Any doubts on what a hybrid Ferrari would drive like are thrown out my mind jut as fast as I was accelerating.
As I pushed the start button on the steering, there was silence. I checked the logo on the steering just to check if I’m really in a Ferrari and sure enough there was the Prancing Horse logo right in the centre of the steering wheel. I then realized that I was in ‘eDrive’ mode. If you are used to Ferrari and their engine notes this does come as a surprise. This is the Ferrari 296 GTS, the drop top version of the GTB coupe. Driving it for a couple of days on the streets of Dubai gave me a chance to know it better.
Ferrari 296 GTS Engine & Performance
If it’s a Ferrari, I would want to talk about the powertrain and the driving experience first. In a first for a Ferrari production car, the 296 features a 3.0 V6 engine coupled with two turbos. Yes the Dino had one earlier but it was never sold as a Ferrari. This V6 engine develops 664 horsepower and also comes with a rear mounted electric motor that makes 166 horses. This translates to a total of a whopping 830 horsepower and 740 Nm. The 7.45 kW electric motor also gives you an electric only driving range of up to 25 km and speed of 135kph. The 0 to 100 kph timing is identical to the GTB at 2.9 seconds. This despite the GTS being 70 kg heavier. An 8 speed gearbox sends power to the rear wheels.
I start off driving in the ‘eDrive’ mode and as mentioned at the start of this review, an eerie silence surrounds me. To get out of this discomfort I quickly shift to Performance mode. And that’s when the twin turbo V6 comes to life. I mash the throttle pedal a bit and whoosh, the 296 just shoots forward. I have to be cautious of the speed limits in Dubai though which make me hold back my urges. Once I crossed city limits and into the desert, I shifted to Qualifying mode and RACE. This unleashes the entire 830 horsepower on tap. As I floored the pedal, I could just seeing the sand dunes around me whizzing past and the symphonic soundtrack blaring in my ears thanks to the roof that I had folded down. Any doubts on what a hybrid Ferrari would drive like are thrown out my mind jut as fast as I was accelerating. I also thought how awesome this car would be around the Dubai Autodrome track. Now that would be something. At the same time, the 296 GTS feels completely at home in urban city traffic. I was just cruising down Sheikh Zayed Road at 80kph with light footed acceleration. It is a fact that modern day Ferraris are more useable and the 296 is something that you can drive to work and back everyday and hit the track on the weekend as well. The Dubai summer heat not withstanding, I still enjoyed some open top motoring.
The 296 GTS uses brake by wire tech allowing you the opportunity to brake late when hitting a corner, at the same time offering optimum grip on every tyre. All this makes the handling very sharp and the car holds your chosen line perfectly. I really cant comment on the ride quality because of Dubai’s silky smooth roads. A driving stint in Mumbai someday should throw more light on this.
