Italian exotic carmaker Ferrari has set the date for the much-awaited launch of the Ferrari 296 GTB in India. The sportscar will launch on the 26th of August and will replace the F8 Tributo in India. The 296 GTB comes with a new hybrid v6, with a mid-engine layout and this will be a rear-wheel drive. The 296 GTB is expected to be launched in the coupe body style rather than the convertible format.
The 296 GTB comes with a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine capable of producing 654 hp and has set a record of 218hp per liter for a production car. Being a Hybrid it comes with an electric motor which lays out 166 hp making the total combined power of 296 GTB 830 hp While the combined torque is 741 nm. This sports car can run from 0-100 km/h in 2.9 seconds with a top speed of 330 km/h. The transmission is handled by an 8-speed automatic gearbox. Just like its sibling SF90 Stradale, 296 GTB can also be purely driven on electric power for around 42 km with a speed up to 135 km/h.
The design elements of the 296 GTB include an active rear spoiler to create 360kg downforce at 250km/h with the hardcore, track-oriented Assetto Fiorano pack while without the pack it can create up to 100kg more downforce than its predecessor. As per the brand, the design elements like the B-pillar, rear haunches, and the Kamm tail of this road car are inspired by a 1963 250 LM, while the windscreen gets a similar look as the J50 and the one-off P80/C. The interior gets the reflection of SF90 Stradale with a digital gauge cluster and the steering wheel in the concave dashboard section, and two panels on the sides with touch-capacitive controls. The gearshift selector pays a tribute to Ferrari’s classic ‘H-gate’ design.
The power of this Ferrari represents a 2,996cc, six-cylinder, which as per The Gran Turismo, is a long line of Ferrari sportscars that stretch back to the mid-1950s. As the previous road cars were pinned under the Long-defunct Dino brand, the company claims the 296 GTB to be its first six-cylinder road car. Unlike other Ferraris with ‘eManettino’ switch on the steering wheel, the 296 GTB comes with four driving modes namely, eDrive, Hybrid, Performance, and Qualify. Although the company has not clarified any other details including the price, it is predicted to be positioned near the F8 Tributo in terms of price.