Ferrari 296 GTS 2022 Review – International

Deliveries of the 2022 Ferrari 296 GTS commence in the first half of 2023, with pricing before individualisation and on-road costs set to start at $668,146.

That makes it almost $100,000 more expensive than the Ferrari 296 GTB coupe on which it’s based ($568,300 plus ORCs) and also positions it above the Portofino ($403,888) and F8 Spider ($536,888) convertibles, but just below the 812 GTS ($675,888).

The 2022 Ferrari 296 GTS’s standard kit list is largely as per the GTB.

Among its quota of goodies is cruise control with steering wheel controls, four-way power-adjustable leather seats, trip computer, six-speaker stereo, satellite-navigation, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, climate-control air-conditioning and 20-inch alloys.

Buyers wanting to go a bit further can opt for the Assetto Fiorano package, which brings a weight saving of 8kg, while adding to the car’s downforce. The key component of this package is GT racing-derived adjustable Multimatic dampers that are optimised for track use.

The Assetto Corsa option also includes a bespoke carbon-fibre aero kit at the front that adds 10kg of downforce, and there’s more weight-saving carbon-fibre used elsewhere on the interior and exterior.

In addition, you can opt for special bicolour livery inspired by the Ferrari 250 Le Mans if cruising anonymously in not your thing.

Neither the 2022 Ferrari 296 GTB nor the GTS have been independently crash-tested, but they come with a comprehensive list of safety features including dual front and side airbags, seatbelt pretensioners, anti-lock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution, stability control (eSSC), eDiff, rear parking sensors, reversing camera and a tyre-pressure warning monitor.

The fact the 2022 Ferrari 296 GTS features an open-top format necessitated some extensive reengineering of the car, with the first step being to recoup some of the rigidity lost by lopping off the roof.

The main focus here was to strengthen the lower side sills and A- and B-pillars, but Ferrari’s boffins say this added only about 5kg to the car, with the folding roof and its electrohydraulic mechanism adding another 65kg.

Ferrari execs are cagey when prompted for a torsional rigidity figure vis-à-vis the GTB, divulging only that “the feeling is much the same” from behind the wheel.

They add that the 296 GTS is around 0.8sec slower around Ferrari’s Fiorano test track than the GTB, which posted a 1:21sec lap (a time eclipsed only by the SF90 Stradale/Spider, 812 Competizione and LaFerrari).

The GTS’s insubstantial weight increase over the GTB meant it didn’t require the adoption of stiffer spring rates or anti-roll bars, but the dampers have been recalibrated to compensate for the drop-top’s slightly different roll characteristics versus its coupe sibling.

The folding roof can be made to deploy or disappear in 14sec at speeds of up to 45km/h, and housing it and all its ancillaries required a comprehensive redesign of the upper rear half of the car.

The GTS’s flying buttresses are connected by a transverse panel referred to as an ‘Air Bridge’, which, apart from being a nice visual element, also plays a role in managing the airflow over the rear of the car.

The GTS’s rump culminates in a lovely ‘Kamm Tail’ spoiler, and this is an active element that deploys at high speeds to contribute to 360kg of downforce at 250km/h when the car is equipped with the Assetto Fiorano aero package.

As with the GTB, the twin-turbo V6 is visible through a glass cover, and the GTS’s rear-biased proportions are accentuated by lovely haunches that evoke imagery of the iconic 250 LM.

As per the GTB, the GTS features a ‘tea-tray’ nestled under the front spoiler. This element is a ground-effect device of sorts as it creates a low-pressure area under the car, which effectively sucks it to the road as speeds rise.

The 2022 Ferrari 296 GTB and GTS follow in the wheel tracks of the SF90 by harnessing all the hybrid know-how that Ferrari has been able to package in a road car.

At the powertrain’s heart is a 3.0-litre V6 with twin turbochargers housed within the ‘hot vee’ of the engine. Somewhat unusually, the V6 is a wide-angle 120-degree unit, and one benefit of this layout is that it keeps the centre of gravity low.

Ferrari’s powertrain engineers have repositioned the V6’s ‘Hot Tube’ to fully exploit the GTS’s open-top format, channelling more of the engine’s vocals to the cockpit, particularly when the roof is lowered.

Nestled between the V6 and the eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission is the MGU-K electric motor, which can provide an EV-only range of 25km, as well as propelling the car to 135km/h without the V6 kicking in.

The V6 and electric motor combine to kick out a stupefying 610kW at 8000rpm and 740Nm at 6250rpm.

Given that the 296 GTS weighs a none-too-lardy 1540kg (dry), performance is nothing less than electrifying.

Ferrari quotes a 0-100km/h split of just 2.9sec, 0-200km/h in 7.6sec and a top speed of 330km/h, which places it among the elite in the hypercar segment.

No fuel consumption figures are as yet available as the 296 GTS is still under homologation. However, the 296 GTB has a WLTP consumption figure of only 6.4L/100km, so the GTS is unlikely to consume much more.

Before setting off in the 2022 Ferrari 296 GTS, at least a few moments are required to eyeball the spectacular design from its various angles.

There are those who suggest recent Ferraris have lost the sensual beauty of their ancestors, but that’s not the case here. At least to my eye, the delicacy of the 296 GTS’s voluptuous contours border on perfection.

I clearly wasn’t alone here because many thumbs-up were flashed by bystanders and oncoming motorists during my stint in the car.

The drive route, too, was a thing of splendour as it took in the Passo dela Futa (Futa Pass), which is lovely ribbon of tarmac that stretches across the mountains between Florence and Bologna.

An almost two metres wide, 610kW supercar and narrow mountain roads populated by gung-ho Italian drivers and bikers mightn’t seem like an optimal combo, but it mattered little.

The 296 GTS simply devoured this terrain, covering ground not only at incredible pace, but also with supreme grace.

The hybrid V6 powertrain is a mighty unit that doles out enormous dollops of grunt with seamless efficiency. There’s just the slightest flat spot low in the rev range but, from then on, the acceleration comes in an avalanche – all very progressive and manageable though.

The soundtrack is dominated largely by turbo whoosh, so even though Ferrari execs like to refer to this powertrain as a ‘little V12’, to my ears it falls some way short of the orchestral wail of the 812 Superfast.

The eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox is superb. Whipcrack fast and responsive, each tug on the tactile carbon-fibre paddles brings an instant reward.

As per the SF90, the 296 GTB and GTS use a brake-by-wire system and, rather than instilling a sense of computerised remoteness, it’s quite the opposite.

The brake pedal has excellent bite and progression, so there’s encouragement to exploit every last iota of significant retardation offered by the sizeable carbon-ceramic rotors (398mm front, 360mm rear).

All in all, the 296 GTS imparts a sense of agility and light-footedness that I’ve experienced in less than a handful of cars. The closest thing that comes to mind is a Lotus Exige Sport 410 that I tested earlier this year.

The cabin of 2022 Ferrari 296 GTS is typical of contemporary Ferraris, with a driver-centric dash layout that integrates a trio of display panels within the curved instrument pod.

The tacho dominates the instrument cluster, with a digital speed readout and gear display nestled within the rev counter. The sat-nav screen is tucked away to the right of the tacho, but you can toggle through a menu that enables the navigational screen to occupy the entire display.

Peer out beyond the delectable carbon-fibre/leather flat-bottomed steering wheel and your view of the road is framed by the prominent wheel-arch bulges. This is a welcome contrast from some supercars (in which you have zero view of the car forward of the windscreen), and it helps in accurately placing the Ferrari on narrow roads.

Gripes? I felt the seats could have done with a bit more side bolstering, and I couldn’t find a comfortable place to rest my left foot as the inward curve of the sidesill hemmed it in. Obviously, this wouldn’t be the case in a right-hand drive car, so that’s good news for Australian buyers.

There’s only question that needs to be asked here: can you afford the 2022 Ferrari 296 GTS?

If you can, you can look forward to one of the most sublime experiences imaginable in anything with four wheels. Yes, it’s that good.

2023 Ferrari 296 GTS at a glance:
Price: $668,146 (plus on-road costs)
Available: First half of 2023
Engine: Plug-in hybrid 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6
Output: 610kW/740Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch auto
Fuel: N/A
CO2: N/A
Safety rating: Not tested