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The 296 GTB is powerful, eco-friendly, and most importantly, a delight
[This story first appeared in Koktail Magazine Issue 3.]
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.
A simple press of the ignition, found at the centre of the steering wheel just below the iconic horse badge, and the engine roars to life while lights dance on the dashboard. A measured push on the pedal will launch you from 0 to 100 km/hr in 2.9 seconds thanks to the mid-mounted, turbo-charged V-6 engine. It also reaches 200 km/hr in just over seven seconds, and a fearsome top speed of 300+ km/hr—but that’s something to test out on a proper race track. With 830 cv (cheval vapeur, almost equivalent to horsepower but sounding much sexier) at the back under the transparent Lexan cover, it’s not really surprising.
A road trip is never complete without tunes, and the 296 GTB does not skimp on its sound system. The JBL speakers will have you grooving and rocking as you cruise down the highway to head to your weekend vacation spot or feel like spending some alone time on the road. But be wary, you might find yourself deciding between blasting tunes or just enjoying the sound of the revving engine, which is like choosing between We Will Rock You and Bohemian Rhapsody with Freddie Mercury in full throttle.
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).
Switch to eDrive and the internal combustion engine turns off, making the rear wheels run on pure electricity. On a full charge, the car can cover 25km at a max speed of 135km/h.
It’s no surprise then that the 296 GTB is in such high demand in Thailand. For all its innovations and special services, which include a seven-year maintenance contract, the Ferrari 296 GTB is priced, with the benefit of lower import tax, at a cool 21.9 million baht.
Better still, use some of that savings and spoil yourself by adding your own personalised touches from the factory such as glossy carbon racing wheels, a sprinkling of carbon-fibre bodywork essentials, obligatory Rossa Corsa brake callipers, and the embroidered prancing horse on the headrests.
When they said they were “Defining Fun to Drive” with this car, they weren’t wrong.
