Ferrari 296 GTB / GTS

Ferrari has never been interested in making ordinary cars, and the Ferrari 296 GTB / GTS pairing makes that plain from the first glance. This is the car that redefines Ferrari’s mid‑engined Berlinetta for the hybrid era, turning the 296 formula into something compact, intense, and clearly aimed at drivers who want the full Ferrari experience rather than a softened grand tourer. In a segment crowded with supercars that compete on numbers, the 296 stands out because it seems to care just as much about feel, response, and emotional impact as it does about outright speed.

The shape alone tells you this is not a casual evolution of what came before. The 296 GTB and open‑roof 296 GTS look like they have been tightened and re‑sculpted by the wind itself. Their proportions are low and athletic, with a short wheelbase and cab‑forward stance that make the car look ready to move even at a standstill. Surfaces are taut, and every line appears to serve a purpose. There is no excess here, no decorative overstatement. Ferrari knows that when a car is this serious, the visual language should be disciplined. The result is a car that looks ready before it even starts.

That sense of readiness matters, because the 296 isn’t being asked to merely look expensive. It’s being asked to justify its position in one of the most demanding lineages in the automotive world. Mid‑engined V8 Ferraris set expectations for decades; now a V6‑hybrid setup has to carry that torch. The 296 GTB and GTS are expected to deliver sharp handling, clean feedback, and a deep sense of immediacy while still feeling unmistakably Ferrari. They have to prove that downsizing cylinders and adding electric power is an upgrade, not a compromise.

At the heart of the car is Ferrari’s modern hybrid performance philosophy. The 296 pairs a twin‑turbo V6 with an electric motor and a compact battery pack, but not in the name of efficiency alone. Ferrari has never treated electrification as a dulling force in its best recent cars; instead, it uses electric torque to make the combustion engine feel more alive. In the 296, the system is tuned to sharpen throttle response, fill in torque, and give you a surge of acceleration that feels instant rather than staged. In the right hands, the result feels less like a technical system and more like a single, perfectly tuned power source.

What makes the 296 compelling is not simply its output, but the way that output is delivered. The best Ferraris do not overwhelm the driver so much as they engage them. They pull you into the rhythm of the car and make precision feel rewarding. That is the difference between a fast car and a memorable one. The 296’s hybrid powertrain, steering, and brake systems are all calibrated with this in mind. Ferrari’s engineers understand that the most iconic performance cars are not those that only hit hard in a straight line. They are the ones that make every steering input, every brake application, and every throttle squeeze feel like part of a larger conversation.

That conversation is the core appeal of the 296 GTB and GTS. They feel alive, keenly responsive, and deeply connected to the driver in a way that belies the complexity under the skin. The steering is quick and precise, encouraging small, confident inputs. The chassis is tuned for agility, with a balance that makes the car feel eager to change direction without becoming nervous. The brakes are designed to blend regenerative and friction braking in a way that stays consistent, giving you confidence lap after lap or on a fast road. Once the pace picks up, the 296 seems to shrink around the driver—as the best Ferraris always have.

There is also the question of sound, which matters more than spec sheets admit. Ferrari understands that sound is not a side issue. It is part of the emotional architecture of the car. Even in a hybrid era, a Ferrari has to make an impression that reaches beyond the eyes and into the chest. The 296’s V6 has been tuned to deliver a high‑frequency character that feels distinct from the old V8 scream but still unmistakably Italian. Electric assistance changes the soundtrack at lower speeds, but when the engine is on song, the car still tells you exactly what it is through your ears as well as your hands.

The broader context makes the 296 even more interesting. The supercar market is full of capable machines, but very few manage to feel truly meaningful. Plenty are fast. Plenty are expensive. Fewer are memorable. Ferrari’s advantage has always been its ability to give performance a sense of occasion. A Ferrari should feel like more than transport. It should feel like an event, even before the engine wakes up. The way you approach a 296 GTB in the garage, or drop the roof on a 296 GTS before a sunrise drive, is part of that experience.

The 296 also arrives at a point where enthusiasts are increasingly looking for cars that still feel connected to the act of driving in an honest way. Modern technology can improve a car dramatically, but it can also make machines feel slightly too polished, too filtered, and too perfect. Ferrari’s challenge with the 296 is to use the technology without sanding away the edges that make a special car feel alive. When the car is driven properly, that balance becomes clear: the electronics are there to enhance your abilities and expand the envelope, not to isolate you from what’s happening.

For buyers who want more than just speed, the Ferrari 296 GTB and 296 GTS hit the right note. They are not trying to be the most rational objects in the garage. They are trying to be the most compelling. That is a very Ferrari mission. These cars ask the owner to care about emotion as much as engineering—and that is why they matter. They remind the market that a great performance car is not defined only by how efficiently it gets from one point to another. It is defined by how completely it makes the journey feel alive.

Elevated Automotive Magazine