Ferrari 296 GTS Is an 819-HP Plug-In Convertible Ready for the Summertime
The 296 GTS weighs 154 pounds more than the GTB coupe, but it's just as quick.
Last summer, Ferrari unveiled the long-awaited 296 GTB, a fabulous supercar packing a new turbocharged V6 engine with a plug-in-hybrid system. But with its fixed coupe roof, the 296 GTB isn't exactly ideal for a vacation along the Italian Riviera. Now Ferrari is showing off the 296 GTS, the GTB's convertible counterpart that's just as powerful but even better looking.
Like Ferrari's other modern drop-tops, the 296 GTS uses a two-piece folding hardtop roof setup. The roof panels stow under a shapely tonneau cover ahead of the engine, and the GTS retains the same flying buttress design as the GTB. There's still a transparent panel to show off that powertrain, too. Ferrari says the 296 GTS' roof takes 14 seconds to go up or down, and it will work at speeds up to 28 mph. There's also an upright retractable glass screen that acts as a wind deflector when the roof is down.
With the top up, the 296 GTS looks basically identical to the GTB, which is a good thing as I think this is the best-looking series production car Ferrari has made in years, but removing the roof adds another layer of drama. As for the interior, the only major changes are new seat options and the addition of a cover to the storage compartment in the center console.
That rear deck looks great.
The 296 GTS' innovative powertrain is carried over. Its 2.9-liter, twin-turbo V6 with a 120-degree hot-vee layout is paired with an electric motor sandwiched between the engine and eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. The engine puts out 654 horsepower with the electric motor adding on 165 hp for a whopping total of 819 hp, and it has 16 miles of pure-electric range to boot.
Ferrari says the 296 GTS weighs 154 pounds more than its coupe counterpart, but performance figures are unchanged: The 296 GTS will hit 62 mph in 2.9 seconds and reach a top speed of 205 mph. The convertible is stiffer too, and an available Assetto Fiorano package adds Multimatic dampers, more carbon-fiber elements, weight-saving measures and stickier Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tires.
As far as we can tell, the 296 GTS is only the third plug-in-hybrid convertible you can buy in the US, following Ferrari's own SF90 Spider and, funnily, the Jeep Wrangler 4xe. When it goes on sale later this year, expect it to carry a price that's around $30,000 higher than the 296 GTB's $320,000-ish sticker.
