New Ferrari 296 GTS – Is It a Real Ferrari?

The new Ferrari 296 GTS is everything you never expect in a Ferrari. Instead of a big V8 or V12, it’s powered by a tiny 2.9 liter V6 (hence the 296 name). On top of all that, it’s also a plug-in hybrid! The ICE and electric motor combined to make 830 ps, powerful enough to enter hypercar territory.




The performance of the 296 GTS is indeed hypercar fast. It will go 0-100 km/h in just 2.9 seconds and 0-200 km/h in 7.6 seconds. Top speed is over 330 km/h. Thanks to its plug-in hybrid system, the 296 GTS also gets somewhat decent gas milage (assuming Ferrari owners care about that sort of thing). There are four driving modes.

  • eDrive: the internal combustion engine is off and there is pure electric drive to the rear wheels; with a fully-charged battery the car can cover 25 km at a maximum speed of 135 km/h
  • Hybrid (H): this is the default mode on ignition. The power flows are managed for maximum efficiency and the control logic defines the intervention of the internal combustion engine. With the engine on, the car develops its maximum power and performance
  • Performance: the ICE is always on and helps maintain the battery efficiency to ensure full power at all times. This is the ideal setting for press-on driving
  • Qualify: provides maximum performance but at the cost of lower battery recharging

The S in GTS stands for Spider. This is Ferrari speak for convertible. The lightweight retractable hard top takes 14 seconds to retract or deploy at speeds of up to 45km/h. The separation line between the car’s body and the roof is above the B post. As a result, the folding roof splits into two sections that fold flush over the front of the engine, thus maintaining the engine bay’s thermal dissipation characteristics and the balance of the overall design. This also allowed the designers to introduce a window in the rear section of the engine cover through which the new V6 is clearly visible. When the top is retracted, the cabin and the rear deck are separated by a height-adjustable glass rear screen.

As was the case with the SF90 Stradale, for clients who want to exploit the car’s extreme power and performance to the utmost, particularly on the track, the 296 GTS is also available with the Assetto Fiorano package, which includes lightweight features and aero modifications.

There’s no word yet on when the 296 GTS will go on sale or how much it will cost. We just know it’s won’t be cheap. The Ferrari 296 GTB starts at $322,986. Expect to pay another $20,000 on top of that to get the 296 GTS.