Ferrari 296 GTB first drive

Beneath that glass rear deck, the mechanicals are all very low-slung, and compact too. The 296 GTB has a 2600mm wheelbase (50mm shorter than the F8 Tributo’s), while its driver sits 14mm closer to the front wheels.

This shorter wheelbase gave Ferrari some worries. The difference doesn’t sound like much to me, but the engineers were concerned how much more agile it would make the car – and how much less stable. Add in not just the complexity of the drivetrain but also that the steering is electrically rather than hydraulically assisted for the first time and that the brakes are by-wire and you have a car that, if not tuned well, could feel artificial – or worse. That’s one reason why de Simone’s team comprised three engineers before 2010 but now numbers 15. They’ve done a tremendous job.

Conventionally hinged doors open to a two-seat interior that has adopted the digital displays of the 296 GTB’s most recent siblings. It’s cleanly designed, less flamboyant than the Lamborghini Huracán Evo’s but more so than the Maserati MC20’s.

Ergonomically, it’s mixed. Long gone are the days when Italian supercars forced you into weird driving positions and left you unable to see out. I wouldn’t mind if the steering wheel reached ever so slightly further from the dashboard, but it’s no big deal. It’s almost round, while the big gearshift paddles stay attached to the column where you left them. The absence of column stalks makes their location easier, I’m sure.

That doesn’t help the functionality of other things, though. The controls for the lights, wipers and indicators live on the steering wheel, alongside multi-function touch-sensitive icons for the infotainment and so on. There’s also a manettino dial for the driving modes, controlling the chassis. Then there are touch controls for the hybrid set-up, too. You get used to it but, all in, it’s a bit much.

To the powertrain modes, then. You can make the 296 GTB run as an EV, which is kind of the point of the system: it will get you into zero-emission zones in cities with its 15.5-mile electric-only range. Hybrid is for daily driving, Performance gives you everything while maintaining some battery oomph and Qualifying is for short fast runs, giving you everything while letting the battery run out.

Meanwhile, the five handling modes go from Wet (stability control high) through to ESC Off (you’re on your own, mate). And the electronically controlled dampers offer two states, which you can flick between in each handling mode.

What has marked out previous Ferraris of this kind is that it hasn’t really mattered which mode you’re in: it’s a given that you have bags of power and that there’s no need to use it all, because it’s engaging anyway.

The same is true of the 296 GTB as a road car. The ride flows well in the softer damper setting, with a little patter on bad surfaces in the stiffer one; but either way, it breathes easily.

The steering has a little more initial weight build-up than we’re used to – one of the advantages of an EPAS system is how much can be tuned. So although the steering ratio is quicker than the F8 Tributo’s and it’s just under two turns between locks, it initially feels more stable, yet the car still turns with real vigour.

There’s a terrific blend of character to the way the 296 GTB drives – a flow to the steering, ride and turning. 

And the engine is special. The V6 revs to 8500rpm and delivers immediate responses, despite its exceptionally high specific output, because if there’s turbo lag, the motor can fill it (and act as a traction control system, pulling revs down more quickly than could be achieved by cutting the ignition or applying the brakes).

Ferrari even talks about it sounding like a V12, thanks to an evenly spaced firing order and a tube running from the exhaust to the cabin to carry sound, tuned to allow through third-order higher-pitched notes. So they call this engine the piccolino (Italian for little) V12. You might think that’s marketing bluff – until you hear it. Then you will think they might have a point.

Does this car feel heavier and more leaden than the F8 Tributo? I’m not certain; it has been a while. But I did spend time in the 296 GTB thinking ‘this car doesn’t feel heavy’ rather than ‘this car feels light’. Then again, this is the daily version; a faster, more track-focused variant will follow.

For now, you can specify the racy Assetto Fiorano package, as fitted to the car we drove on track. Called the Fiorano Performance Pack Extended in the UK, it's a £25,920 option that removes weight and makes some aerodynamic adjustments.

Most notably, it brings dampers from Multimatic: passive shock absorbers derived from GT racing ones (the Ford GT uses Multimatic dampers to good effect). The aero changes include a front-bumper extension to increase downforce by up to 10kg at high speed. And the car is a little lighter. The door panels are different, there’s extended carbonfibre inside and out and the rear deck is made of Lexan rather than glass for an overall weight reduction of 15kg.

As significant from a track performance perspective, one suspects, is that Assetto Fiorano cars come on extra-sticky Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2R (245/35Z front and 305/35Z rear) tyres, rather than Pilot Sport 4S ones. Once up to temperature, they don’t last long. Customers don’t mind. Finally, there’s a Le Mans-inspired paint scheme available exclusively to Assetto Fiorano customers. It’s another option. There are lots of options.