Ferrari 296 GTB 2025 Review: The benchmark supercar now facing new rivals
Ferrari’s V6 hybrid supercar continues to set the standard, even as new rivals emerge with even greater performance.
An Evolution of the Hybrid Masterpiece
The Ferrari 296 GTB has been a landmark vehicle in the hybrid supercar sector for several years now. Since its 2022 launch, the 296 GTB has undergone extensive refinement, and it remains a formidable machine. Dispensing with the cherished twin-turbo V8, Ferrari introduced a new V6 hybrid powertrain, taking the lead in a segment that is rapidly transitioning to electrifying performance.
While its predecessor battled naturally aspirated V10 rivals like the Lamborghini Huracán and V8 contemporaries such as the McLaren 720S, the 296 GTB now faces a new generation of threats. The arrival of Lamborghini’s 2025 Temerario, boasting 903 horsepower and a 10,000rpm redline, presents a serious challenge to Maranello’s iconic Ferrari supercar 296 GTB. Similarly, the updated McLaren 750S continues to rely on its twin-turbo V8, maintaining a focus on power-to-weight ratios that make it a compelling alternative in this competitive landscape.
Technical Superiority: The Hybrid V6 Revolution
At the heart of the 296 GTB lies a truly impressive engine. Featuring an all-new twin-turbo V6 with an electric motor, the 819 horsepower output is remarkable. Unlike the all-wheel-drive SF90 Stradale, the 296 GTB utilizes a rear-wheel-drive hybrid system, delivering power exclusively to the rear wheels. This configuration has allowed Ferrari engineers to achieve a focused driving experience, minimizing weight and maximizing agility.
The electrical component adds 165 horsepower and 232 lb-ft of torque, while the V6 on its own produces a stunning 654 horsepower and 546 lb-ft. While Ferrari refrains from quoting combined torque figures, likely due to the complex interaction between the electric motor and the combustion engine, the total output is undeniably powerful. The V6 unit is lighter than its V8 counterparts, and the Ferrari 296 GTB is paired with an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. A long, rectangular battery pack is positioned behind the seats, ensuring optimal weight distribution.
The 296 GTB represents a significant leap in technological innovation for Ferrari. It is the first V6-powered Ferrari road car (the Dino, of course, never wore the Prancing Horse emblem in its era) and the first to feature a “hot-vee” turbocharger installation. Furthermore, it is a plug-in hybrid, offering an EV-only range of approximately 15 miles, allowing for emission-free city driving. The low-mounted V6 is housed in a new aluminum chassis, with a wheelbase reduced by 50mm compared to the V8-engined models. Occupants are positioned slightly further forward, enhancing the car’s responsiveness and agility.
Advanced Chassis Control: The 6w-CDS System
No Ferrari would be complete without a suite of advanced electronic chassis systems, and the 296 GTB is no exception. Ferrari has developed a six-axis sensor system known as 6w-CDS (6-way Chassis Dynamic Sensor) that measures acceleration and rotational speed across the X, Y, and Z axes.
This advanced system replaces traditional yaw sensors and, when combined with the steering rack sensor, provides the car with a comprehensive understanding of driver inputs and grip levels. The 6w-CDS works in tandem with systems such as Side Slip Control and the active E-Differential to maximize cornering speeds without compromising stability. It also enables a new ABS-evo system in RACE mode and above, which utilizes the brake-by-wire technology to shorten braking distances and improve braking performance during trail braking. These cutting-edge Ferrari 296 GTB performance features are crucial for maintaining control during high-speed maneuvering.
For the first time, Ferrari is employing active aerodynamics not to reduce drag, but to increase downforce. The firm quotes a figure of 360kg at 155mph, with 100kg of that generated by the deployable rear wing.
The 296 GTB is equipped with two radiators in the nose for engine and gearbox cooling, as well as two condensers for battery cooling. Hot air is expelled underneath to avoid interfering with the intercooler air intakes along the flanks. The small apertures below the headlights are for brake cooling, while the roofline-integrated wing creates a “virtual” rear screen that channels air to the rear of the car, as if guided by a surface. The majority of the 296’s downforce is generated under the car, where Ferrari engineers paid meticulous attention to airflow, the rear diffuser, and the height of the underbody to maximize the effectiveness of the downforce-generating surfaces. This comprehensive aerodynamic package is central to the 296 GTB’s handling.
The Assetto Fiorano Pack: A Track-Focused Upgrade
The launch models of the 296 GTB were fitted with the Assetto Fiorano pack, an option that replaces the standard dampers with Multimatic units derived from GT racing and adds further carbon aerodynamic devices to the nose, increasing front downforce by 20kg.
The cabin features more carbon fiber trim, such as door panels, and exterior components, contributing to an overall weight saving of 12kg, which increases to 15kg with the optional Lexan rear engine cover. Fiorano specification can also be upgraded with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tires, replacing the standard Pilot Sport 4S. Fiorano cars are also available with an exterior graphics package inspired by the 250LM from the 1960s.
Having spent considerable time with the 296 GTB, we find it to be an exceptionally pretty car, unique in its design and aping the 250LM of the 1960s even without the distinctive graphics package.
Performance and Drivability: Seamless Power Delivery
Getting moving in the 296 GTB is simple: press the bottom of the steering wheel boss twice and select first gear. The car always starts in Hybrid mode, moving away solely on electric power unless otherwise directed via the haptic driver mode buttons on the left side of the steering wheel boss. As long as significant throttle input is avoided, the car will continue on electric power (provided the battery has charge, of course).
Drivers can choose to activate EV mode regardless of powertrain demands, or opt for Performance and Qualifying modes. In these modes, both power sources work together: Performance aims to keep the battery charged while delivering ample power, while Qualifying prioritizes ultimate performance with no consideration for the battery’s state of charge.
Gliding through villages silently is a surprisingly pleasant experience, and the damping is so sophisticated that it makes for a comfortable cruiser. There is even a reasonably sized luggage area in the frunk up front (unlike the SF90). However, what drivers truly want to know is what it feels like when both the engine and electric motor are fully engaged.
The answer is apparent when planting the throttle at low revs in a high gear: the 296 simply surges forward with no lag, making you question the need for gears given its immense potency. Still, there are eight gears to play with, and an engine that revs to 8500rpm. When the 296 GTB is truly uncorked, the effect is nothing short of astonishing.
As the numbers suggest (0-62mph in 2.9 seconds, a top speed of 205mph), the acceleration rate is the kind that demands your full attention and elicits nervous laughter, yet it is strangely addictive. This is a seriously fast Ferrari. It also sounds superb, with plenty of turbo spooling and overlaying the tuneful V6 rasp.
Ride and Handling: Precision, Agility, and Control
What is truly remarkable about the 296 GTB is the responsiveness of its chassis, and Ferrari was correct when they stated their aim was to make the car “fun to drive.” It feels highly agile without bordering on nervous: the steering is typically light and fast, but there is also a degree of feel that is often missing in modern supercars. While grip levels are exceptionally high, the car is also throttle-adjustable in a way that is impossible not to enjoy.
The 296 feels significantly lighter than its dry weight of 1470kg suggests, and there is a lack of inertia that encourages you to work with the car, make small adjustments, and revel in its accuracy and precision. The CT Off mode allows for astonishing handling freedom with the reassuring knowledge that a far more intelligent electronic brain than your own is looking after you. However, even with everything switched off, the natural balance of the 296 means it can be teased into oversteer in a way you would never imagine possible in a 819bhp Ferrari.
On the track, the 296 has the ability to shrink even a long start-finish straight. However, what becomes even more apparent is how sharp an instrument it is. The power is capable of breaking rear traction at numerous points around the lap, but the 296 GTB is also highly sensitive to braking and steering inputs, and you soon learn that precise control yields
