2025 Ferrari 296 GTS review

Downsizing isn’t a unclean phrase at Ferrari.

The brand new Ferrari 296 GTS is considerably smaller on the surface than the F8 Spider it replaces, and has ditched its 3.9-litre turbocharged V8 engine in favour of a 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 backed by a plug-in hybrid system.

Trigger for alarm? The engineering staff in Maranello would argue dimension doesn’t matter, and it’s all about how you utilize what you’ve acquired. And on paper, it has a degree.

In any case, a shorter wheelbase usually makes for a extra agile automotive and if you have a look at the numbers, the hybrid system within the 296 packs a punch.

The 0-100km/h dash takes 2.9 seconds; maintain your foot in for 3.7 seconds longer and the speedo might be touching 200km/h. Flat out, roof up or down, you’ll be doing 330km/h.

The GTS may appear to be a featherweight, with sinuous supermodel hips and a fragile, low nostril, however these are heavyweight numbers. On the spec sheet, it’s a knockout.

In the actual world, it’s even higher than that.

How does the Ferrari 296 GTB evaluate?

View an in depth breakdown of the Ferrari 296 GTB towards equally sized autos.

Ferrari

296 GTB

How a lot does the Ferrari 296 GTS value?

Opting to go top-down within the 296 provides $84,100 to the GTB coupe’s sticker value.

To see how the Ferrari 296 GTS stacks up towards it rivals, use our comparison tool.

What’s the Ferrari 296 GTS like on the within?

Breathe in, as a result of the 296 is fairly tiny inside.

You sit along with your bum on the ground and, in my case, your head gently tickling the roof lining. Good factor it’s a Spider, proper?

There’s loads of visible drama right here, from the button-heavy steering wheel to the wraparound setup in entrance of the driving force, and that’s earlier than you hearth up the engine.

As you’d anticipate of a Ferrari, there’s a studying curve right here. The one issues protruding from the steering column are the outsized carbon paddle shifters, with all of your controls as a substitute positioned on the steering wheel – that’s indicators, headlights, the whole lot.

You shortly get dialled into the indications and wipers, however the touchpad on the right-hand spoke of the steering wheel is at all times painful. Typically it’s delicate, others it takes a agency stab to register an enter… and generally, it simply gained’t acknowledge an enter in any respect.

It makes getting from the very cool commonplace show, with a central rev counter like we’ve come to anticipate, into Apple CarPlay far harder than it must be. And getting round CarPlay itself requires a lot time along with your eyes off the highway that it’s arguably worse than simply grabbing your telephone and doing no matter it’s that wants doing.

These are first-world issues, however they do undermine the automotive’s usability in regular driving. At the very least the local weather controls are inside simple attain.

The sensation of high quality is superb. The little toggles on your gear choice – designed to reflect a gated guide – are satisfying, and the wheel feels unbelievable. The leather-based on the seats is supple and the roof labored flawlessly throughout our time with the automotive.

Passengers are handled to their very own show, which might present the whole lot from media data to how briskly you’re going. Watch out who you present your velocity to, as a result of that is the kind of automotive the place a big-mouthed passenger can get you in all types of hassle.

The seats in our tester weren’t fairly as grippy because the carbon-backed buckets within the 296 GTB coupe we additionally drove, however they nonetheless supplied loads of help within the bends. The heating is bun-roasting on chilly mornings, too.

As for the boring storage stuff? There’s a central cupholder, house for the important thing on the transmission tunnel and a wi-fi telephone charger below the sprint. You’ll additionally get a bottle wedged into the door pockets.

Who mentioned supercars can’t be sensible?

To see how the Ferrari 296 GTS stacks up towards it rivals, use our comparison tool.

What’s below the bonnet?

Ferrari calls the V6 within the 296 a piccolo V12 due to its distinctive, sonorous exhaust be aware.

It’s positioned impossibly low within the automotive and a fast poke round reveals how tightly it’s nestled below the bulkhead.

Meaning the burden of the hybrid system is between the axles, quite than hanging out the again or sitting up excessive the place it may undermine the stability.

To see how the Ferrari 296 GTS stacks up towards it rivals, use our comparison tool.

How does the Ferrari 296 GTS drive?

This can be a automotive of beautiful contrasts.

Prod the haptic begin button and it involves life with a synthesised whir, like an electrical BMW. There’s no high-pitched starter histrionics or explosive burst of revs, no trace as to the internal-combustion fury lurking inches out of your head.

It’s excellent for the supercar driver who desires to fly below the radar on the town, the place obnoxious V8 noises get you soiled seems from onlookers anxious concerning the setting, or their little one’s listening to, or what your automotive says about late-stage capitalism, or… you get the concept.

Though there’s no noise, driver inputs are met with an actual sense of objective at any velocity. Ferrari has dialled again the hyperactive steering from the 458 Italia and 488 GTB, however the directness of the GTS off-centre nonetheless takes some getting used to.

It calls for delicate, deliberate inputs on the wheel, whereas the brake pedal takes a agency shove on the prime of its journey. It’s a hybrid, however this isn’t a Corolla.

Though the 25km of electrical vary is achievable at metropolis speeds, driving round with a twin-turbo V6 behind you and never truly utilizing it feels legal. As quickly as you’re away from prying eyes, or your storage, it pays to prod the chequered flag on the left-hand facet of the sculptural steering wheel to vary from Hybrid to Efficiency mode.

The V6 fires with a flat bark and settles right into a frenetic idle to heat up earlier than simmering down. It makes some fascinating noises at metropolis velocity, gargling nails if you lean on the throttle at low revs because the turbos hiss, spit and flutter. Dropping the central rear window funnels extra noise into the cabin and allows you to get pleasure from its enormous vary of moods.

Greater than a easy talker, the hybrid setup within the 296 is fearsomely efficient. The best way it blends petrol and electrical energy is outstanding and the way in which it accelerates even on half throttle is relentless. Discover the room to flatten the right-hand pedal and it accelerates like a toy automotive with the hand of God himself shoving you down the highway.

The surge is unrelenting and the way in which the V6 revs will make you marvel when you ever actually liked V8 energy in any respect. The digital rev needle zings so shortly across the yellow rev counter within the decrease gears that the shift lights on the steering wheel aren’t simply good to have, they’re important.

Watch for the flash, seize one other gear with the outsized carbon paddles, maintain on tight, keep in mind you’re in Australia, brake… and breathe, or snigger, then name your folks to inform them simply how rattling good this factor is.

There’s no all-wheel drive system available to place the ability down, however the GTS by no means feels flighty. With the mannetino swap in Sport, the traction management retains an in depth eye on issues, killing wheel spin earlier than it could actually turn into something extra nefarious, however you’re at all times conscious of the very fact it is a rear-driven thoroughbred.

On a good, twisting highway it’s totally beautiful. The steering is impossibly direct and the automotive is at all times up on its toes, prepared you to brake a bit later, get on the ability a bit sooner, let the engine sing and the turbochargers whistle for longer, and really feel the hand of God propelling you in the direction of the horizon tougher.

Response from the throttle pedal is lightning; there’s no sense in Efficiency – let alongside Qualifying – mode that there are e-motors and turbochargers working collectively to reinforce the petrol V6 engine, You simply get exact energy supply as you squeeze the accelerator. Gentle throttle, half throttle or full throttle, the 296 is stunningly linear in what it offers you.

There are such a lot of layers to find right here and other ways to assault the identical drawback. Snapping all the way down to second gear offers you a great deal of noise and revs, however the electrical torque means corners which may have demanded second within the F8 are literally third-gear corners right here.

Depart it in fourth and the 296 doesn’t slingshot out of gradual corners as exhausting, however you get to benefit from the sensation of the turbochargers frantically constructing increase – then noisily, unceremoniously dumping it if you raise, which by no means fails to make a Nineteen Nineties child snigger.

It’ll chunk. Carry an excessive amount of velocity into the switchbacks on the chilly, damp Corkscrew Highway exterior Adelaide and it’ll push on the entrance finish; get grasping with the throttle with a little bit of steering lock on and also you’re shortly reminded of the very fact it is a rear-drive automotive with a 2600mm wheelbase (which means much less distance between the wheels than a Golf) with 610kW on faucet.

How exhausting it bites is decided by the place of the drive mode swap. In Sport or Race, the digital mind permits a touch of slip earlier than firmly clamping down on issues. In case your surname is Leclerc that’s in all probability a unfavourable, however for mortals on public roads it lets you inch in the direction of the automotive’s limits with out worrying that one poor enter will result in an costly restore invoice.

Transferring previous Race to TC OFF removes traction management however retains stability management, whereas the ultimate stage leaves 610kW in your fingers and below your proper foot.

Though it’s in all probability not as pure or stiff because the Berlinetta, it’s exhausting to argue the convertible roof doesn’t add to the expertise. With the hardtop down you’re uncovered to the smells and sounds of the world round you and you’ll benefit from the high-pitched, vibrato sound of the three.0-litre engine because it bounces off rock partitions or buildings.

After which when it’s time to go dwelling, you possibly can nudge the automotive into Bumpy Highway mode and let the central pc shuffle between electrical and petrol energy. The experience high quality is genuinely outstanding for a low-slung thoroughbred and the quantity of highway roar within the cabin is greater than bearable at 100km/h.

It has so many personalities, this automotive.

What do you get?

No two examples of the 296 might be precisely the identical, so the usual gear record beneath is merely a place to begin on your dream configuration.

296 GTS highlights:

• Matrix LED headlights
• Adaptive indicators
• 20-inch alloy wheels
• Magneride adaptive dampers
• Carbon ceramic braking system
• Automotive safety cowl
• Tyre restore equipment
• Tyre stress, temperature sensor
• Keyless entry and begin
• Infotainment system
  • Bluetooth audio streaming
  • DAB digital radio
• Wi-fi telephone charging
• Apple CarPlay
• Twin-zone air con
• Entrance, rear parking sensors

To see how the Ferrari 296 GTS stacks up towards it rivals, use our comparison tool.

Is the Ferrari 296 GTS secure?

The 296 hasn’t been independently crash examined, and gained’t be throughout its life.

However commonplace security gear contains 4 airbags and, in our tester, adaptive cruise management.

Past that, the 296 is lacking a number of the lively driver assists (similar to rear-cross visitors alert, for instance) that we’ve come to anticipate from new vehicles in 2024. At this value, the reversing digital camera and entrance/rear parking sensors are greater than welcome.

How a lot does the Ferrari 296 GTS value to run?

Ferrari presents a three-year, unlimited-kilometre guarantee on the 296 GTS, and a upkeep program which covers all scheduled servicing for the primary seven years of the automotive’s life.

These service intervals are beneficial at both 20,000km or every year, whichever comes first.

To see how the Ferrari 296 GTS stacks up towards it rivals, use our comparison tool.

CarExpert’s tackle the Ferrari 296 GTS

The 296 GTS is so rattling fairly, it may drive like an absolute canine and folks would queue as much as purchase it.

Parked up in a South Australian city, it instantly drew a crowd.

One onlooker – Peter – needed to take a seat inside and spent the following couple of minutes taking pictures of the inside and asking questions on how the hybrid system works; one other ran out of the native bakery kitchen to take a photograph for his mates.

Some supercars make individuals flip up their noses, however one thing about this automotive makes punters wish to know extra.

Then there’s the way in which it drives. Hybridised, downsized vehicles often require caveats – it’s a bit soulless nevertheless it’s rattling quick, and many others – however the 296 GTS has a attraction all of its personal.

The flexibility to slink by city on electrical energy makes it extra usable than ever and the way in which the battery energy augments the fizzy, turbocharged V6 is witchcraft. Furiously quick, it has extra depth and polish than any plug-in hybrid system I’ve ever encountered.

As if that wasn’t sufficient, there’s a tasty delicacy to the way in which it handles that’s so comprehensively blown up my working record of finest vehicles I’ve ever pushed, that the explosion registered on the Richter scale.

Desirous about shopping for a Ferrari 296 GTS? Get in contact with one in all CarExpert’s trusted sellers here

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