New Ferrari 296 GTB: 819bhp PHEV brings back V6 power

During development, in fact, Ferrari engineers are said to have referred to the new F163 engine as the "little V12", due to its distinctive aural character and performance potential. Its redline of 8500rpm, too, is shared with the V12 in the 812 Superfast. 

The V6 is coupled to an electric motor - also at the rear for the first time in a Ferrari hybrid, mounted ahead of the eight-speed automatic gearbox - that produces 164bhp to take the system's combined output to 819bhp. That's 109bhp more than the V8-powered F8 Tributo.

Combined torque output, meanwhile, is put at 546lb ft, meaning the 296 GTB can get from 0-62mph in just 2.9sec on its way to a top speed of more than 205mph.

Like the SF90 Stradale, the 296 GTB can be driven on electric power alone (for up to 16 miles and at speeds of up to 84mph), courtesy of its underfloor 7.45kWh battery.

Four driving modes are offered via an 'eManettino' switch on the steering wheel: eDrive, Hybrid, Performance and Qualify, each with differing degrees of electric motor involvement and regenerative-braking functionality. 

Design

Among the "radical and innovative solutions" introduced for the 296 GTB's overall design is a total rethink of the active aerodynamic package employed for its recent predecessors.

For the first time on a mid-engined sports car, Ferrari has employed an active aero device for generating downforce rather than mitigating drag. Based on that used by the LaFerrari, the active rear spoiler integrated into the rear bumper is said to generate up to 360kg of downforce at 155mph with the hardcore, track-oriented Assetto Fiorano pack specified. Even in standard guise, it produces 100kg more than its predecessors. 

Various defining design cues promote a visual relationship with other new-era Ferraris, including the SF90 Stradale and Roma, while distancing the new arrival substantially from the F8 Tributo and its closely related 488 GTB forebear.

However, Ferrari also claims to have taken inspiration from classic models including the 1963 250 LM, which inspired the design of the B-pillar, rear haunches and Kamm tail. The wraparound windscreen, meanwhile, is a cue borrowed from the one-off P80/C and the Japanese-market J50. 

The air intakes were made as small as possible (for a cleaner look) by routing hot air underneath the car, meaning it's kept separate from the cool air needed for the rear-mounted intercoolers, while the hybrid system's radiators vent to the rear, so the front of the car could be aerodynamically optimised with a more tapered design than used previously.

A raft of downforce-enhancing tweaks were made possible, too, by the use of the 'Aero' brake calipers inspired by those on the SF90 Stradale. They're cooled via ducts integrated into the headlights, thus freeing up room for the central section of the car's underbody to be brought as low to the ground as possible and thereby "exaggerating the suction created as a result of ground effect".

Ferrari highlighted that the rear-end design specifically marks a break from tradition in combining elements of Spider and coupé styling cues, with a defined separation between the roof and B-pillars and a pair of sizeable buttress flanking the engine bay. These help to channel air efficiently in the absence of a rear screen running from the roof to the rear. As is tradition, an open-roof Spider version is expected to follow. 

Chassis

The development programme for the 296 GTB was said to be centred around "delivering class-leading levels of driver engagement" while boosting general usability and accessibility.

To that end, the powertrain has been kept as compact as possible and a raft of new components make their debut, including the Transition Manager Actuator for quickly switching between the two power sources, the "world-first" six-way Dynamic Chassis Sensor and a new 'ABS Evo' function that reduces brake pedal travel and ensures "greater repeatability of stopping distances". 

The revamped ABS system does away with the yaw-rate sensor, measuring acceleration and speed across three axes to better determine when to intervene. It also reduces the 124-0mph stopping distance by 8.8%.

The 296 GTB has a 50mm-shorter wheelbase than the F8 Tributo, which Ferrari said enhances agility, while the added weight of the hybrid system is largely offset by the lighter petrol engine and use of various lightweight materials, meaning the car has a dry weight of 1470kg - just 35kg more than its predecessor.