Electrification is happening in the motor vehicle market – but it remains a bit of a dirty phrase among the true petrolheads. So there will be blended feelings at the expose this 7 days of Ferrari’s 296 GTB, a mid-engined supercar that mixes V6 grunt with the capacity to go up to 15 miles on electric powered electrical power alone.
The Maranello manufacturer is not alone in making this kind of transfer, of system the 296 GTB currently has an evident rival, in simple fact, in the form of McLaren’s Artura. Even so, this will be, for some, a watershed minute, as one particular of the most psychological motor vehicle manufacturers in the planet bows its head to legislation and the environmental foyer.
But is that actually the case? I’ll confess that as before long as the 296 GTB was unveiled, I started off exploring for video clips to hear its all-new V6 engine – and it sounds fantastic. And let us encounter it: the motor vehicle however weighs considerably less than a tonne and a half, and has 819bhp driving its rear wheels, a -62mph time of considerably less than three seconds and a prime pace of additional than 200mph.
Ferrari’s Facet Slip Manage will no doubt have been recalibrated to cope with the extra mass of the battery and electric powered motor, so are we actually expressing that the 296 GTB is likely to be dull to generate?
The planet of production autos is evolving now at a faster rate than we have noticed in a technology. Ferrari has to enjoy its portion in that or it will cease to exist, its substantial-close shopper foundation pushed in direction of pure-electric powered rivals not only by legislation but also by society’s have conscience. Sustainability, soon after all, is a extremely shiny badge for the extremely-wealthy to wear, and there are new electric powered-only start off-ups arriving on a month to month foundation, prepared to present it.
Pure-electric powered Ferraris are coming – along with an SUV. But in the meantime, we’re fascinated to see how this ‘mainstream’ plug-in auto stacks up. It is a extremely distinct alternative from what we have noticed in advance of from Ferrari – but that does not mean it can’t be a thrilling one particular.
What do you think to Ferrari’s new 296 GTB? Enable us know in the responses under…
