My Early 296 Ownership Impression

Ok all, here's my take so far on the 296.

Pros:

1. Change of direction is incredible. Best I've ever experienced. The short wheel base and super direct steering create something that's truly all time, world class great. Makes 765 feel lazy by comparison.
2. Car is magic carpet ride smooth with bumpy road mode activated. It's my most comfortable car, period, with BRM on.
3. Sound has a GREAT tone. But it's a bit muted overall. If it was 10% louder, it'd be perfect. Hello exhaust and high flow cats. If I keep the car, I'll make that mod. Z06 has ruined me right now for sound. It sounds better than 765 but less raw and loud. Personal preference which is better, I guess.
4. Acceleration is strong! But it's more linear and you can tell Ferrari limits the torque in the lower gears unlike Mclaren which gives full torque in third. It doesn't have that wide eyed, oh ****, acceleration feeling of the 765.
5. Traction control is spectacular. Car barely spins. Just goes. Ferrari nailed it. Confidence inspiring to the max.
6. I know it's brake by wire but they've worked some magic with brake feel (albeit synthetic).
7. Fit and finish is phenomenal. Car feels tight and very well built.

Cons:
1. Seating position. I want the seat two inches lower. If you have a long torso I really don't think you can fit in the car. I also want the seat rake adjusted to be more reclined. It's too upright.
2. Throttle and brake pedal are too close together. I understand on the Mclaren why they are (carbon tub) but don't get why on this car. My Z06 Vette has perfect pedal position.
3. Gear paddle action isn't good. It's too clicky.

Neither pro nor con:
1. Steering wheel haptics don't bother me at all. I think it's cool and it's responsive. Maybe it's gotten better over time.
2. I like the digital dash and all the information it shows. I'm good with the future direction that's going. It would antiquated to keep the center rev counter, I think. But I can see it being a big deal to some. Personal preference there.

So, this or 765? Well, as a car, this 296 is superior. It's more beautifully made. It has a greater breadth of capability. The ability to be full electric is really cool. It has a go-kart feel like the 765, even better change of direction, but less scary due to the greater traction control. But as an experience, 765 ALL day. 765 feels like it grows directly out of your hands and feet. It's synaptic. And it's truly scary, brutally quick. The Ferrari feels like a car that's engineered to be so great. The complexity is perfectly hidden. The extra mass is countered with electrons and computers to make it dance. The Mclaren feels unfiltered. Light, raw, rattly, and brutally effective. I think they're great compliments to each other. I can see some people preferring the 296 over the 765 especially as a road trip car. But if you're looking for an adrenaline filled fun machine, it's the 765, no question.

But perhaps that's unfair since the 765 is a 296 VS competitor. Would I have the 296 over a 750S? Yes, yes I would.

 

Nice early balanced impressions, will be good to revisit with 1k miles driven.
Sad to hear about the sound as I thought that was such a weak point of my 765LT.
Agree on the holy sht factor of the McC…that car is so ready to rip your face off and kill you. I found the F12 TDF and FGT to be LESS scary than the 765LT!

Enjoy and post more.

 

Excellent write up, thank you for sharing! Look forward to hearing more over time.

 

As dustman says - will be great to get your further update after 1000kms. I agree with many of your points, particularly the seating position and paddle shift, and sound.
Im quite surprised to hear you feel it steers better than the Mac though, as all reviews quote 750’s steering as its main edge over 296 and 765 is a bit sharper than 750 ( so im told). Haven’t driven a 750 yet!
After having driven a 296 on the road for 2 pretty solid days i found the steering overly fidgety in straight line driving - constantly requiring slight corrections to keep it on centre. Definitely very direct though, dare i say too direct. I put this overly directness down to having an overly fast rack set up. Ferrari’s always have had that falseness built in to create that race car feel but it always shows up as a weak point at one point - usually during fast or tight cornering where it lacks that homogeneous linear feel. I will say 296’s steering was more linear than any Ferrari ive driven to date though - which is a plus and definitely an improvement. It certainly hooks around tight corners for sure but requiring a lot less input to change directions can be good or not so good depending upon the conditions of the road and the type or corner (- sharp or higher speed sweeper etc).
The seating position has always been a weak point too - something Ferrari really needs to seriously work on. Nowhere near as good as the Macs seating position unfortunately - if only! Passenger side of 296 is incredibly short in legroom too due to the battery still located behind the foot well panel. That is a serious flaw. There’s no way id be able to put up with sitting in the passenger seat for too long. The seats sits very low on the floor so dropping another 2 inches may be impossible without a complete remake of the tub area i suspect. As was the case with lambo ( who have now improved since revuelto) , Ferrari appear to be still catering mainly to shorter drivers under 6’. Meanwhile all other manufacturers make further advancements in the seating position and driver controls - Ferrari otoh continue to dissapoint making at best only extremely minor improvements, if any at all. It would be easier to accept if there weren’t any competitors to make comparison against, but as this is not the case only makes matters worse.
The 296 i had was a gts so the sound was fairly decent with the roof down at lower speeds although at higher speeds with the roof up it was too quiet. Definitely needs to be improved even though its better than an F8. Pista sounds way better i found so 296 has not caught up to that cars sound. Hopefully 296v6 will see an improvement - one can only hope, although after hearing how weak the F80 sounds im not going to hold a candle out unless a miracle happens within Maranello.

 

Great points. I think 765 is. 9.8/10. 296 is a 9.4/10. But I like the crazy rawness of the 765. I can see someone else scoring it differently. Regardless, I think the 296 is amazing. Best Ferrari I’ve ever driven.

 

For certain the 765 is the more exciting and engaging when put to the fun test. Agree 296 is amazing and, best all rounder Ferrari ive ever driven, although at this stage given my minimal seat time (of @400kms) i still prefer the Pista as a weekend warrior due to its rawer nature, and better sound - but not over 765 as its better every where again with pehaps exception of sound. Hard to say on that. Two different animals and, experiences - both good and worthy of maintaining ownership. Im hoping 296gts will prove the same going by your favourable account! Please keep us all posted.

 

Pics?

 

My favorite part of our back and forth is our initial fall out and eventual cordiality and contribution here. Great things ahead. Plus as fellow 765 owners we’re in a great club.

 

Your opinions smell funny and your font is fat.

There I said it.

 

If only our initial fall out was so juvenile lol

or perhaps it was

 

Ferrari like any manufacturer looks at median data for many things . That places men ( the more prevalent purchaser ) in OECD countries at 180 cm or 5’9”. Being tall does not always come with advantages

 

Pleasure - as a fellow 765 owner i appreciate the banter and the exchanging of opinions.
Ferrari is a great brand although the competition makes it hard at times to overlook that Maranello has some work ahead if they are truly serious about claiming top spot.

 

In OECD the reality is 6’ is no longer considered tall looking at the younger generations, so im not sure what median data Ferrari is using when they design their seating and ergonomics? Sit in a Porsche or a McLaren and its a different world ergonomically. And everything works so seamlessly. Paddle shift, seating position, visibility, general controls. Everytime i drive my Ferrari, as much as i love it, i cant help but notice how far back they have placed themselves in these basic areas.

 

Last generation Ferrari interiors were much roomier. I don’t find the 296 interior cramped. It’s just ergonomically a bit off. If the seat was lowered two inches, slightly more reclined, and the brake pedal was an inch further to the left, perfection.

 

Perhaps this is better

https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/average-height-of-men-for-selected-countries

 

https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/average-height-of-men-for-selected-countries

Try this link

 

Excellent analysis. I wish I had another inch in seat travel as well. I'm 5'11" and I feel not enough seat travel.
I'm not a fan of the haptic steering wheel controls. Too finicky while driving for me.
However, I love the car, so there.

 

This car is fast! Wow the pull above 100 mph is epic. Definitely gets quicker with each successive gear. And it's so darty. Change of direction is shockingly good.

 

The car is very fast but too soft for me. I prefer the rawer feeling (scud, pista, gt3, ...) , don't care about the speed for street driving.

 

Pista was fairly compliant and soft relative to a challenge stradale or new GT3RS

 

I actually find the Pista ride more compliant- this is one place I can tell the weight difference. But overall, the 296 is brilliant.

 

Nice write up. I found the 750s to be way more engaging…direct. As a car…sure 296 GTS given the interior fit and finish. But to drive, 750s all day every day. Hope to take delivery of my 296 GTS within the next month or so, but I’m heavily leaning towards only keeping it until trade in with the revuelto.

 

Why take delivery of gts if your preference is a 750? Would it not be better to pick a 750 spider from dealer stock? There’s supposedly an abundance of new 750’s at significant discount? Or is that BS?
I can’t imagine why anyone would choose a minor difference in fit and finish over the actual driving experience especially if it were a short term ownership?
Also cant imagine Lambo giving much of a deal on GTS - or a 750 - for a Revuelto. Sounds like a very fast way to drop a bundle, unless of course youve got money to burn?

 

Well I ordered the car so I will take delivery no matter what. There is a principle to it for me. Yes I drove the 750s well after I ordered the GTS.