The Ferrari 296 GTB is a thing of beauty to behold. Its visor-style windscreen wrapping onto the side windows, tail light strips reminiscent of Ray-Ban glasses, and minimalist design with satisfying curves make it incredibly pleasing to look at. But once you realise what’s underneath the hood—or rather, beneath the back of the car—and you feel the tremor of the engine, it gives you a heart-thumping sense of awe. As pretty as this piece of machinery is, it’s also something to be seriously reckoned with on the road.

The classic Ferrari red may be the obvious choice, or perhaps the grey-yellow Assetto Fiorano with its recognisable dramatic graphic design, but there’s something about the Giallo Modena’s deep, lush yellow that makes the 296 GTB stand out—not that it doesn’t already. That’s the exterior-eye candy, but once you open the door, the interior is equally satisfying. Slide languidly into the Tortora leather bucket seat and admire the minimalist dashboard, all sleek and black, as you wrap your hands around the steering wheel with great anticipation.

It’s safe to say that the 296 GTB is addicting. A few minutes on the road and you will want to selfishly enjoy it all by yourself despite the fact that it’s a two-seater. The feeling of having such a sophisticated piece of machinery under your control is intoxicating. It’s engineered to ensure that, from the higher-placed exhaust pipe and the disappearing spoiler that elegantly rises when you reach a specific acceleration threshold to the car’s signature “tea tray” front spoiler that “suctions” the car downwards. The 296 GTB submits to your total control, and that notion is utterly exhilarating and a little nerve-wracking at the same time. While you will certainly have a thrill behind the wheel, this car demands a measure of respect from the driver.

Already impressive with its specs and design, there’s another somewhat surprising feature about this Ferrari: this is a hybrid. A V6 PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle), it has all the necessary tools to ensure a smooth transition between pure combustion, hybrid, and electric in the form of the TMA (Transition Manager Actuator).