscore this new engine’s epoch-changing importance to Maranello.
Along with the overall total power output, the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) system cuts throttle pedal response times to zero, and delivers a 25km range in all-electric eDrive mode, guaranteeing the 296 GTB is an incredibly usable car in all driving situations.
The new V6 is a clean-sheet design from Ferrari’s engineers and is the first Prancing Horse to feature the turbos installed inside the engine’s ‘vee’. Overall engine mass, and the centre of gravity, are both lower, while the new Ferrari V6 sets a new specific power output record for a production car with 221cv per litre.
The transition between electric and hybrid modes is fundamental to the sports car characteristics of the 296 GTB, and this is why a power management selector (eManettino) has been adopted alongside the traditional Manettino. The eManettino has four positions: eDrive, Hybrid, Performance, and Qualify.
Sound-wise, the 296 GTB rewrites the rules by harmoniously combining two characteristics that are normally diametrically opposed: the force of the turbos and the harmony of the high-frequency notes of a naturally-aspirated V12. Even at low revs, inside the cabin, the soundtrack features the pure V12 orders of harmonics which then, at higher revs, guarantee that typical high-frequency treble. These are further helped by a limiter that hits an impressive 8500rpm.
No less revolutionary are the aerodynamics of the 296 GTB, as for the first time, an active device is being used not to manage drag but to generate extra downforce. The LaFerrari-inspired active spoiler integrated into the rear bumper means that in the high-downforce configuration there is an additional 100kg in downforce over the rear axle,. This enhances vehicle control in performance driving situations and minimises stopping distances under braking.
This impressive performance was achieved by seamlessly optimising the car’s volumes, and its exceptional modernity references 1960s Ferraris, which made simplicity and functionality their signatures. The result is a car with an extremely clean, elegant design in which all the performance-oriented elements meld effortlessly with the styling, underscoring the inextricable marriage of technology and aesthetics that is the signature of all Ferraris.
Within the interior of the 296 GTB, the cockpit was developed around the new concept of an entirely digital interface which Ferrari first debuted on the SF90 Stradale. Yet in contrast to the SF90, where the designers wanted to highlight the presence of the advanced technology, the philosophy for the 296 GTB was to clothe that technology in a sophisticated way.
The result is a pure, minimalistic connotation, with the instruments black until the Start Button is pressed, whereupon all of the components spring to life and the 296 GTB reveals its technological glory in the form of an exceptionally modern, ergonomic and completely digital interface. A further example of Ferrari’s philosophy of maximum formal purity is the HUD (Head Up Display) which is integrated into the leather trim.
The 296 GTB’s dynamic development focused around boosting the car’s pure performance, as well as improving the usability afforded by the hybrid layout. New components were developed specifically, including the 6-way Chassis Dynamic Sensor (6w-CDS) – a world first for the automotive sector.
From a chassis perspective, the wheelbase is 50mm shorter than previous Ferrari mid-rear-engined berlinettas to the benefit of the car’s dynamic agility. Other solutions that enhance the car’s handling and performance include the brake-by-wire system, the ‘Aero’ brake callipers from the SF90, electric power steering, the rear active aero device and SCM-Frs magnetorheological dampers.
As was the case with the SF90 Stradale, for clients who want to exploit the car’s extreme power and performance, particularly on the track, the 296 GTB is also available with the Assetto Fiorano package. This includes racing-derived adjustable Multimatic shock absorbers, carbon-fibre elements on the front bumper that can deliver an additional 10kg of downforce, a Lexan® rear screen, and a more extensive use of lightweight materials. There are also Michelin Sport Cup2R high-performance tyres, while a special livery inspired by the 250 Le Mans can also be ordered exclusively by owners that opt for the Assetto Fiorano package.
About the Author
Subhash Nair Written work on dsf.my. @subhashtag on instagram. Autophiles Malaysia on Youtube.
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