I’m gonna come right out and speak my mind: electrification is exciting! With 25% of the general population considering an EV for their next car, that notion isn’t exactly super controversial but, within this crowd, I know there are a lot of people who would disagree. And that’s okay. I, for one, feel that it’s an incredible time to be alive! I lived my youth as a die-hard petrolhead. I modified cars in my teens, did track days in my 20s as a “BMW Guy” (2 M Coupes and an E46 M3) and instructed/raced SCCA in my 30s. Even scored a few wins and podiums in Spec Miatas that I built with my own hands. I love petrol cars that I shift with my own hands and feet. Then, in 2012, my boss (a well-known director whom I idolized) told me he’d pre-ordered a Tesla Model S. The car hadn’t come out yet, but I went to test drive one - mostly to collect ammo so I could talk him out of his order. How silly could he be to buy into this non-shifting, heavy, soundless, soulless abomination?!? Well, that test drive was revelatory, and ended with me placing a pre-order with Tesla at the end of it. I was instantly hooked on the EV concept, and took delivery of my first Model S in 2013! Ever since then, I’ve bounced in and out of gasoline cars while maintaining an EV as my daily driver. The 458 Spider has been my favorite of the lot - such soul and an amazing soundtrack! That said, I couldn’t help but feel a little flat every time I nailed it, summoning a symphony of glorious noises, but feeling less punch than I did our Model 3 or Model Y Performance variants. A couple of weeks ago, mere days apart, two additional revelations presented themselves: 1) I took delivery of a Tesla Model S Plaid. Holy cow - talk about vicious straight line speed! The thing will literally harm passengers if I don’t warn them before punching it. It’s savage, and doesn’t let up until the limiter kicks in at ~170mph. I’ve never felt anything like it, on or off track. And it’s a *good car.* Solid, upgradable, comfy, glorious sound system, full of fun tech and drives itself when I want it to. 2) Ferrari graced me with a test drive in the 296 GTB. Oh man, the sounds the thing makes, and the punch it has. Sure, it doesn’t match the brutality of the Plaid, although it does make the hairs on my neck lift in a way that the 458 did (and then some). Nobody NEEDS a car this fast on the street, but I’ll take it! And, after having driven it, I think partial electrification has undoubtedly improved the car. More torque down low, faster shifts and the ability to sneak out of my neighbored unnoticed. The penalty? I seriously couldn’t attest to a single one vs the 458. Sure, the turbos and GPF mute the sound a bit, but the *quality* of its noise is still there in spades. And it’s so much fun! I love it!!! In 2012, I was very worried that electrification would be the death of driving passion. 10 years later, and with as many years of ownership to back it up, I can confidently say that I am no longer worried about the automotive EV apocalypse. Ferrari has made a hybrid that not only escapes being described as a compromise, but it’s made one that I think is truly great. Contrary to some of the reviews out there, I believe the car couldn’t have risen to what it is without electrification. I, for one, am beyond excited for, and in LOVE with, the 296! I think history will see it as the connective tissue between the ICE and full-EV Ferrari eras, and it will be mega-special as a result: the best of both worlds. I’m sure a lot of folk will disagree with me, saying that EVs are appliances like iPhones and TVs. But every day I drive my Plaid is a day I fall more in love with it. And, when I’m daydreaming, I don’t think about the 458 - I have visions of the 296. The future is different, yes, and it’s also SO good! I’m just glad I found a way to connect with the EV of it all - get engaged with and excited for what the tech brings to the table. Ferrari is clearly leading the way in keeping (even enhancing) the driving experience using cutting-edge EV tech. Bravo!
i agree--i thought the 296 was a great car. haven't driven an sf90. while i am a bit skeptical, i hope (and suspect) that they will knock their all electric car out of the park too
While the 296 seems to be very well executed, the real benefits of the hybridation (which is, one has to admit, politically driven and not technically driven) remains somehow questionable. Comparing with a 458 distorts the perception - the 458 (with its glorious soundtrack and so on) dramatically lacks torque, and the main remedy (on the 488, Pista, F8 and now 296) is turbocharging; electricity actually marginally improves performance but with a significant weight penalty.
I beg to differ. Just look at the performance delta between the hybrid 296 and the pure ICE MC20; both 3 litre V6s.
Except that without electrification the engine of a car in the 296 range would not be limited to 3 litres. And with the same weight as the 296 one could cope with a larger engine.
You also have to take into consideration the environmental regulations. Moreover, the V6 allowed for a smaller wheelbase and more nimble handling. It's not quicker this way (the quickest Ferrari is the longer SF90 Stradale), but it makes the car feel more chuckable.
I heard a bunch of the reviews wonder the same thing: does the hybrid unit really make the car better? After driving it, I felt the answer was a pretty clear "yes." Most noticeably, the 296 felt more responsive on the throttle than the 488/F8. This makes logical sense, since the hybrid electric motor is able to serve up 100% of its torque instantly, whereas the turbos in the older cars need time to spool up. Lag in the 488/F8 is really minor, of course, but it's still there. The 296 has no perceivable lag from what I could feel, so I'd score that as a solid win for hybridization. Also, from a pure power output perspective, it's hard to argue that it's not also a win to get 100hp more from a car that's only 77lbs heavier (which doesn't count as "significant" in my book). As for comparing to the 458, you're absolutely right in terms of power delivery. The reason I make the comparison is because I personally chose to keep the 458 over swapping for a 488 or F8. The additional torque of the newer turbo V8s wasn't enough to make up for the things they sacrificed, and I love in a car, namely responsiveness and noise. The 296 has finally convinced me - and did so by a mile - to say goodbye to the 458. And I think electrification had a lot to do with putting it over the edge in comparison with one of the best "analog" Ferrari's of all time. Hopefully I'll feel the same once I've owned it for a few years!
77 lbs heavier is comparing apples with oranges i.e. F8 kerb weight with 296 dry weught... Of course 100 hp more is nice, but I bet a turbocharged 4.2 litre V6 could do the same with less comparable weight. Going from v8 to v6 is technically justified electrification less so.
Really? Both Evo and The Drive say otherwise. “Despite all this new hardware the 296 GTB’s dry weight figure sits at 1470kg, only 35kg more than the F8” https://www.evo.co.uk/ferrari/203962/2022-ferrari-296-gtb-unveiled-v6-hybrid-to-pack-818bhp-punch?amp “Despite the extra electronics, the 296 GTB reportedly comes in just 77 pounds heavier than the F8 Tributo, for a dry weight of 3,241 pounds.” https://www.thedrive.com/news/41259/2022-ferrari-296-gtb-an-818-hp-rwd-hybrid-made-for-frying-tires Are they just smoking too much rubber? Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat
When the SF90 debuted, just out of sheer curiosity, I decided to have a look at the emissions numbers vs Pista. The SF90 V8 makes more power than the Pista V8 and is slightly larger. By all rights it should make a little more emissions. But the quoted emissions was roughly 50%. Obviously the hybrid stuff is the cause of this, and likely the testing regime is very favorable to the inclusion of the hybrid system. Never the less, the logic became very clear to me: if I am a vehicle manufacturer, and I can cut my emissions in half by applying this technology, I will do it. That it can cover up some of the issues with my legacy technology: turbo lag, slight gap between gears when shifting, emissions from the system- then I really have to do it. I have driven an SF90 (non AF) and it is very impressive- I thought it needed more from its suspension, hence I have ordered the AF. I really enjoyed how the car drove overall. I missed the 296 test drive, but friends who have driven it, everyone, said the same thing- the car is incredible- many are recommending AF.
Indeed they are - they are accurately saying the DRY weight of the 296 GTB is reported as being 1470kg, but it's very easy to double check on Ferrari's web site that 1435 kg is the KERB weight of the F8, of which the quoted DRY weight is 1330 kg. Btw I suspect Ferrari deliberately created the confusion for the journalists who are too lazy to verify, the french "Sport Auto" magazine made the same mistake (and I e-mailed the correction, which they printed in the reader's mail column). Anyway, here's the official Ferrari data for the F8: Image Unavailable, Please Login So comparing both dry weights, that's 140 kg more for the 296, not 35.
I believe the 296 is at least 140kg heavier than the F8 (if not more.) In other words; still lighter than the 'porkers' 348, 355, 360, 430, 458, and 488.
Well said. I've talked to a lot of folks that love the car. (No need to stroke a live horse) I was curious about why some folks hate the car. I've concluded it's come down to 3 categories. 1) Folks that conclude all modern cars are poo (gated is usually a good delimiter.) 2) Political reasons (it could be Zeus's chariot, and it wouldn't matter.) 3) Their car is the 'best' of all time (everything that comes after is automatically crap.) I could only sympathize with #1; each successive generation, you often lose something (as well as gain) - so it's objectively a valid point. The folks that hate it for political reasons (#2) - are a sign of the times. #3 It's cute when you see it.
??? Ferrari quoted DRY weights: 458 Italia 1380 kg 488 GTB 1370 kg F8 1330 kg 296 GTB 1470 kg So still 100 kg more than the 488, and 90 kg more than the 458. Of course the 296 has a lot more power and to be honest, seems rather good at hiding its weight. But I stand to my point - although Ferrari made its best within existing constraints, these constraints are not for technical benefits but for questionable political postures (for which Ferrari is not responsible).
Why would you use dry weights - who drives their car without gas and oil? Though that would be a novel thing, I guess Ferrari meets Redbull soapbox derby style runs down steep hills. I would pay to watch that. I never claimed the 296 was lighter than the F8; on the contrary.
Because Ferrari ONLY quotes the dry weight for the 296 (and seems to be deliberately perpetuating the confusion)... if Ferrari would quote kerb weight for the 296 (as they did before), it would be far better to compare between all quoted kerb weights (typically we know they are all underestimated, but that would still be better). We still wait for independently measured weights on real 296, that will be interesting for sure.
They only quote dry weight? (sigh) I don't understand the need for folks to spread falsehoods about the 296. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login I don't know; maybe you got confused about Kerb vs. Curb.
Weight is just a number my good sir, like horsepower, or torque. What matters is how a car performs and drives.
To @LVP488 ' s credit, I am also unable to find the Kerb or Curb weight of the 296 GTB on Ferrari's official US website. I see on archived cars as you pointed out.
Talking about about falsehood, I never said Ferrari only quoted dry weights for previous cars. I would be glad if you could show where they quote the kerb/curb weight of the 296. ... I do my best to support my claims by verified facts, I do not understand the need for folks to not do the same
I owe @LVP488 an apology. I thought you meant the older cars had no curb weights. @LVP488 you're right about the 296 not having curb weight as @SECRET graciously pointed out. Again, my error, and sorry for my presumption. Kind regards.
I was looking at weights further of the 296, and fully I concede to your point. @LVP488 and @SECRET = appreciate both your corrections and apologies for my tactlessness. I look forward to a weighing in the real world. Cheers
I think the 296 is a great car but I’m wondering 10 or 15 years down the road when the battery pack dies out, will Ferrari still make replacement ones? Otherwise, it could compromise long term values for their new line of hybrids.
