This Ferrari 296 GTB Will Have A V12 That Really Is A V6

Ferrari now has a V6 mid-rear-engined berlinetta sports car. The Ferrari 296 GTB marries the character of a soulful 120° V6, together with the direct drive of an electric motor to create what Ferrari terms as a car that is essentially ‘Fun to Drive’. The Ferrari 296 GTB marks a new generation of cars to come. Their new V6 engine, which features a hot-vee turbocharger arrangement, alone produces 663cv. The plug-in electric motor which the V6 is paired with, delivers a further 167cv. This delivers a maximum output of 830cv. The powertrain is matched with an 8-speed DCT, with the E-Diff and Motor Generator Unit, Kinetic (MGU-K), dual-rotor single-stator axial flux motor, located between the engine and gearbox.

OneShift Editorial Team

12 Jul 2021

The new V6 benefits from Ferrari’s newest combustion chamber development, first seen on the SF90 Stradale. This features a central injector and spark plug with a high 360-bar pressure injection system, designed to improve the fuel-air mix within the chamber.

A key focus for Ferrari is in the development of the sound that the 296 GTB creates. The soulful engine notes match the harmonics in a naturally aspirated V12 engine. This is done through a combination of a symmetrical firing order of the car’s wide angle V6, tuned exhaust manifolds combined with the single exhaust line outside the ‘hot-V’, designed to amplify pressure waves. Pure sound is transmitted into the cabin, prior to running exhaust gasses through the catalytic converter. Ferrari’s V6 is the first of the F163 engine family, and has earned itself the nickname “piccolo V12” (little V12) due to its characteristics, during the development phase.

Heat management for both the engine and gearbox is done via two radiators installed at the front of the car, where there are also two condensers built to cool the high-voltage battery. Brake cooling principals from the SF90 Stradale, have been introduced with ventilation ducts integrated into their castings, with air channeled from the front bumper intakes, through the front wheelarch.

For the first time on a Ferrari, an active device is being used to generate downforce, as opposed to generating drag. A LaFerrari-inspired active spoiler, integrated into the rear bumper allows the 296 GTB to generate a high level of rear downforce; on the Assetto Fiorano package, the 296 GTB generates a maximum of 360 kg at 350km/h.

The 296 GTB’s cockpit has been developed around a full digital interface, similar to the SF90 Stradale, sporting a pure, minimalistic connotation characterised by a powerful elegance that, on an aesthetic level, perfectly mirrors the design of the exterior. The main instrument cluster is set into a deep cleft carved out of the dashboard trim, two side satellites flanking the steering wheel, each with its own capacitive touch area, and an air vent, complete the driver-facing side of the dash.

Left-hand drive markets will be the first to take delivery of the 296 GTB, in the first quarter of 2022; and those who may be keen on a full EV, can expect one to appear in 2025.

Buyers can opt for a 7-year extended maintenance programme offered with all Ferrari cars, including their 296 GTB, and even covers pre-owned Ferraris. Regular yearly maintenance, or at 20,000km, whichever comes last, includes original spares, and meticulous checks by staff trained directly at the Ferrari Training Centre in Maranello.

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