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First drive review

Discussion in '296' started by Paul296, Apr 18, 2025.

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  1. Paul296

    Paul296 Karting

    Apr 10, 2025
    50
    Full Name:
    Paul Guggenbuehl
    #1 Paul296, Apr 18, 2025
    I got the car yesterday and detailed it as much as I could in my garage and 30mph winds. I got up this morning at 6AM excited to go do something. But I decided to wait for my wife. I don’t have the owner’s manuals yet so I’m YouTubing everything. I went out and paired my phone……and somehow drained the battery.
    So at 10:30 we climbed in and it says “plug in immediately!!” So I call my dealer and he has me check the charger. It wasn’t blinking correctly. So I recycled power and it’s blinking 2 lights at a time. So I waited an hour put it into charge mode and drove it to the Aston dealer who has a Ferrari tech. It threw a check engine light which cleared on the way.
    Initial driving in traffic is just brilliant. I had it in H mode with Sport. It’s easy to put in traffic effortlessly accelerates very flick able in traffic very GT3 like. It doesn’t feel heavy at all. The Huracan didn’t move like this car. I still need to learn things but just very enjoyable in traffic. But the power was fantastic but I didn’t have a chance to get on it. The racing buckets are comfortable and easy to sit in. There’s more room than the Lamborghini. More Airy cockpit.
    Later I had a chance to go out and get on the throttle. The GT3 500 horsepower was quick. The Huracan was brutally quicker but the 296 is almost indescribable. A jet on takeoff? So far it’s a car on another level from the Huracan . Very happy. I’ll say if you’re a 911 guy, it’s easier to go from a 911 to a Ferrari than the Lamborghini. Physically it’s intuitive. Brilliant car so far
     
    bamaman, MacNugget, IvanRico and 11 others like this.
  2. Dino_Argento

    Dino_Argento Formula Junior

    Sep 22, 2017
    284
    London
    Full Name:
    Dino Diary
    #2 Dino_Argento, Apr 19, 2025
    Congrat - I came out of a GT3… same “precision” nimble feel tho steering is far quicker in a 296… prefer the brakes in a GT3 without brake by wire etc … acceleration wise 296 is a obviously different level… only other thing I do miss is a manual box….
    Somewhere on one of the 296 Chats is a PDF of the manual which I now just store on my phone..
     
  3. rg88

    rg88 Formula Junior

    Feb 10, 2024
    472
    USA
    Full Name:
    rg
    #3 rg88, Apr 19, 2025
    The 296 just keeps giving. Pulls like a freight train and just when you think the power will drop near the limit it keeps pulling harder. I've also noticed the pedal positioning seems perfect for heel/toe if you like to blip the gas on manual downshifts. I haven't tried this yet though. I also need to try the "sequential downshift" feature of the F1 Gearbox when the opportunity presents itself next. I knew going into ownership that this is an absolute toy and the money could've been spent elsewhere, or lost on a silly trade, but this toy puts a smile on the face at every engine start.
     
    Jo Sta7, LVP488 and Caeruleus11 like this.
  4. Paul296

    Paul296 Karting

    Apr 10, 2025
    50
    Full Name:
    Paul Guggenbuehl
    #4 Paul296, Apr 19, 2025
    I agree the brakes are definitely different. On the Huracan if I thought about stopping it stopped. This has more travel I think. My last gt3 brakes were steel so it could be me getting back to CCBs again. But you’re right the steering is just unbelievable.
     
  5. Paul296

    Paul296 Karting

    Apr 10, 2025
    50
    Full Name:
    Paul Guggenbuehl
    #5 Paul296, Apr 19, 2025
    Yes I was out in rural Idaho when doing pulls so I didn’t have a ton of room so I was a little more cautious than normal but yea just keeps pulling
     
    x z8 likes this.
  6. Jlee504

    Jlee504 Karting

    Apr 8, 2017
    116
    #6 Jlee504, Apr 19, 2025
    I drove one for the first time today and was shocked how light it felt. I expected it to feel heavier like my Roma but it felt very light. Lighter than any of my 911s.

    very convincing indeed.
     
    x z8 likes this.
  7. Cool Runnin'

    Cool Runnin' Karting

    Apr 13, 2008
    144
    FL
    #7 Cool Runnin', Apr 20, 2025
    The 296 is truly incredible. Best car I have ever owned.
     
    x z8, bamaman, KL runner and 2 others like this.
  8. Jo Sta7

    Jo Sta7 F1 Veteran
    Rossa Subscribed

    Oct 13, 2015
    5,737
    Scottsdale/Pittsburgh
    Full Name:
    Jon
    #8 Jo Sta7, Apr 20, 2025
    It’s so good!
     
    Cool Runnin', x z8 and rg88 like this.
  9. Paul296

    Paul296 Karting

    Apr 10, 2025
    50
    Full Name:
    Paul Guggenbuehl
    #9 Paul296, Apr 23, 2025
    Yes by far the best car I’ve owned too
     
    Cool Runnin' and x z8 like this.
  10. bamaman

    bamaman Formula Junior

    Nov 27, 2015
    903
    Mobile Alabama
    Full Name:
    William M (B.J.) Lyon, Jr.
    #10 bamaman, Apr 23, 2025
    The 296 id SOOO good it is hard to imagine how Ferrari could improve on it.
     
    Cool Runnin', Drson, x z8 and 1 other person like this.
  11. Paul296

    Paul296 Karting

    Apr 10, 2025
    50
    Full Name:
    Paul Guggenbuehl
    #11 Paul296, Apr 24, 2025
    You know what’s weird? My green Lambo had more people look at it. I this the Rosso color blends in a bit more. Once they realize what it is it’s a traffic stopper
     
  12. LuxuryCarClub

    LuxuryCarClub Rookie
    Sponsor

    Apr 8, 2025
    1
    Full Name:
    Luxury Car Club
    #12 LuxuryCarClub, Apr 24, 2025
    Do you like it more than the SF90?
     
  13. Turboboy70

    Turboboy70 Rookie

    Sep 2, 2015
    34
    Alberta Canada
    Full Name:
    Supercar Guy
    #13 Turboboy70, Apr 24, 2025
    Hi All,

    had my first drive after about 2 months since it came off the truck and was welcomed to a CEL. I drove for 1/2 hour and loved it but lights stayed on with “dealer code” . I tried a couple of restarts to no avail until I parked it for a half hour and went for a restart and it cleared the CEL. All good at this point but I noticed most of the time on the APP the low voltage battery reads under 12V as per pic. I have seen 13.4 a couple times in the past.
    Any thoughts or experience?
     

    Attached Files:

  14. rg88

    rg88 Formula Junior

    Feb 10, 2024
    472
    USA
    Full Name:
    rg
    #14 rg88, Apr 24, 2025
    Mine was 11.8 when new. After putting some high speed highway miles it’s been at 12.8 consistently.
     
  15. calamity

    calamity Rookie
    Silver Subscribed

    Apr 6, 2022
    2
    Full Name:
    Will C
    #15 calamity, Apr 24, 2025
    It may not be abnormal, I have 350 miles on my 296 I took delivery of in March and drive it regularly. I checked and my battery reads 11.8 as well. I have no codes or issues.
     
  16. cmevo3

    cmevo3 Rookie
    Silver Subscribed

    Mar 5, 2014
    49
    #16 cmevo3, Apr 25, 2025
    I find that you can’t leave car plugged in for too long. Every few weeks car has to be started if not driven. During the winter months I would start it every two weeks and let it run for 15 mins, then plug back in. Other times it gets driven so have not (fingers crossed) had any issues yet.
    Chet
     
  17. jm2

    jm2 F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Aug 19, 2002
    19,023
    michigan
    Full Name:
    john
    #17 jm2, Apr 25, 2025
    Just another data point, I plugged my car in, in November last Fall didn't start it or touch it until March of this year. Started up on the first try.
     
  18. cmevo3

    cmevo3 Rookie
    Silver Subscribed

    Mar 5, 2014
    49
    #18 cmevo3, Apr 25, 2025
    ok good to know. Next time check your app and see if you get a warning. I was getting a warning on app like clockwork every two weeks.
     
    jm2 likes this.
  19. jm2

    jm2 F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Aug 19, 2002
    19,023
    michigan
    Full Name:
    john
    #19 jm2, Apr 25, 2025
    So far no warnings.
     

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