One of the most gorgeous Ferraris I've seen in quite a while, as well! I do wish the battery-only range was longer, but I'm guessing they were concerned about weight, which is understandable.
Photography Courtesy Ferrari
Last month, Ferrari unveiled the 296 GTB, the brand’s “new mid-rear-engined berlinetta sports car.”
Styling aside, the most notable feature of this latest model is its powertrain: a V6 (the first used by Ferrari since the Dino) mated to a plug-in hybrid system.
In case you didn’t catch that, Ferrari makes hybrids now.
Naturally, this hybrid is good for a total system output of over 800 horsepower–653 horses from the V6, plus 165 horses from the 610-kW hybrid system.
The 296 GTB also comes equipped with a “power management selector” Ferrari calls the “eManettino.” This eManettino has four modes, each described in the press release as the following:
- eDrive: the internal combustion engine is off and there is pure electric drive to the rear wheels; with a fully-charged battery the car can cover 25 km at a maximum speed of 135 km/h
- Hybrid (H): this is the default mode on ignition. The power flows are managed for maximum efficiency and the control logic defines the intervention of the internal combustion engine. With the engine on, the car develops its maximum power and performance
- Performance: the ICE is always on and helps maintain the battery efficiency to ensure full power at all times. This is the ideal setting for press-on driving
- Qualify: provides maximum performance but at the cost of lower battery recharging
If that doesn’t sound like enough for you, the high-performance “Assetto Fiorano” package is also available, which increases the aero and decreases the weight with Multimatic shock absorbers, extra carbon fiber aero bits and a Lexan rear window–though doesn't add any more power to the car.
So, is this hybrid Ferrari an omen of things to come, or is it about time Ferrari finally made a hybrid model?
One of the most gorgeous Ferraris I've seen in quite a while, as well! I do wish the battery-only range was longer, but I'm guessing they were concerned about weight, which is understandable.
In reply to infinitenexus :
Holy crow, yes, it's stunning.
Wow...that is, by far, the nicest looking of all the modern Ferraris.
That Corvette looks way better.
No.
great styling that I think will last ,
i guess it would be pretty hard to stuff a V12 and the hybrid stuff in one car ,
but maybe a V8 with hybrid.....
Beauty in the eye of the beholder and all that. But that is hideous to me. Everything past the 458 is just not my speed.
Cannot really comment, I would get in trouble again for not being sufficiently PC. 
Wow. Ferrari have made a car I want for the first time since the 456 and 355. Not only that, but it's a V6 plug in hybrid, which I see as the way of the future. Like others I'd rather more pure electric range, and I'd happily give up a couple of hundred or more go on the ICE side as well.
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