Ferrari 296 GTB Front
The Ferrari 296 GTB takes only 1 minute and 21 seconds to lap Fiorano

Tut-tut, it is the 296 GTB and not the Dino which is the first Ferrari to get a V6 heart

Ferrari has revealed the 296 GTB with a 6-cylinder heart, its first, apparently!, and plug-in hybrid assist. This car is the spiritual successor to the Dino.

Ferrari 296 GTB Top
It has a dry weight of 1470 kg when fitted with the optional Assetto Fiorano pack

How does it get the name, you ask? It is simple. The ’29’ in its name represents the engine’s displacement. Yes, it is a 3.0-litre unit (2992cc), but let us gloss over this fact, shall we?

The ‘6’ represents the number of cylinders and the GTB suffix is the abbreviation of Gran Turismo Berlinetta. Ferrari claims the V6 is all-new and has nothing to do with Maserati’s Nettuno motor.

Engine
The V6 has twin IHI turbos within its vee and they can work at up to 1,80,000 RPMs

Maximum power output of the V6 motor alone is 654 HP. It comes mated to an 8-speed DCT. A 122 kW (164 HP) electric motor (drawing juice from a 7.45 kWh battery) assists the engine and in total, the power and torque figure of the Ferrari 296 GTB is 818 HP and 740 Nm.

This enables the supercar to sprint to 100 km/hr from nought in 2.9 seconds and to 200 km/hr in 7.3 seconds, while its top speed is an impressive 330 km/hr. Being a plug-in hybrid, it also has 25 km electric-only driving range.

Interior
Did you expect a large touchscreen or what?

Visually, it is not as beautiful as the 458 Italia and draws inspiration from the SF90 Stradale’s design. But it does look modern and also features an active rear spoiler.

While inside, there are a couple of digital screens and a button-heavy steering wheel, and yes, the dashboard is also derived from the SF90.

Ferrari 296 GTB Assetto Fiorano
Assetto Fiorano pack adds more carbon-fibre, a Lexan rear window and Michelin Sport Cup 2 R tyres