Ferrari booked for track driving in GTB296, who are we to say no ...

The Ferrari 296GTB is the most non-Ferrari there is, pleasant on a daily basis, hybrid, green.

But beneath the obvious environmental messages the red heart beats that makes everyone want one

Shahaf Galil, Photo: Shahaf Galil, Manufacturer

17/06/2022

Friday, 17 June 2022, 14:33 Updated: 15:15

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Ordering from Ferrari always starts with the most laconic and relevant information, "You have been assigned a test drive on the GTB296, driving time: two days, division: road day and route day."

But behind every laconic message is a great expectation, the kind of expectation that only Ferrari sports cars can evoke, and when it comes to one of the most important, significant and intriguing of this company for many, many years - the expectations in the sky.

For those who are not yet familiar with the story behind this machine, then in a nutshell: with the 296 GTB Ferrari brings back to the stage the V6 engines, once a symbol for the base car that were the ticket to Ferrari, but today they are the spearhead in the manufacturer's transition to hybrid engines. This first sentence each time again produces a vomiting reflex - Keenan).

But in terms of Ferrari hybrid does not mean "environmental" or "economical" but new horizons for improving performance, behavior and the ability to harness new technology to do what Ferrari know how to do best.

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Less aggressive than the other models, almost friendly (Photo: Shahaf Galil)

I get closer to the car, it is different from other modern Ferrari cars.

She is not heavy, not with the same angry and aggressive look, not intimidating.

It is short and low with a semi-transparent rear hood through which you can see an engine, an engine that is also low, really, really low in the small space allotted to it - the holy of holies of every Ferrari.

But only at a second glance do you notice that it is not the regular engine, painted red, but shining in the silver color of the turbocharger that sits above the engine and from place to place orange cables of, of electricity are stretched.

electrical power?!

Interesting… This is a different animal.

Goes in and starts.

The red, big, physical button we know from Ferrari cars has been replaced with a touch button, similar to the one in Rome and the SF90.

Presses, sorry, touches, and the vehicle lights up.

And I write lit up, because he does not roar as Ferrari roars.

It just lights up, lights up like an electrical appliance lights up.

The driving mode switch is switched to full electric because these were the instructions, and leaves the compound quietly to the main road.

Yes you read that right, Ferrari really asked for and emphasized this feature.

This is a Ferrari that you can go out with quietly, sneak up on.

Between us, apparently her neighbors just got tired.

Does not matter.

Silver head and orange power cables ?!

What's going on here (Photo: Shahaf Galil)

On the main road I switch to hybrid mode and the engine wakes up.

The electric and hybrid mode are two of four modes where you can select a switch on the left side of the steering wheel.

They control the ratio between the use of battery power and the engine.

In addition of course there is the classic mantino mode where you can also choose between driving mode (wet, sporty, racing and disconnecting electronics).

The electric switch includes full electric, hybrid, performance, and qualifying.

They are all related to how much electricity is involved in propulsion and how much power is taken to charge the battery.

In terms of power coming to the wheels, it is between 165 and 818 horses depending on the driving condition.

With references to classic cars like the 250 GTO and the Dino (Photo: Shahaf Galil)

The start of the trip is in lively traffic on a relatively busy Austrian road.

I let the one before me walk away and then close on him, then again.

I guess neither you nor I are surprised that she accelerates fast and brakes a turn.

When leaving the gas there are "backfires" crackling from the exhaust, always nice.

When you close the window and it sounds better, there are ducts that transfer sound from the engine into the cabin.

Sounds not bad for 3 liters with turbo.

From the highway we go down to a side road, it's not really what I was supposed to do, but still, the driving switch goes to qualifying and the mantino switch to "racing", and gas, ok I tell myself, it accelerates well and then around 5,000 rpm it becomes Crazy when the turbo along with the power blows it forward.

Touch button for propulsion?

What is this regret! (Photo: Manufacturer's website)

There is something in the connection between the electricity and the regular engine that gives it power everywhere, in the SF90 it is really excessive and because the electric motor gives the power to the front wheels, the feeling is as if someone is pulling the vehicle in front.

Here it is not like that, just the whole vehicle accelerates in a balanced way the low gears with a relatively short ratio and need to pay attention and move fast when the gas is all the way to the end.

A turn comes and I'm on the brakes, she brakes hard, but not only using the brakes, all braking is computerized, and also shares the engine braking in the story.

There the short gears make engine braking very effective.

Very brave?

Very stupid?

Raised us to gallop at 260 km / h in pouring rain (Photo: Shahaf Galil)

Even inside the turns it grips really well, the steering is precise but there is something in the suspension that is less tough, softer than you would expect from a Ferrari sports car and its extreme condition.

As I exit the turn and open the throttle, I straighten the steering wheel, push the foot and pedal all the way and it flies forward.

Entering a wooded area with sharp turns and a thin edge on each side of the path and it is precise, correct, flexible, strong and something there between the electric and the engine and the grip just works well.

When Ferrari said this car would bring back the fun, they really meant it.

And between turns, we get to the lines, time to really press, but the road is a bit bumpy, I'm afraid, still a very fast car, but even there again, do not feel too many shocks.

So yes, when exaggerating and getting too fast to fold asphalt that causes jumps off the road - it sits less well, also the heart, a derivative of the weight and the suspensions.

To take the inner line on a wet track ... mistake ... (Photo: manufacturer)

Now we enter the passage through a village, where a speed limit of 30 km / h and according to the instruction in the briefing I switch to electric only, this is a section they constantly choose to emphasize. Car. But the environmental statement and public opinion, well, what to do. It seems that it was decided there to emphasize the good and ignore the obvious.

After driving on the public road one thing is clear, here it is fun in any driving situation, not only in terms of performance. Like the SF90 and the balances and behaviors that make the experience controlled and fun. Its suspensions are a bit soft for me and my taste, but complete that experience.

She sounds crazy on the outside, crazy on the inside (Photo: manufacturer)

Rain and tears

There were two options for driving the route, the first from Ranello and the second from Salzburgring.

On the one hand Maranello - the home of Ferrari, one of the most amazing places for car lovers.

When on the streets of the town there are always cars in test before delivery and if there is luck, then also new cars are disguised in road test stages of different systems.

The track there is the legendary home track of the manufacturer, winding and full of interesting elements.

On the other hand, Salzburg - a really fast track that rolls a lot of car and motorcycle events.

It has a relatively simple structure of long alignment and another section with minimal torsion, and this combination allows for many opportunities to push the speedometer deep deep into the field of ground flight.

Then a series of quick bends and two slightly challenging chicanes for it not to be boring.

And it looks even good when it's not in red (Photo: Shahaf Galil)

So I chose Salzburning.

Then two months of fantasies about how fast I will drive there, what I will do with the Side Slip Control, a system that helps generate drift even at high speeds.

I must admit that quite a bit of simulator time was also invested to make sure I know every face and line to really get everything out of it.

The day has come, I wake up and immediately jump out of bed, open the curtains - and outside rain, pouring rain, heartbreak!

As the book is called, racing in the rain is an art.

It's not the end of the world, you can drive on water and it has special tires.

After all, everything should be much much more delicate and smooth.

The braking and acceleration distances are getting longer and that of course means that everything I built in my head is not going to happen.

This is going to be a more challenging day.

The peak of concentration, the peak of emotion (Photo: manufacturer)

At the pre-driving briefing they announced that we were going to spend the day in “wet” driving mode in Mantino.

This means that all the electronics responsible for anti-skid are at maximum alertness and the engine loses all its aggressiveness, less jagged, less explosive power.

In the clarifying brief that do not take risks with us, there is an overview of areas in the route that are more prone to slipping, especially the inside of the first quick turn, soothing.

I realize I will no longer do what I wanted to, but here's a chance to see how stable this car is in complex driving conditions like rain.

They were scattered like M&M candies, just choose a color and go (Photo: Shahaf Galil)

When I say rain, you might think with what is commonly known, drops falling from the sky.

So no, it was pouring rain.

But I put on a helmet, so that they will not see the frightened face, and start to leave the treatment area (the "pit").

Gets a green light and I track into a small straight line and into a first bend that always take a gentle.

The feeling is of a light car but, still really sticks nicely to the asphalt in the first chicane, chicane is two consecutive turns right-left or vice versa, as such it requires not only the driver but also the car very fast braking, quick and sharp turn to one side and immediately to the other.

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A little braking before and then without gas until you pass the turn and from there gas it responds really accurately, both in braking and at the exit.

Accelerates to another quick bend braking at the entrance and releasing, from there instead of the regular line stays outside, because of the slope in turns on the racetracks the inner area is the one where more water accumulates.

Gives gas gradually, and as the vehicle transmits more grip to me I keep pressing.

For the next bend we will get in faster.

From there the line with the minimal twists and I am in full throttle, 260 km / h and it grips amazingly in twists. Another quick bend and again excellent grip. Its battery is located behind the driver which adds to the weight distribution and balance of the vehicle. Sharp, very un-ideal on a wet track, and still stable stability. Another sharp shakein mistake of inappropriate entry speed, brakes stronger than I would like, and the 296 next to the track. Everything just works so right.

Are you infested with the combination of hybrid and Ferrari?

You can breathe easy (Photo: manufacturer)

A little braking before and then without gas until you pass the turn and from there gas it responds really accurately, both in braking and at the exit.

Accelerates to another quick bend braking at the entrance and releasing, from there instead of the regular line stays outside, because of the slope in turns on the racetracks the inner area is the one where more water accumulates.

Gives gas gradually, and as the vehicle transmits more grip to me I keep pressing.

For the next bend we will get in faster.

From there the line with the minimal twists and I am in full throttle, 260 km / h and it grips amazingly in twists. Another quick bend and again excellent grip. Its battery is located behind the driver which adds to the weight distribution and balance of the vehicle. Sharp, very un-ideal on a wet track, and still stable stability. Another sharp shakein mistake of inappropriate entry speed, brakes stronger than I would like, and the 296 next to the track. Everything just works so right.

You can get used to it, 6 cylinders in the Ferrari is no longer a base model (Photo: Shahaf Galil)

To sum up, when the 296 was announced I was surprised, I expected a Ferrari with a low price (relatively low yes? This is a Ferrari ...), because after all, at Ferrari we were taught that a 6-cylinder car must be an entry-level car.

But it's not, she's a different animal, Ferrari have managed to produce a stunning successor to the F8 Tribute.

Unfortunately I do not know how it is as a track car but you can safely say that no matter what you do with it on a rainy day you will be fine even at 250 km / h as long as you mantino on wet. But it is faster than any Ferrari entry mechanic ever and even more senior , With ballistic acceleration, sharp in turns and still really fun and controlled thanks to soft suspensions but actually more correct for this type of car and lots of investment in computing that becomes a utility rather than an annoying babysitter.Electricity? The vehicle with the battery behind the driver.And with all that, it is a comfortable and pleasant everyday car, even for neighbors.

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On the technical side: Ferrari GTB296

Engine, propulsion:

petrol, hybrid, rear

2,992

819 (combined)

75.5 (combined)

Dual clutch, 7 gears

457

196

119

260

There is a luggage compartment of 49 liters

2.9 seconds

7.6 seconds

about 330 km / h

McLaren 720

NIS 2,380,000 (base price)

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