2021 Ferrari 296 GTB sports coupe. 1st generation
The Ferrari 296 GTB is a mid-engine coupe, plug-in hybrid, and Ferrari’s first production V6 car for everyday driving, which tends to outperform traditional V8 cars. According to the developers themselves, the new Ferrari 296 GTB PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle) is the best road car in terms of power-to-weight ratio. The first two digits of the index in the name are the engine displacement (although 2,992 cubic centimeters could be rounded to the number “30”), and the letters are the abbreviation Gran Turismo Berlinetta.
The 2021 Ferrari 296 GTB is positioned by the manufacturer as a fundamentally new hybrid car. But potential competitors include the new Maserati MC20 with a 3.0-liter V6 engine producing 630 hp (and an all-electric version is expected), the McLaren Artura hybrid model with a 671 hp V6 engine and the Lamborghini Huracan with a conventional transmission.
Brief background
The honor of the first Ferrari with a 6-cylinder engine belongs to the 1957 Dino 156, but it was a racing car, like all its successors. Ferrari produced sports cars with six cylinders only under the subsidiary brand Dino, and then only for a short period from 1967 to 1974. After which, until the mid-seventies, the brand’s road cars were equipped exclusively with V12 engines, which were followed by V8 engines. By the way, in 1981, the Ferrari sports “stable” (racing team) was the first to bring a turbocharged six-cylinder car to the Formula 1 track. Since 2014, 1.6-liter V6 engines have become standard for Formula 1.
Exterior
The 2021/2022 Ferrari 296 GTB looks like a true Ferrari car. Thus, in terms of exterior, the Italian magicians did not do anything new, they just finalized the successful design of the 1963 Ferrari 250 LM. And this is for the best, as there is at least something eternal in this world: a sporty silhouette, a sleek roof, large wheels, an aggressive grille framed by evil eyes, giant air intakes on the rear fenders, spoilers.
The new 296 GTB is a large car with a wheelbase of 2.6 meters. It is 4.5 m long, 1.9 m wide and only 1.1 m high, so you may not notice it and stumble when getting off the bus. The low profile and many aerodynamic features create a downforce of 362 kg at a speed of 250 km/h. However, the curb weight is quite moderate, 1,470 kg.
Interior
The interior of the Ferrari 296 GTB unites the past and the present, mixing modern digital options with traditional elements. The driver evaluates the parameters on a digital display, while their frightened passenger (we will tell you later why the passenger is frightened) also has an information display with access to the infotainment system.
Most of the buttons, including the engine start button, are touch-sensitive. However, the mode switch is a ‘warm’ mechanical tool, and in the center of the cockpit there is a classic ‘cancelletto’, a module for shifting gears, stylized as H-shaped switches from the Italo-disco era. All other interior details are technological and laconic. The car features racing seats and ergonomic controls, aimed at ensuring comfort and clarity of information perception while driving at high speed.
Powertrain
Despite the fact that the Ferrari 296 GTB has just been pulled out of the stable to show off, the massive rave reviews for its new 6-cylinder hybrid powertrain have already reached Jupiter’s ears. Now even it knows that the power output of the V6 matches the V12 Competizione, and the developers call the new 296 GTB “Piccolo V12”.
The powertrain allows you to accelerate to 100 km/h in 2.9 seconds and reach a speed of 330 km/h
So, the 2.9-liter V6 engine of the F163 model has a turbocharger, an aluminum block with a camber of 120 degrees, two IHI turbochargers in the camber of the block, intake manifolds on the sides of the cylinder block. The engine generates 663 hp and 740 Nm of torque. The powertrain can accelerate to 100 km/h in 2.9 seconds and reach a speed of 330 km/h. The electric motor can move the coupe without an internal combustion engine, at a maximum speed of up to 296 km/h, while the driving range is 25 km.
The 296 GTB is the first Ferrari with a rear-wheel-drive PHEV architecture, combining an internal combustion engine with a rear-mounted MGU-K (Motor Generator Unit, Kinetic) electric motor with up to 122 kW (167 hp) and 315 Nm of torque. The electric motor and internal combustion engine communicate via a Transition Manager Actuator (TMA), which allows them to be used together to generate a combined output at 830hp peak. The electric motor is installed between the internal combustion engine and the 8-speed preselective DCT.
The car is equipped with a new electronic braking system that is not mechanically linked to the pedals. The smart system itself determines the degree of recuperation and the need to apply the brakes. Moreover, noteworthy is the new ABS, which can track not only the rotational speed of each wheel, but also the vertical displacement and steering angle. The developers proudly claim that the Ferrari needs 107 m to go from 200 km/h to 0 km/h.
