Ferrari 296 GTB Launched In Malaysia - 830PS Supercar-PHEV

Naza Italia has unwrapped the all-new Ferrari 296 GTB for its official Malaysian debut, unveiling the Italian marque’s newest mid-engine Berlinetta and its first road-going six-cylinder powered model since 1974.

Despite its layout and dimensions, the car is not a direct replacement for the F8 Tributo (at least not yet) but rather a complementary stablemate that introduces many of the powertrain advances seen in the SF90 Stradale - namely its plug-in hybrid powertrain - and the LaFerrari hypercar before that, but in a more accessible package.

A Ferrari PHEV?

Priced at RM1.228 million (before duties, customisation options, taxes, or insurance), the 296 GTB is certainly far from affordable, but seen through the lens of the Ferrari brand, it is their ‘mainstream’ electrified model.  

On the outside, the car looks much cleaner and more subdued than the marque’s other models, opting to adorn it with subtle contours instead of overt aero elements. Still, hidden veins, flaps, and spoilers are able to generate 360kg of downforce at 250km/h with the optional track-oriented Assetto Fiorano pack specified.

Even in standard guise, the 296 GTB is said to produce at least 100kg more aero press than its predecessors. Overall, its design follows nicely from foundations established with the Portofino and the Roma.

Powertrain

Its name is actually a reference to its mid-mounted F163 V6 that displaces 2,992cc. Its cylinder banks are actually angled 120 degrees apart, making it extremely flat to neatly package those twin IHI turbochargers and deliver a lower centre of gravity.

Its very close placement to the combustion chamber also offers maximum intake efficiency for sharper engine response. Ferrari has also gone to significant lengths to ensure this V6 evokes similar harmonics to their naturally aspirated V12 engines.

Despite its smaller size (similar to an F40 in displacement) and few cylinders, this engine sounds like quite the brute. On its own, it produces 663PS and has a redline of 8,500rpm, but when aided by the rear-mounted electric motor just ahead of its 8-speed dual-clutch gearbox, the 296 GTB cranks out a system output of 830PS and 740Nm.

0-100 in...

Thanks to the electric internals, it is far from the lightest car to emerge from Maranello, tipping the scales at 1,470kg. That said, Ferrari claims it’ll rocket to 100km/h from standstill in a fitting 2.9 seconds and hit 330km/h flat out.

The underfloor battery can hold 7.45kWh of charge, which is enough to theoretically power the 296 GTB with no intervention from the combustion engine for 25km. It might not be a big stretch, but you could almost call it the perfect Ferrari for the office commute. Like the SF90, the car is capable of recuperating kinetic energy through its MGU-K motor-generator.

Charging time to replenish the battery from the mains was a little murky but given its rather small capacity, it shouldn’t take more than a few hours even if connected directly to a household socket.

Inside, there’s a definite resemblance to the tech-focused cabin of Ferrari’s current electrified flagship, the SF90. Its driver-side dashboard is concave to reveal a digital instrument cluster and capacitive touch controls, a head-up display, and just about every function split between side panels and the Manettino.

Price

All this can be yours for a mere RM1.228 million (before duties, customisation options, taxes, or insurance).