The V-6 Roars Again At Ferrari

At a test drive in Seville, Spain, the 296 GTB hits all the right notes

- By Hannah Elliott. Photography by Raul Pilato

Ferrari’s 296 GTB is not, as some have suggested, the new Dino. But you could be forgiven for thinking this curvaceous coupe is a modern-day incarnation. The 296 GTB is powered by a V-6, just like the stylish mid-engine icons that Enzo Ferrari produced from 1957 to 1976 and named after his son. The 75-year-old brand hasn’t made a V-6 engine since—until now, with the 296 GTB.

The Dino, though, never sported the official “Ferrari” badge. Because it lacked the power and craftsmanship of the V-12 cars Ferrari was making then, it was positioned instead as the gateway car into the world of “real” Ferraris.

The rear-wheel-drive 296 GTB is anything but entry-level, as I found recently while driving through the olive-treed hills outside Seville, Spain. With an engine that goes from zero to 62 mph in 2.9 seconds, a top speed of more than 205 mph, and 819 total horsepower, the 296 GTB is faster around Ferrari’s test track in Fiorino than even the $1.5 million LaFerrari electric supercar, according to the company. And, with a starting price of $318,000, it’s a bit more approachable than the LaFerrari’s wallet-emptying seven-figure sum.

The 296 GTB uses plug-in hybrid electric power, with four drive modes that balance how much energy the car uses. Its name comes from its total engine displacement (2.9) and number of cylinders, plus Ferrari’s traditional Gran Turismo Berlinetta moniker for touring sports cars.