It’s true what they say about driving a Ferrari in Italy: Everybody, and I mean everybody, stops and stares. From the old dudes who have seen them coming out of Maranello since the 50’s to young schoolgirls who couldn’t care less about cars, and everyone in between. They’re not looking because you look cool – they’re admiring the rolling point of national pride you’re driving, an impulse away from full-on saluting.
From my position in the cockpit, I have to remember what the 296 GTS admirers are seeing: The front, wide-mouthed like that of the LaFerrari with the active aero in the rear an evolution of that found in that hypercar; between, aggressive bulging bodywork channels air into large intakes ahead of the rear wheels that perfectly recall the 250 Le Mans from back in 1963. This particular 296 GTS is finished in Blu Corsa, a sparkling metallic blue that perfectly matches the almost-white (Ferrari calls it Sabbia) interior. I’m just outside of Imola, but the combo makes it easy to feel a bit like a modern-day Don Johnson in Miami Beach.
With the retractable hard top down (and really, on any half-decent day it would be gauche to ride with it up) the eye fills in the lines of the 296 GTS silhouette as nearly a perfectly obtuse triangle. It’s almost awkward but, perhaps through sheer force of stubborn will, it kind of works. But that’s not what you see from inside, and that’s not what they see from outside – not really. They only see “Ferrari” if they see anything at all, because their brains are too busy hearing the sound of the thing – that which truly makes a Ferrari a “Ferrari.
Being a Ferrari, the engine is loud in all the right ways on startup – if you hadn’t already drawn a crowd, you will when you push the button on the steering wheel. It’s arguably even better from inside, where all the right noises make it to your ears, including the whooshing of boost, the blowing off of excess pressure, and the odd wastegate “pop” like uncorking a bottle of champagne that only makes the experience all the more vital.
It’s not just about the engine, of course. Sandwiched between the V6 and eight-speed dual-clutch transmission is an electric motor that adds up to 165 horsepower. Combined, the 296 makes 818 horsepower and 546 pound-feet of torque, which should be enough to easily overwhelm the rear tires in the most inconvenient moments.
Except it’s not. As good as the 296 is, its biggest achievement might be its approachability. It’s one thing to have gobs and gobs of power (it does), but quite another for it to feel progressive and usable. No matter how deep a plunge you take with your right foot, there is a gradation in the swell of power. Never is there the “uh-oh, now I’ve really done it” feeling associated with heavily turbocharged supercars of the past. And that’s not to mention the amount of cooperation happening behind the scenes between electric motor, internal combustion engine, and turbochargers. The melding of it all is utterly imperceptible behind the wheel.
On the other hand, the 296 is in fact a plug-in hybrid, so it’s easy to zip around town using only the electric motor, altogether bypassing the delicious ruckus that the 120-degree V6 makes. The system will allow about 15.5 miles of electric-only driving and it supports speeds of about 84 miles per hour. And if you’re a rich kid looking to sneak out with dad’s (mom’s?) Ferrari, you’ll be tickled pink.
