The work of setting up a new Ferrari 296 became much more difficult with the announcement of a convertible GTS that joins the existing GTB coupe. Apparently the Italian designers want to impress once again all those enthusiasts of the Prancing Horse, and what better way to do it than with the presentation of a new car, with all the sporty and aggressive qualities that only Ferrari knows how to show.
The mechanical part of the car and its performance
Sharing the same basic aluminum chassis and 819-horsepower (830 PS) hybrid-assisted 3.0-liter V6 as the fixed-roof car, the GTS features a retractable hardtop that can be opened or closed in 14 seconds at speeds of up to 28 mph or what would be similar to about 45 mph.
Other details and weight
Press the switch on the console and the roof splits into two parts and hides under the engine cover, while a height-adjustable glass screen behind the two seats helps minimize shocks. The price of those theatrical elements is a weight penalty of 70 kg (154 lb) compared to the GTB’s 1470 kg (3241 lb) dry weight, but the performance doesn’t seem to suffer much.
The ecological part of the car
Ferrari still cites the same electric driving range of 25 km (15.5 miles) when in EV mode, which is good for 135 km/h (84 mph), and although the roadster accelerates from 0 to 124 mph (200 km/h) in 7.6 seconds the time is 0.3 seconds longer, both the GTS and GTB reach 62 mph (100 km/h) in the same 2.9 seconds. The 8,500 rpm V6 engine is inherited from the GTB and generates 654 horsepower (663 PS), to which Ferrari adds 165 hp of electric power, the resulting total of 819 horses (830 PS) drives only the rear wheels.
That combination sounds a lot of fun, but for drivers more interested in burning tires than burning their arms hanging from the side of the door while cruising in the sun, Ferrari offers the GTS with the same Assetto Fiorano package available to coupe buyers.
Seen here in the red car, the driver-centric upgrade provides increased use of carbon fiber, lightweight door panels that reduce weight by 8 kg (17.6 lb), and aerodynamic fins on the bumper or front bumper that increase downforce by 10 kg (22 lb). Ferrari says a GTS equipped with AF develops 360 kg (795 lb) of downforce at 240 km/h (155 mph).
Opting for the Assetto Fiorano package is also the only official way to get the front-to-back stripe package and the super sticky Michelin Pilot Sport Cup2R tyres, although both gems will cost you even more money.
The aesthetics of the car
This vehicle combines the elegance of a classic supercar with the aggressiveness of the cars of the moment. From its front you can see LED day and night lights, a hood thrown forward, the slogan of the manufacturer right in the center and the large air intake that covers from end to end in the bumper.
On the sides the alloy wheels or wheels in silver, silver brake calipers to stand out, discs on all its wheels, air intake at the back of the doors, mirror housings that are combined with the black color, and a kind of spoiler in the lower part of the doors.
The rear of the car does not clash, and has LED brake or stop lights, exhaust in the center, auxiliary lights embedded in the bumper, diffuser in the lower part, among other details.
Final Details
We are waiting to know the prices and delivery times in the United States, but we expect it to cost in the region between 30,000 and 40,000 dollars more than the 323,000 dollars of the 296 GTB.
