296 VS

You mean the challenge rear carbon under the taillights?

 

So the VS Aperta has no decreased weight or added aero to help the Spider version run with the coupe?
Sometime Ferrari does and sometimes they don't make the two as equal as possible - interesting

 

Initial reports at launch was no performance difference. Who knows, we will soon know.

 

The Aperta VS is an oxymoron IF VS stands for track-oriented version (why go for a degraded stiffness and/or increased weight if the goal is to track, even occasionally?); it makes sense if VS is for exclusivity and bragging rights.

 

Both cars GTB and GTS get the same weight reductions from cutting aluminum off the engine block and all the other little tricks Ferrari is using. However the convertible starts out with a weight handicap due to it's heavier design structures created by it's folding top. Better cooling and aero management come standard on both GTB and GTS versions.

 

Funny. I've driven spiders and coupes on track, the greater difference is in the driver not the car.
I don't think people realize how fast these cars are on track - no one and I mean no one goes 10/10th's on track in a road going Ferrari.
So the difference may be felt but the reality is a skilled driver is far more important than the stiffness.
A driver who invests in track times will be much faster than a guy who doesn't regardless of coupe or spider.

How many guys know how to race on track who buy a coupe vs spider to get better performance - very close to zero.

Owning a Ferrari is not about bragging rights - it's about reward and if it's true it's not bragging it's enjoying your wins. Those trophy cases filled with victories - didn't just show up from Amazon.

 

Yes.

Any "performance" on a street is pointless when the speed limits are the same for all. You want to drag race people from red light to red light you should just buy a Tesla Plaid anyway.

Sure you can bring a smile to your face on a back twisty road in the mountains.... same as you can get pulling up to the valet of a fancy place with the high heel of a skinny blonde stepping out of the passenger seat.

It's a trophy. Especially for those of that love cars for the "right" reasons.

No different than a guy that's into super expensive watches..... wine.... audio systems..... boats.... planes.... etc.

 

By the same logic, there is no point in the VS (as a track car) since a skilled driver will be faster with a regular version than a less skilled driver with a VS (which is definitely true btw).
That's not how I view things, but each to their own.

 

Or take it even further... a pro driver in a BMW M4 will run circles around most of us in a 296VS.

 

Is it true that the multimatics on the AF will be a better variation for the track than the Speciale? Told this by a Ferrari dealer.

 

Will cost me less to have "lypo" and lose the weight that way than paying Ferrari for CF wheels and other bits and pieces . At least I can use the "lypo" weight saving in all my cars

 

that's what puts me off buying these new 800hp+ cars - i'm not at the limit on track or road in what I already have!

 

I never once said or has anyone said in their right mind the VS is a track car - in fact I said the opposite stating no one pushes a street car to 10/10th's. Anything past 8/10th's and you start trashing your Ferrari - a Ferrari track day is about 10-15k start - the bare running costs are too high and dangerous.

VS / Spider is what it is, 100k's of options and none will make the car go faster. I think you are missing the entire premise of a Ferrari limited edition that 3500 - 4000 customers appreciate.
It's not just the speed on track - the whole cars is transformed. Ferrari R&D offers a better drivers car and Ferrari has a special sauce applied to their track versions which make a very compelling story. There is a reason track versions age well and it has nothing to do with their lap time on Coupe or Spider.
I wish cars were based on lap times - I'd like F40 F50 Enzo 288!

 

It's rolling art.

 

You drive with half a full tank of gasoline in the 296 and you are the same weight as a VS with a full tank...

 

I think the most impactful lightweighting efforts are found in the powertrain - particularly the rotating components (Ti conrods, lightened crankshaft).


INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE

The twin-turbo six-cylinder Ferrari engine which debuted on the 296 GTB now boasts an even more enthralling sound and class-beating performance. The engine retains its innovative 120° V6 architecture and the Hot-V configuration, which places the turbos in the middle of the vee. The development work focused on increasing torque and power and introducing weight-saving solutions.

The peak power output of 700 cv from the internal combustion engine (37 more than the 296 GTB engine) sets a new specific power record for this class of 234 cv/l. The weight-saving measures introduced for this car have also touched on the powertrain, with new solutions for a number of components such as castings, connecting rod/piston assemblies and engine studs, all drawing extensively from Ferrari’s experience in racing. The result is a weight reduction of approximately 9 kg for the engine of the 296 Speciale compared with the 296 GTB, and that alone accounts for 15% of all the weight savings achieved for this car.

Combustion chamber pressure has been raised by 7% compared to the 296 GTB’s engine with the introduction of a new boost management strategy. The Formula 1-inspired knock control strategy uses statistical abnormal combustion event monitoring to extract the maximum performance possible from every cycle without compromising the reliability of the components.

The engine uses strengthened pistons and the same connecting rods as the F80 to withstand the increased combustion chamber pressures, while specific new oil jets are used to improve cooling. The titanium connecting rods are approximately 35% lighter than the steel components used in previous iterations of this engine. The nitrided steel crankshaft has also been lightened, contributing to an overall saving of 2.2 kg in mass for the piston-crankshaft-connecting rod assembly, improving engine response times.

Employing the same approach used for the engine of the 499P, which won the 2023 and 2024 editions of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, both the engine block and crankcase were machined to trim excess metal, offering a weight saving of 1.2 kg over previous iterations of this engine. An additional 1.9 kg has been saved by introducing titanium fastener screws and stud bolts for the cylinder blocks and cylinder heads. This is a solution usually reserved for race engines and debuts here for the first time ever in a road-going application.

Thermal management in the engine bay has been optimised in particular by employing the turbine housing insulation solution first introduced on the 296 Challenge and subsequently adopted also on the F80. The turbocharger has been lightened by approximately 1.2 kg, while the optional lightweight exhaust tailpipe in titanium alloy developed specifically for this car offers customers a further opportunity to save weight.

 

You can still do more with the same skill set in these cars- they are more capable and put power down better while also stopping better. And more fun.

 

Then drive the Speciale with half a tank.

 

This. The performance delta I'm expecting to be fairly negligible. I found it fairly negligible in the 458 speciale, as well, however. Maybe it's in the name!

 

The special cars are always special to drive and are always more than the sum of the parts improvements over the regular model. I suspect the speciale will be sublime, and will go down as one of the great drivng cars. Ferrari don't get these things wrong.

 

Why would they even bother trying when they can just slap a badge on it and sell it?
And it shows — their design, quality, and overall desirability have gone downhill.
Just like Apple.
Minimum effort, maximum profit.

 

Obviously, it's not a track car (a road car never really is) - but ironically you call it yourself a "track version".
You like it for what it is, and it's all good for you, but I'd like them to define the car really as a track oriented version because that's what I currently miss in the Ferrari range for the "entry level mid engine car". A so-called track version that has nothing to do with lap times has no appeal to me.

 

Let's say that the sum of all the improvements increases driving agreement...

 

The most important thing is that the 296 Speciale has a fantastic exhaust note. This gives the car much more emotion than the Amalfi, 296 GTB, or 849 Testarossa. I even think that the 296 Speciale is not quieter but rather louder than the Dodici which, unfortunately, became very quiet compared to the 812 Competizione. But of course, an NA V12 sounds better than a turbo V6.
However, sound can no longer be a factor with the 296 Speciale Aperta. I hope that the car gives you more feedback and that the driving experience is closer to that of an F12 TDF.

 

@day355 Is there a Ferrari coming out in the next 15 months that you are looking forward to, or do you not have high expectations from your personal point of view?