Don’t make the mistake of patronizing the Ferrari 296 GTS. I know it’s tempting because the $366,139 spread features a V-6 hybrid powertrain rather than the 8- and 12-cylinder powerplants that made the Ferrari NV famous. There is a lot of pride and branding built into these internal combustion machines. As the saying goes, “Ferrari doesn’t make cars, Ferrari makes engines.”
A smaller engine is not unprecedented. The company produced street-legal V-6 engines in the 1970s, although even today it does not recognize these “Dino” models as official Ferrari models. It’s a long story involving Enzo Ferrari’s late son “Dino” and some strangely macho approach to the question of how many cylinders an engine must have before it can be considered manly. (These models were designed and manufactured by Ferrari, but were sold as a new entry-level brand called Dino.)
Anyway. As Ferrari prepares to launch its first all-electric car next year, it makes sense to release a hybrid or two. The 296 GTS is an open-top version of Ferrari’s excellent 296 GTB plug-in hybrid, which debuted in 2021 following the 2013 LaFerrari mild-hybrid.
I drove the 296 GTS through South Beach and the Miami Design District, along the Rickenbacker Causeway and at Hard Rock Stadium during the Miami Formula 1 Grand Prix. It was a busy weekend for Ferrari as the brand celebrated 70 years of sales in the US and unveiled a stunning new pair of 12-cylinder sports cars. I tried not to get too distracted. That’s what I thought.
Basics
The mid-engined, rear-wheel drive two-seater combines 819 horsepower and 546 pound-feet of torque. It has seven miles of all-electric range and 47 mpg in combined gasoline and electric driving. Thanks to a smooth eight-speed transmission and ultra-flexible steering, it accelerates to 62 mph in 2.9 seconds and reaches a top speed of 205 mph.
Good
Breathtaking, uncanny beauty characterizes this stunning spider. I drove one in Blu Corsa, a decadent tone that highlighted its most seductive angles and rear pillars worthy of an Architectural Digest article. This is one of the rare convertibles that looks just as good with the top up as it does with the top down. (The roof lowers in 14 seconds at speeds up to 48 mph.) Either way, this Italian delicacy exists not in the realm of fashion, but in the realm of style.
Perhaps even more exciting is that the 296 GTS is faster than almost anything you can buy, but the way the car’s handling, suspension and balance control that speed so elegantly makes driving it unforgettable. The hybrid powertrain performed admirably as I drove slowly along the busy pedestrian street of Collins Avenue; its all-electric mode allowed the car to remain quiet, so I wasn’t the one with the roaring engine disturbing the runners and cyclists enjoying the ocean atmosphere.
Traveling across Miami’s many bridges and overpasses felt like a chance to fly. It was then that the full power of the unique Ferrari engine made the car take off. During those exciting moments, my only concern was maintaining the legal speed limit.
Badly
Pointless infotainment system. The maddening setup offers a postage stamp of haptic touchscreen on the steering wheel for controlling simple things like the radio. I had to rely on my passenger and their own little dashboard-mounted control screen to adjust the climate and sound, as well as sync my phone to the car, which was almost as difficult and annoying for them as it was for me. Anyone who has tried to talk about the old Italian mentality of time and order will understand this. (An American who works for an Italian company once told me, “The Italians are great at making simple things complicated and complex things simple.”) We love them for that.
If you have long legs or large feet, or both, you will find a footbox quite claustrophobic.
If you remember one thing
There’s a reason Ferrari’s order banks are full for years to come, even when the average price of its cars is four times that of Porsche. The company sets the bar for sexy sports cars that are fun to drive and look amazing even when parked. The 296 GTS is one of them.
Still not convinced? Drive it all day, enjoy the appreciative looks of your fellow drivers and truly enjoy the driving experience, and just keep your mouth shut about what’s under the hood. No one has to know it’s just a V-6.