Ferrari 296 Speciale review

The headline figures are 50bhp more, 60kg less and a 20 per cent increase in downforce over the 296 GTB. That leads to totals of 868bhp from the hybrid powertrain (690bhp from the V6 alone), a 1410kg dry weight and 435kg of downforce at 155mph. Other intriguing stats include 13 per cent less roll, a four per cent increase in lateral grip and a Fiorano lap time that is two seconds quicker than the 296 GTB (and 0.7sec quicker than a LaFerrari).

In terms of hardware, the bodywork has obviously gained various aerodynamic addenda such as the winglets on the rear corners and the aero damper at the front. The latter serves mostly to equalise the aero pressure above and below the car and increase stability rather than acting like a wing in the manner of the old S-duct that we first saw on the 488 Pista. There are also optional passive Multimatic dampers and titanium springs. In the engine bay you will find the 3-litre V6 has turbos that weigh 1.2kg less, new stronger pistons and 35 per cent lighter titanium con rods from the F80 hypercar.

The result of all that is that it’s terrifically fast. That might sound obvious, but it’s still worth stating. I think we have all become inured to numbers relating to acceleration, but 0-124mph in 7sec flat is still worth taking a moment to consider. On a dry Fiorano, you notice things like the bit of air you get as you accelerate up over the bridge; a consequence of the enormous acceleration out of the previous corner and possibly the little bit of extra boost that you get in Qualify mode. And while the 296 S doesn’t sound conventionally exciting (or even that loud) from outside, there is nonetheless a deeply impressive sense of almighty velocity as it hammers past the pits. The sheer force with which it seems to be ripping through the air is intimidating.

Somehow it also manages to not simply spin away 500 of its 868bhp when presented with a wet, bumpy road in the autumnal hills south of Maranello. As a decent straight opened up between some fields, I held it wide open for a few seconds and the real-world rush was very, very real. The sort of rollercoaster acceleration that you feel deeply in your abdomen and which leaves you slightly giddy as you teeter on a tightrope between thrilled and terrified the first time you experience it.

It’s not just pace in a straight line though. Drive it with any sort of intent and everything feels fantastically taut and together. The familiar quick, quite light but oh-so precise steering gives you immediate confidence that any movement of the car can be met with the right reaction and it makes it feel so alive and alert. Even on slippery, narrow rural roads there is a sense that you can make progress because you can place the car with such accuracy. The braking too, with the latest iteration of ABS Evo, allows you to really push the limits and lean right into the depths of the left-hand pedal, squeezing the last drops of purchase out of the tyres, even as they start to squirm.

So yes, it is fast. But in the press conference there was at least as much emphasis on emotion as outright performance, perhaps recognising that in recent years restomods and very low-volume supercars have been nicking the traditional supercar’s lunch money (the 296 S starts at £359,779, if you’re interested). The phrase ‘driving thrills’ was the most oft-repeated of the whole presentation and we were introduced to the concept of the Ferrari fun metric with five different categories.

Apparently the engineers have, for some years now, been putting numbers on levels of enjoyment in relation to lateral acceleration, longitudinal acceleration, braking, gearshifts and sound, which I thought was interesting. Obviously enjoyment is highly subjective but they have needed to put numbers on it in order to try to gauge over time where improvements have been made or not. I suppose it’s a more formal, formulaic version of what a journalist road tester tries to do all the time.

Safe to say that the longitudinal thrills are present and correct. The lateral ones too; alive at low speeds, balanced and capable of sliding with ease and grace if you turn everything off. Brakes, I’ve already covered too – it’s another tick in the box.

Which brings us to the gearshifts, perhaps the most emotive bit of the whole car. The big, theatrical carbon paddles are a great start, but the shifts they summon are incredible. There is a visceral nature to them and yet they somehow manage to be emotive without feeling unsettling. They make you look forward to swapping ratios in a way that few if any other dual-clutch gearboxes do. For this latest incarnation there is a new strategy called Fast Shift which maximises the torque from the e-motor during up changes, making the swaps even quicker and adding a tiny kick to heighten the feel of them.

Ferrari says it has ‘recalibrated and accentuated’ the sound of the V6 during shifts as well. Which brings us to the final of the five facets in the fun formula. There are now four, repositioned acoustic ducts (rather than two on the GTB) and a patented system of tubes designed to deliver sound from the heart of the 120-degree V6 into the cabin.

Does it work? Sort of. It certainly sounds much better inside than out. Even with the manettino in Sport there is a noticeably more hollow timbre from the rear bulkhead, with rumbling crackles on even a light overrun. Rev it hard on the track and there is a manic, almost motorbike intensity to the sound. It’s not spine-tingling or really raw, however, and although there is a crescendo you need the shift lights to know when you’re approaching the limiter. A thrilling sound? I’m not so sure.

And, of course, it can still be silenced almost entirely at the touch of a button to mosey through Modena on electric power alone, using up to 152bhp and 232lb ft from the MGU-K dual-rotor, centre-stator, axial flux motor. There is only 16 miles of range from the 7.45kWh battery, but it nonetheless shows the breadth of ability the car has retained from the GTB. Despite fewer soft furnishings in the still quite small cabin, it feels very usable, particularly on the standard adaptive MagneRide dampers. And that’s the difference. That’s why this shouldn’t be compared too closely to any predecessors.

Its forebears were always slightly less motorsport in tone than some of their competitors, but this seems to have taken just half a step further back towards civility (which shouldn’t be confused with docility). It’s perhaps there in the numbers too, because while the Pista, Scuderia et al all shaved at least 90kg off their standard siblings, this car has only shed 60kg despite having more to work with.

We know that there was more to go, because they told us in the press conference. They tried a 296 that was totally devoid of sound-deadening but deemed it too much… for now. Because I also got the impression that this car, this Speciale, does intentionally leave some head room in the range. Perhaps something more Challenge Stradale or XX or Porsche RS or Lamborghini STO might eventually appear. If so, then I think this car is easier to read. It clearly builds on the already brilliant 296 GTB and is therefore fantastic, but it feels like more of a healthy upgrade than the ultimate. Let’s see what comes next.

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