296 essential spec

296 essential spec

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bennno

Original Poster:

13,516 posts

282 months

Thursday 20th March
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Are any specific options essential / highly desirable on the 296?

Does anybody have a UK options list and included spec -does it have car play as standard?

I note standard spec should really include wing shields, embroidered head rests, carbon s/wheel, coloured stitch, parking camera and f&r sensors,

I like the carbon seats + lifter and forged alloys.

Does it need anything else?

andrew

10,167 posts

205 months

Thursday 20th March
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i'm sorry and respectful but...

asking about apple car play in a ferrari

MingtheMerciless

541 posts

222 months

Thursday 20th March
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It includes CarPlay.

That is a good start, most essentials covered. Some say front lift is desirable for resale and everyday use, I specified it but not sure how essential. Some carbon inside is nice. Perhaps less so on the outside as the matt skirts /spoiler etc. look actually fine to me and are maybe less susceptible to scratching and damage or cheaper to fix.

I specified the JBL stereo because the standard one isn't great and even though you can go aftermarket, it won't be integrated as well. I also specified the radar cruise control thing which in retrospect I needn't have bothered with. The black exhaust pipe also looks better but it comes pretty well equipped and really you have covered off everything essential.

For me essentials are race seats, shields and carbon driver zone with leds. Most of the rest are nice to have. They do tend to be fairly well equipped so a less well equipped one might not be as desirable in the next phase of these cars' lives when people will be fussy and there probably won't be a shortage.

someday

170 posts

172 months

Saturday 29th March
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andrew said:
i'm sorry and respectful but...

asking about apple car play in a ferrari
Yeah the embroidery and stitching are far more important than having decent sat nav

blueSL

635 posts

239 months

Tuesday 22nd April
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The sat nav in the 296 is pretty awful, entering the destination using the haptics is a dismal experience. Small wonder the latest models don’t include it. I use TomTom on a phone instead. It’s telling Ferrari don’t include sat nav in their latest models.

Don’t let people tell you front axle lift isn’t needed. Depends entirely on how you use it but my 296 came off a ferry yesterday without problems thanks to the lift.

bennno

Original Poster:

13,516 posts

282 months

Tuesday 22nd April
quotequote all

Since my initial post I picked up a 296gtb, with carbon seats, forged wheels, shields, drivers carbon. Seat lift, yellow calipers, Apple car play.

Was fortunate enough to visit factory and drive an AF car over various large speed bumps to determine I was ok without lift.

MingtheMerciless

541 posts

222 months

Tuesday 22nd April
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blueSL said:
The sat nav in the 296 is pretty awful, entering the destination using the haptics is a dismal experience. Small wonder the latest models don’t include it. I use TomTom on a phone instead. It’s telling Ferrari don’t include sat nav in their latest models.

Don’t let people tell you front axle lift isn’t needed. Depends entirely on how you use it but my 296 came off a ferry yesterday without problems thanks to the lift.
I don't think I ever used the sat nav in my 458. I haven't even tried to use the one in the 296. CarPlay takes over the whole screen (Waze etc.) so I don't use it much and use the phone as you do. Waze or Google Maps.

On the lift, I specced it but I don't know yet how important it will be. On a ferry next month so I'm sure I'll be glad of it.

MingtheMerciless

541 posts

222 months

Tuesday 22nd April
quotequote all
bennno said:
Since my initial post I picked up a 296gtb, with carbon seats, forged wheels, shields, drivers carbon. Seat lift, yellow calipers, Apple car play.

Was fortunate enough to visit factory and drive an AF car over various large speed bumps to determine I was ok without lift.
Enough spec to make it desirable in the fussy secondhand market. Essentials ticked (IMHO).

Pics would be nice.

bennno

Original Poster:

13,516 posts

282 months

Tuesday 22nd April
quotequote all
MingtheMerciless said:
Enough spec to make it desirable in the fussy secondhand market. Essentials ticked (IMHO).

Pics would be nice.


Went Gtb as we also kept….


Calculator

785 posts

228 months

Wednesday 23rd April
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Cracking pair. How would you compare the drive?

bennno

Original Poster:

13,516 posts

282 months

Wednesday 23rd April
quotequote all
Calculator said:
Cracking pair. How would you compare the drive?
296 sounds way better and is a vast amount quicker, what they’ve done with the v6 is mind blowing. Steering is very sharp. It’s also a fair bit quicker than the 720S which for us preceded it.

Portofino is still hugely quick, it’s a 488 engine effectively, but more comfortable as a GT, feels more luxurious to travel in, especially top down. Love / prefer its rev counter and dash arrangement. The flat plane engine note is a bit dull until the revs increase.

The Portofino was due to be px’d in, but couldn’t bring myself to do it, think it’s a permanent keeper. Roof up or down it’s a stunning looking car imho, red with the tan leather, the optional black roof and simple wheels just works, they are good value used and relatively rare I suspect due to its production run coinciding with Covid.

MingtheMerciless

541 posts

222 months

Wednesday 23rd April
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Very nice indeed. I agree about the Portofino. One of the best looking modern Ferraris.

MDL111

7,511 posts

190 months

Wednesday 23rd April
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MingtheMerciless said:
Very nice indeed. I agree about the Portofino. One of the best looking modern Ferraris.
Same - remember thinking that looks amazing for a convertible when it was launched

willy wombat

1,015 posts

161 months

Thursday 24th April
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bennno said:
Calculator said:
Cracking pair. How would you compare the drive?
296 sounds way better and is a vast amount quicker, what they’ve done with the v6 is mind blowing. Steering is very sharp. It’s also a fair bit quicker than the 720S which for us preceded it.

Portofino is still hugely quick, it’s a 488 engine effectively, but more comfortable as a GT, feels more luxurious to travel in, especially top down. Love / prefer its rev counter and dash arrangement. The flat plane engine note is a bit dull until the revs increase.

The Portofino was due to be px’d in, but couldn’t bring myself to do it, think it’s a permanent keeper. Roof up or down it’s a stunning looking car imho, red with the tan leather, the optional black roof and simple wheels just works, they are good value used and relatively rare I suspect due to its production run coinciding with Covid.
Interesting to “at last” see some Portofino love on here. I am very attached to mine which we use for a lot of European trips. I am more likely to sell my 458 spider than the Portofino. Maybe old age is catching up with me!

bennno

Original Poster:

13,516 posts

282 months

Thursday 24th April
quotequote all
willy wombat said:
Interesting to “at last” see some Portofino love on here. I am very attached to mine which we use for a lot of European trips. I am more likely to sell my 458 spider than the Portofino. Maybe old age is catching up with me!
Perhaps the same!

I never really looked at a California the same way and the Roma cab looks a bit rear heavy / bulbous to my eyes. Portofino is just a really good / relatively simple design with elements of 550 / F12, plus it's a full drop top.

Think it's simply the case that you rarely see them on the road and when you do see them in a dealer they perhaps look slightly frumpy surrounded by the latest mid engined exotica.... but what doesn't.

If Ferrari could shoehorn a V12 in one (similar to the Aston vantage) then it'd be very close to being peak Ferrari (for me).