I'm in the same boat. Still crossing my fingers that something opens up. Either way, soooo excited for everyone who's getting one. I can't wait to start seeing the car in the wild!
I believe my dealer in SoCal is getting 4 F80s. I’ll get updated numbers of the 296 when I collect the Puro this week.
Just got a call and a text from my SA offering me the Speciale. The catch? He needs to know by end of business today!! I have a few hours to decide if I want to commit to it. Still loving my 296 GTB but if I do take him up on the Speciale I'd have to let go of the GTB. There's room for only one Ferrari in my humble garage. Decisions, decisions....What should I do?
If it's not a financial burden, or you were considering trading the GTB for a GTS, I would take the Speciale. You are going from coupe to coupe in this instance so you are not losing anything.
I talked to my dealer today he FaceTimed me and was showing me some cars. I reiterated my desire for a Speciale. I have him showing me GTS’s. Either way how lucky are we to be able to do this? They just got in a crazy $650k spec GTS they were willing to throw my way for a steal. But it has the AF pack so no go for me. First thing I do every time is press bumpy road.
" Don't understand the dislike for hybrid " Easy keep them for ordinary passenger cars. Toyota makes 26,100 cars PER DAY Ferrari 38 cars PER DAY. Approximately 150 exotic cars are made PER DAY. Now add all the other manufactures. FERRARI Doesn't have to have hybrid or full electric cars. Ferrari is no longer what it used to be. At least Porsche listens. Ferrari are so arrogant now. BTW its not a ***** club. 296 and SF90 are disasters , why ? their looks ? No . Its because they are hybrids. I'm hoping Ferrari realises and listens and the next 296 wont be a hybrid. But we all know it will . So there is absolutely no dream/desire to change to a hybrid.
FWIW, when I spoke to my SA about the Speciale allocation he mentioned there's a rumor the 296 replacement will NOT be hybrid. Take that and what it implies with a grain of salt of course.
Well Porsche has done an about face. They have announced that their new upper model Cayman and Boxster's will be petrol , hell even manual option. Ferrari listened to the crap steering wheel and now they have gone back to buttons. Hell they even have an option to retro fit that steering wheel on other models. So many 296's with zero miles are for sale. The 296 VS would heave been better if it had no Hybrid.
What’s your issue with the hybrids? They performance amazing. Have no downsides. They drive significantly better than 458/488/F8/Pista. The 296 does anyhow.
What I don't understand is that Ferrari has so many patents on electrified Turbos yet Nothing and Porsche releases it. Ferrari somehow reinvents aero on every new model. Thats their focus and making sure the new model is at least 0.05 sec quicker , well thats what they say.
Easy answer keep them on passenger vehicles. Not exotics. Not required. Too much weight, complexity, and servicing burden. Remember racing versions are not hybrid. I had my fingers crossed that Ferrari would do something different since buying time with the F8 A V8 , , electric turbos and an easily reachable / changeable 48 volt battery under the hood near the windscreen. The new V8 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 engine that delivers about 830 cv. Hell how much more do you want.
Electric turbos sound as complicated as anything else hybrid. The fact is we’ve (OEMs) been making PHEV’s for 20 years. It’s not rocket science. Consumers are making far too much of it from an “issue” standpoint as if Ferraris were these worry free, issue free, bullet proof bastions of reliability before they introduced hybrids. My car has been perfect.
There are so many positives and not many downsides. I mean, strictly ICE Ferraris never had any reliability issues, right? lol The biggest downsides are Euro regulations.
I hope Ferrari continues to make hybrid 6 cylinder sports cars. Why? Because I have never experienced a better sports car experience in over 40 years of owning them. Why are Porsche’s 6 cylinder cars so successful? Because the smaller engine enables better handling. The six is the sweet spot. And the 296 sounds great too- and handles like a go cart. Hybrid engines fill the torque curve providing instant torque everywhere. It’s just better. And the steering on the 296 is superior to every regular production Ferrari before it (my lifetime). And so are the brakes. And I get it- some people still prefer carbureted cars too.
Performance wise- the 296 is better in every way than my 12 cylinder 812 GTS. Every- single- way- including driving dynamics- how it feels. Why would anyone want to go backwards? I get it- people are uncomfortable with change. So purchase from the back catalog and reminisce to a simple time when paint defects, sticky bits (simply replaced for $13K) and expensive engine out service were the ideal ride. My 1991 Testarossa was great in the day- I always lusted for the look of the car. After living with it for a while I missed the nimble, more connected sports car. I sold it and purchased a 993 911. The 296 better represents a true road going sports car than anything proceeding it. Old Ferraris are great to collect. They make beautiful paperweights and nice sounds.
I'm glad you like it. You know how many Prius are at the wreckers ? Lets see your attitude when the battery is dead. BTW a 4 liter 6 is not small. I'm actually chuffed that Porsche still listens to their supporters. Ferrari doesn't. BTW are you gonna change that soft touch switch steering wheel to a button one ?
Interesting the special version of every Ferrari always looks so much better. The speciale looks way better than the 458 Italia Same goes for the 296 VS. The Speciale will go down as a legend ! A standard 296 meh
