Italian luxury car manufacturer Ferrari has revealed its latest special version model, the 296 Speciale, a mid-rear engined, plug-in hybrid Berlinetta – along with the 296 Speciale A, a mid-rear engine, plug-in hybrid Spider.
The 296 Speciale takes its rightful place in the exclusive lineage of special version Ferrari Berlinettas and, just like its forebears – the Challenge Stradale, 430 Scuderia, 458 Speciale and 488 Pista – has been conceived to set the new benchmark in terms of driving thrills and engagement, not just for the marque’s production range, but for the segment as a whole.
The astonishing capabilities of the 296 Speciale in terms of agility, turn-in responsiveness and stability set it apart. This special version not only multiplies the already extraordinary performance of the 296 GTB but also introduces a sense of predictability and intuitiveness that makes this a car unlike any other. Conceived for the Ferrarista who demands an unrivalled driving experience, the 296 Speciale represents the new pinnacle for the Ferrari production range in terms of driving fun and is dedicated to owners in search of that special feeling of being at the wheel of a car with extraordinary performance.
The 296 Speciale takes the agility and responsiveness of the 296 GTB to extreme new heights by exploiting the full potential of its plug-in hybrid architecture, consisting of a rear-mid 120° V6 twin turbo engine and an electric motor, a short wheelbase and innovative dynamic control systems. The drivetrain delivers an astonishing combined power output of 880 hp, 50 more than the 296 GTB and a record for a rear-wheel-drive production Ferrari.
Powertrain
The heart of the powertrain of the 296 Speciale is an evolution of the Ferrari V6 unit equipping the 296 GTB and 296 GTS. The V6 works in conjunction with the electric motor of the plug-in hybrid system, which is installed between the internal combustion engine itself and the eight-speed DCT gearbox. An additional clutch decouples the engine and electric motor to enable full-electric driving mode. Completing the system are the high voltage battery and the inverter.
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.
Electric Motor
In addition to delivering additional torque and power, the electric motor working in synergy with the internal combustion engine is also used to charge the high voltage battery, start the internal combustion engine and provide a full-electric driving mode with a range of up to 25 km.
The MGU-K electric motor situated between the V6 and the gearbox is a dual-rotor, central-stator axial-flux motor. Completing the hybrid system is a clutch for decoupling the electric motor and internal combustion engine, which is used to manage electric and hybrid modes, a 7.45 kWh high voltage battery installed in the underfloor of the car, and an inverter for managing the flow of electrical power.
The electric system delivers 315 Nm of torque and up to 180 cv of power between 6000 and 8500 rpm in the new extra boost mode with the eManettino set to ‘Qualify’. The 13 cv increase in performance over the 296 GTB was achieved by optimising the operating and cooling strategies of the electric motor. The flow of energy to and from the high voltage battery and the wheels is managed according to the following four different modes, which are selected with the eManettino on the left-hand side of the steering wheel:
eDrive: the internal combustion engine is off, and drive is provided by the MGU-K only. This mode offers a range of up to 25 km and is suitable for driving in urban zones or situations where the driver prefers not to unleash the potent sound of the Ferrari V6 engine. A top speed of 135 km/h makes the car fully usable in this mode, even on extra-urban roads.
Hybrid: this mode, which is selected by default at ignition-on, manages energy flows to optimise the overall efficiency of the system. The management logic decides whether to keep the internal combustion engine running or shut it off. When on, it can unleash the engine’s full power, ensuring high performance capability. In this mode, while electric drive performance is limited to a top speed of 125 km/h and offers less acceleration than in ‘eDrive’ mode, it is still adequate for urban and extra-urban use.
Performance: this mode keeps the internal combustion engine always running and prioritises battery charge over efficiency so that power is available instantaneously when requested. This is the ideal mode for spirited driving and fun behind the wheel.
Qualify: this control strategy uses the extra boost function of the electric motor, allowing it to deliver 180 cv from speeds of 6000 rpm upwards, for maximum performance from the powertrain.
Gearbox
The new 296 Speciale retains Ferrari’s eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox. However, a new upshift management profile for all gears from first to seventh has been developed for this specific application, which improves performance by shortening shift times, and maximises driver engagement with faster response times to the paddle input.
Aerodynamics
The 296 Speciale generates 435 kg of downforce in total at 250 km/h, which is 20 per cent more than the 296 GTB. The aerodynamic development for this car had two primary objectives: on the one hand, to evolve and hone the aerodynamics of the original car, reinterpreting its original spirit while taking performance to extreme new levels in areas such as the front bumper and underbody; while on the other, to incorporate aerodynamic concepts developed in motor sports applications – on the 296 Challenge in particular – to give shape to unprecedented solutions for a road-going car.
Heat Management
The increased power output of the powertrain of the 296 Speciale necessitated an increase in cooling performance, especially for the internal combustion engine. The goals for the thermal management solutions developed for this car were to maximise cooling efficiency and ensure that the systems involved would operate at full capacity without changing the layout of the radiators or increasing their size. This allowed the engineers to maintain the perfect balance achieved with the 296 GTB in the thermal interference between cold cooling air flows and the hot air flows vented from the radiators.
Vehicle Dynamics
For Ferrari, the concept of driving thrills, which was key for the entire development of the 296 Speciale, can be described with five quantifiable parameters: lateral and longitudinal acceleration, shifting, braking and sound.
‘Lateral’ refers to the car’s characteristics in terms response to steering input – such as the sensation of turn-in speed and of a firmly planted rear end – coupled with how easy it is to drive at the limit. ‘Longitudinal’ indicates the car’s response to throttle input and a sense of longitudinal acceleration which keeps building as engine speed increases.
‘Shifting’ is a measure of the sensations perceived by the driver during each gear shift, in other words, rapid shift times and the impression of perfectly spaced gear ratios for acceleration. ‘Braking’ defines how the brake pedal feels in terms of travel and response, which are decisive factors in braking efficiency and precision. ‘Sound’ is a combination of the quality of the engine sound and how it builds progressively in volume in the cockpit with rising engine speed.
The 296 Speciale is equipped with the ABS Evo controller system co-developed by Ferrari with its supplier. This uses parameters acquired from the 6D sensor in conjunction with a vehicle dynamics estimator function to determine the effective speed of the car with extreme precision.
And the 296 Speciale features the extra boost control strategy introduced on the SF90 XX Stradale, which takes full advantage of the capabilities of the electric drive system to deliver a performance boost for a limited period of time.
A specific curved indicator on the instrument cluster, placed on the right-hand side of the tachometer, lets the driver know when boost power is available and displays how many extra boost bursts are left. The control strategy optimises the function to ensure enough boost bursts to complete at least one whole lap of the circuit the car is on. This is made possible by a heuristic approach which considers the circuit as a whole and allows the strategy to determine where boost power will be most effective and exclude sections of the track where it would offer no benefit. At the Fiorano circuit, for instance, the extra boost function can be used 14 times over two laps, while at Mugello, the function allows for a total of 15 boost bursts over a single lap.
Tyres
A dedicated version of the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup2tyre has been developed for the 296 Speciale, which benefits from experience gained with the F80. The design process made extensive use of virtual simulation, which helped reduce development times from 18 to 12 months. This tyre was conceived to optimise the dynamics and usability of the car in a wide variety of conditions with a specific casing structure that increases the tyre wall stiffness and lateral rigidity and a new tread compound and pattern to improve grip.
Style: Exterior
The design language of the 296 Speciale has very clear connections with closed-wheel racing Ferraris. While the 296 GTB veils its extreme performance under an elegant skin, the 296 Speciale adopts a much more radical styling lexicon to express the innovations introduced by Ferrari’s engineers. To achieve this result, the Ferrari Styling Centre headed by Flavio Manzoni worked in synergy with all the other departments involved to maximise the focus on the relationship between form and function in order to integrate the technical solutions required into this car.
Interior
The interior design of the 296 Speciale follows the same philosophy applied in all latest generation Ferrari special versions. The changes with respect to the 296 GTB include solutions to simplify the interior, with fewer elements in total, and save weight, with an even more extensive use of carbon fibre and Alcantara. In addition to the widespread use of carbon fibre and aluminium, the more pared-down design language also contributes to the overall effect of a much more race-focused cabin.
Seven-Year Maintenance
Ferrari’s unparalleled quality standards and increasing focus on client service underpin the extended seven-year maintenance programme offered with the 296 Speciale. This programme, for the whole range of models, covers all routine maintenance for the first seven years of life of the car. The scheduled maintenance programme for Ferraris is an exclusive service that allows clients the certainty that their car is being kept at peak performance and safety over the years. This very special service is also available to owners of pre-owned Ferraris.
Regular maintenance (at intervals of either 20,000 km or once a year with no mileage restrictions), original spares and meticulous checks by staff trained directly at the Ferrari Training Centre in Maranello using the most modern diagnostic tools are just some of the advantages of the Genuine Maintenance Programme. The service is available on all markets worldwide and from all Dealerships in the Official Dealership Network.
The Genuine Maintenance programme further extends the wide range of after-sales services offered by Ferrari to meet the needs of clients wishing to preserve the performance and excellence that are the signatures of all cars built in Maranello.
The 296 Speciale A
Meanwhile, the 296 Speciale A, a mid-rear engined, plug-in hybrid Spider, joins the Scuderia Spider 16M, the 458 Speciale A, and the 488 Pista Spider – an ultra-exclusive dynasty of special versions of Ferrari’s Berlinetta-derived spiders – and aims to become the new benchmark of the range, as well as the market, in terms of top-down driving thrills.
The 296 Speciale A adds the retractable hardtop (RHT) to the coupé’s incredible qualities of agile handling, responsiveness and stability, qualities that, together with the additional appeal of being able to drive in the open air, make it unrivalled. This special version not only multiplies the already extraordinary performance of the 296 GTS but also introduces a sense of predictability and intuitiveness that makes this a car unlike any other.
The 296 Speciale A takes the agility and responsiveness of the 296 GTS to extreme new heights by exploiting the full potential of its plug-in hybrid architecture, consisting of a rear-mid 120° V6 twin turbo engine and an electric motor, a short wheelbase and innovative dynamic control systems. The drivetrain delivers an astonishing combined power output of 880 hp, 50 more than the 296 GTS and a record for a rear-wheel-drive production Ferrari.
Aerodynamics
The downforce generated by the 296 Speciale A with the roof up equates to 435 kg at 250 km/h, 20 per cent more than the 296 GTS. Designing the 296 Speciale A in parallel with the coupé allowed the different body configurations to be taken into consideration from the beginning of the project, ensuring not only unchanged aerodynamic performance but also an aerodynamic comfort level with the roof open equivalent to that of the 296 GTS.
The main difference inside the 296 Speciale A compared to the coupé is the headrest flap, which is optimised to facilitate the air flow towards the tonneau cover, and the trim behind the seats. In particular, the pair of nolders integrated into the finish at the back of the seats prevent turbulence from reaching the central tunnel area, improving comfort in the lower tunnel area.
This combination of evolution and technological transfer was the guiding thread that led to the definition of the technical base of the 296 Speciale A, thanks to meticulous CFD optimisation and wind tunnel testing aimed at seeking the best integration between aerodynamics and styling.
Vehicle Dynamics
The chassis of the 296 Speciale A, designed in parallel with that of the 296 Speciale, has been optimised to ensure maximum torsional rigidity and bending stiffness. The areas that received treatment were primarily the A-pillar, the B-pillar, and the sill area.
Style: Exterior
The 296 Speciale A is characterised by the clean and refined lines of the 296 Speciale. With the top open, it represents an even more exclusive version of the concept of an open-air berlinetta. Preserving the main features of the 296 Speciale required an intense phase of technical analysis, with the aim of minimising the impact of exterior modifications.
The Ferrari Styling Centre team led by Flavio Manzoni managed to combine the proportions of the rear area of the 296 Speciale with the need to store the retractable hardtop (RHT) inside the engine compartment. On the 296 Speciale A, the engine cover is more recessed, thanks to the alternation between solids and voids achieved by subtracting volumes, so the rear area of the car takes on a completely unique appearance, while the most distinctive feature of the central part is the aero damper derived from the 296 GT3.
Launched in Rosso Dino, the 296 Speciale A is available with a new livery, which is now also offered for the first time ever in a white variant, consisting of one or two longitudinal stripes extending over the entire length of the car. Customers can also complement the livery with a number of their choice from 00 to 99.
For more information, please visit www.ferrari.com.