RE: All-new Ferrari 296 GTB is rear-drive PHEV

[LunarOne]

TyrannosauRoss Lex said:

LunarOne said:

Twin turbo V6 + electric means little chance of it sounding as good as it looks...

I'm not sure how the electric component detracts from the noise of the V6, so not sure the relevance of that? Unless I'm missing something?

If you've heard the whine of electric motors spinning up, that will also spool up in addition to engine revs, so you've got two lots of turbo whine and motor whine with one engine which will be muted by the turbos and gas particulate filters. In other words, as well as being hampered by turbos and filters, the sound of the engine will also be joined by turbo + motor whine. I personally would prefer an engine with no filters, no turbos and no electric motors to dilute the sound. Of course that's not possible for future models, but it's still a disappointment.

[Manic Street Sleeper]

JMo22 said:

100%...strange to style off a 10 yr old Alfa that was a quarter the price!

My wife (who prefers gardening to cars) would agree with you but on the grounds that they are both red and therefore almost identical.

[firebird350]

Hey, a pretty Ferrari! Nice to see a return to some understated elegance - seems like it's been a while since we saw that. Also, I've always preferred the sound of a musical V6 over a guttural or raucous V8. However, as a Busso V6-driving Alfisto perhaps you might expect me to have this preference but I do find multiples of either six cylinders or twelve seem to create the real music. Bring on the V18-engined Ferrari!

[Bobtherallyfan]

Which one is the Ferrari?

[chrisironside]

Red6 said:

As an engineering feat, impressive. But in terms of looks it is a bit messy. But will wait until I see one in the carbon.

Is it me or does it look like a MKII Ford GT40 from some angles?

Not just you, I thought the same.

[jayemm89]

Bobtherallyfan said:

Which one is the Ferrari?

Lovely comparison in profile, however in person the two sit VERY differently. The Evora is quite high and narrow. If you took the rear wing off, it's actually close to a 911 in side view.

[Manic Street Sleeper]

Bobtherallyfan said:

Which one is the Ferrari?

The grey one

[SpeckledJim]

This bit is causing me mild perturbation, but overall I think it's the best looking Ferrari for a very long time, with the possible exception of the Roma.

[SuperPav]

The rear flat deck which is quite long behind the upright separation to the cabin makes it look a bit like a chopped pickup from some of the photo angles.

However, as with virtually every Ferrari in the last 20 years, the in-real-life proportions and lines are much more coherent and effective than comes off on some photos, so I'm sure it'll look great.

I also suspect that this will demonstrate that you can have a very emotive hybrid V6 engine if you try.

[LordOfTheManor]

Am I the only person who doesn't like it !

[Six Potter]

SuperPav said:

The rear flat deck which is quite long behind the upright separation to the cabin makes it look a bit like a chopped pickup from some of the photo angles.

That area seems to remind me of the Tesstarossa, which had a similarly long flat rear top surface of course.

[PhantomPH]

I really think I'm at a very strange point in my own life, in that I know I should care but I just don't. Yes, it's pretty and yes I'm sure it's very fast...but it's just another bit of 'car' and not one I can afford either.

Make no mistake, I'm currently feeling like Cougar in Top Gun...like I should go in and put my wings on Pistonheads' desk. I've lost my edge...

[SpeckledJim]

SuperPav said:

The rear flat deck which is quite long behind the upright separation to the cabin makes it look a bit like a chopped pickup from some of the photo angles.

However, as with virtually every Ferrari in the last 20 years, the in-real-life proportions and lines are much more coherent and effective than comes off on some photos, so I'm sure it'll look great.

I also suspect that this will demonstrate that you can have a very emotive hybrid V6 engine if you try.

I'm guessing there's 150mm of extra hybrid gubbins between the engine and the differential that they've had to try to hide somehow. Moderately successfully, I'd say.

[Civpilot]

I quite like it but for some reason I think it looks like one of their one off special projects for a rich Client based on an F8.

It's not quite as resolved as it could be is some areas giving that 'styling signed off by someone who wanted a one off that looks different' feel.

I'm sure it will be fairly rapid though and overall it's still one the prettier offerings that have come out of Modena in recent years.

There is just something not quite 'there' about it?

[Six Potter]

PhantomPH said:

I really think I'm at a very strange point in my own life, in that I know I should care but I just don't. Yes, it's pretty and yes I'm sure it's very fast...but it's just another bit of 'car' and not one I can afford either.

Make no mistake, I'm currently feeling like Cougar in Top Gun...like I should go in and put my wings on Pistonheads' desk. I've lost my edge...

I'm with you to a certain extent, I've been somewhat suffering from a bit of the Hypercar Fatigue, there's seemingly been a bewilding array of new cars from all sorts of old and new manufacturers, coachbuilders, etc. Also the whole hybrid/electric thing doesn't really excit me either I have to say. And yes I'm a very long way from being able to afford anything like a car like that as well so it feels like something of an irrelevance. I'm more into having a bit of fun with retro classic motors, but even many of those are starting to attract silly speculative prices these days...

[MDifficult]

Bobtherallyfan said:

Which one is the Ferrari?

Came here to say THIS. Beat me to it.

Looks like an Evora with a much better budget, but an Evora nonetheless.

[Manic Street Sleeper]

Separated at birth

[RSTurboPaul]

I was going to say that I see F50 door window shapes on the side profile, as well as (from the rear arches back) the McLaren 12C.

[PhantomPH]

Six Potter said:

PhantomPH said:

I really think I'm at a very strange point in my own life, in that I know I should care but I just don't. Yes, it's pretty and yes I'm sure it's very fast...but it's just another bit of 'car' and not one I can afford either.

Make no mistake, I'm currently feeling like Cougar in Top Gun...like I should go in and put my wings on Pistonheads' desk. I've lost my edge...

I'm with you to a certain extent, I've been somewhat suffering from a bit of the Hypercar Fatigue, there's seemingly been a bewilding array of new cars from all sorts of old and new manufacturers, coachbuilders, etc. Also the whole hybrid/electric thing doesn't really excit me either I have to say. And yes I'm a very long way from being able to afford anything like a car like that as well so it feels like something of an irrelevance. I'm more into having a bit of fun with retro classic motors, but even many of those are starting to attract silly speculative prices these days...

Tell me about it - I also own a 1961 Mini which apparently is made of solid gold, if you believe the current market.

It does feel like PH just needs DJ Khaled on loop saying, "Another one!"

The only car I actually want ( a 718 Spyder) I can't actually go and order - and I refuse to pay overs. So I'm probably just in the huff with everything.

As supercars go, this one is quite pretty.

[cidered77]

PhantomPH said:

Six Potter said:

PhantomPH said:

I really think I'm at a very strange point in my own life, in that I know I should care but I just don't. Yes, it's pretty and yes I'm sure it's very fast...but it's just another bit of 'car' and not one I can afford either.

Make no mistake, I'm currently feeling like Cougar in Top Gun...like I should go in and put my wings on Pistonheads' desk. I've lost my edge...

I'm with you to a certain extent, I've been somewhat suffering from a bit of the Hypercar Fatigue, there's seemingly been a bewilding array of new cars from all sorts of old and new manufacturers, coachbuilders, etc. Also the whole hybrid/electric thing doesn't really excit me either I have to say. And yes I'm a very long way from being able to afford anything like a car like that as well so it feels like something of an irrelevance. I'm more into having a bit of fun with retro classic motors, but even many of those are starting to attract silly speculative prices these days...

Tell me about it - I also own a 1961 Mini which apparently is made of solid gold, if you believe the current market.

It does feel like PH just needs DJ Khaled on loop saying, "Another one!"

The only car I actually want ( a 718 Spyder) I can't actually go and order - and I refuse to pay overs. So I'm probably just in the huff with everything.

As supercars go, this one is quite pretty.

I wonder if supercar/hypercar fatigue is just a smaller group of like-minded old men like us who love the good old days, or a genuinely growing trend.

Certainly the number of super/hypecar options and the actual number on the road seems to be exponentially increasing, and we're long long past the point that that experience of pushing a car to the edge on even the quietest of open country goods with good visibility can ever be experienced in one of them. Just so incredibly fast.

Spotting something as a kid in the 80s was a proper Life Moment... and the first coach trip to London to a 9 year old Cidered was allll about pushing face to the glass and spotting a collection of supercars/luxury cars at seemingly incredible frequency. But wouldn't be much different to any normal boring market town today.

So grew up with all the Athena posters, and badly wanting a Ferrari - any Ferrari - then get to a stage of life where if i really wanted to do it, i could probably find a way - but instead first keys to reach for are a 30 year old NSX that would get left behind by my daily driver Toyota Yaris. And my bucket list of cars are all from the distant past. And much more interesting to me.

Just have sub-zero desire for it. Still - undeniably beautiful thing, with some impressive engineering. Glad it exists, good luck to those who pull the trigger....