Ferrari 296 GTS 2024 Review

The 2024 Ferrari 296 GTS is officially priced at $668,146 before on-road costs in Australia, but with requisite add-ons and on-road costs you’re looking at about $800,000 in the traffic. At least.

So the open-top GTS imposes a circa-$100,000 price premium over the Ferrari 296 GTB Coupe with which it shares its core underpinnings ($568,300 plus ORCs).

It also aligns quite closely with European drop-top rivals including the McLaren 750S Spider ($654,600 plus ORCs) and Porsche 911 Turbo S Cabriolet ($559,400 plus ORCs).

Australian versions of the 2024 Ferrari 296 GTS are quite well specified as standard compared with the rest of the world.

It means that gone are the days when Apple CarPlay and a reversing camera were confined to the optional extras catalogue.

Standard items include adaptive front LED Matrix headlights, 20-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry and start, dual-zone climate control, automatic high-beam and much more.

Then there’s the retractable hard-top roof, which opens or stows in a claimed 14 seconds at speeds up to 45km/h.

With all that said, you can treat the sticker price as something of a starting point, such is the level of customisation and option available here.

Although we weren’t able to obtain an as-tested sticker price for our gorgeous Rosso Imola red example, rest assured the lengthy list of optional extras would likely balloon that figure close to seven digits, including a front lift system, trim options, ventilated seats and cosmetic extras.

One of the lesser-known features of owning a Ferrari is a pretty solid aftersales care program comprising seven years of complimentary servicing based on 12-month/20,000km intervals.

The 296 GTS is backed by a three-year/100,000km factory warranty.

The 2024 Ferrari 296 GTS takes a very practical, driver-centric approach to safety, which feels quite appropriate.

It comes fitted with front airbags for driver and passenger, side airbags in the door panels for head protection, an Anti-Slip Regulator (ASR) and anti-lock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution.

Our test car was also fitted with adaptive cruise control, though we suspect that is an optional extra.

Many of the other safety aids in modern mainstream cars aren’t present, but the more relevant application in this instance is quick-witted stability control, which is easily adjusted via the steering wheel manettino.

The modes vary from almost foolproof Wet mode to CST off, should you dare.

There’s also tyre pressure monitoring, a reversing camera and front/rear parking sensors, which are pretty handy on a car this price.

Supercars of this ilk aren’t generally crash-tested, but the 296 GTS has a strong structural properties that make it likely to protect occupants well in the unfortunate event of a crash.

The 2024 Ferrari 296 GTS bundles all of its infotainment and technology into a digital instrument cluster, doing away with a conventional central touch-screen.

And therein lie a few practicality woes.

First of all, the only way to navigate said cluster is via haptic pads on the steering wheel. Haptic pads can be fussy at the best of times but the 296 GTS’ require a tap to wake them up before you begin giving commands, before several often-failed attempts to select the command you desire.

It means an interface as complex as Apple CarPlay is rendered virtually useless; we resorted to using voice commands to short-cut the entire process. We also erroneously hung up on countless phone calls trying to press the correct answer button.

Granted, all of this sounds very first-world, but the time wasted on stabbing pads on the steering wheel is time not spent looking properly at the road.

Pretty or not, a small central touch-screen display would remedy the entire situation and make life easier. That said, we look forward to testing out running revisions, like those already being applied to the Purosangue SUV.

Elsewhere, there’s wireless phone charging, digital radio and Apple CarPlay, but no Android Auto.

Passengers can also have their own basic screen for viewing performance data, navigation or adjusting audio settings.

The 2024 Ferrari 296 GTS applies lessons learned from previous hybrid Ferraris like the SF90 and applies them most impressively to a drop-top V6 application.

The twin-turbo 3.0-litre V6 features turbochargers housed within the ‘hot vee’ of the engine, with a 120-degree angle ensuring the centre of gravity remains low, and a rearrangement of the engine’s ‘Hot Tube’ exhaust system brings vocals that are better exploited in an open-top format.

Nestled between the V6 and the eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission is an 122kW/315Nm MGU-K electric motor, which combines with the V6 to kick out an incredible 610kW of power at 8000rpm and 740Nm of torque at 6250rpm.

Ferrari quotes a 0-100km/h acceleration time of just 2.9sec, 0-200km/h in 7.6sec and a top speed of 330km/h, which are impressive numbers in any supercar language.

But arguably the most impressive engineering feat in the GTS is its mechanically-operated roof system and the minimal weight penalty it imposes.

All told, there’s a mere 70kg weight penalty over the GTB coupe (at a claimed 1540kg dry), of which 65kg is contained within the folding roof and the electrohydraulic mechanism that controls it, and 5kg in the strengthening of the car’s lower side sills and A- and B-pillars.

The insubstantial weight increase means the GTS didn’t require stiffer spring rates or anti-roll bars, with engineers instead recalibrating only the dampers.

The folding roof can be made to deploy or disappear in just 14sec at speeds of up to 45km/h and housing it and all of 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 airflow over the rear of the car.

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 images of the iconic 250 LM of the 1960s.

Ferrari claims a total EV range of 25km using the WLTP cycle, as well as a top electric speed of 135km/h.

We are able to achieve a real-world range of about 22km on test from a full charge, and another impressive feature of the drivetrain is the speed with which the hybrid system recuperates energy.

Even in short bursts of dynamic driving, it isn’t uncommon for the four-stage regenerative braking system to recoup eight or nine kilometres worth of electric range.

As for combined fuel consumption, the 6.4L/100km claim is purely academic but a decent 75-litre fuel tank ensures plenty of time and distance between refills.

In a word, the 2024 Ferrari 296 GTS is transformative to drive.

If like your correspondent you hold a bit of an aversion to downsized engine capacities or electrification in supercars, the new GTS can indeed be considered a beacon of hope that everything will be OK.

In the most practical terms, the hybrid system helps future-proof the 296 GTS against stricter emissions standards for a few more years yet.

However, it also does an impressive rendition of the wailing, theatrical and visceral V12s that Ferrari is best known for, but more on that in a moment.

Depressing the digital starter button initially invokes a sequence of digital sounds to signify the electric portion of the drivetrain is awake. From there, the 296 GTS pulls away from a standstill in relative silence – a very foreign Ferrari concept, but one that is quite practical if you wish to keep onside with neighbours.

Around-town conveyance in the 296 GTS is surprisingly easy. The key controls are light in their action and there is enough (though not loads) of outward vision to keep tabs on your surroundings.

The optional front lift system fitted to our test car means there is much less grimacing than usual when approaching speed humps and driveway entrances.

The EV portion of the drivetrain builds speed confidently and consistently, with enough muster to zip in and out of traffic and comfortably to highway speeds.

An earnest squeeze of the accelerator pedal or a simple press (or two) of a haptic pad on the steering wheel is all it takes to wake V6 to life, a process that instantly brings pleasing levels of sound and theatre.

Electrical assistance and twin turbos make progress through the low to middling revs simply effortless. Granted, there’s an odd occasion where you don’t quite have the torque-fill of a large-capacity V12 to lean on, but in 99 per cent of instances, you’re not wanting for any additional linearity.

Furthermore, the eight-speed dual-clutch transmission resists the temptation of older Ferraris to bind or lurch when you apply the accelerator.

That brings us to the key point with the 296 GTS: rigidity. In isolation, it appears Ferrari has performed some serious voodoo magic with this latest drop-top, which all but does away with scuttleshake or windscreen vibration.

There’s an ever-so-slight movement through the A-pillar with the hard-top roof stowed over rougher bitumen, but nothing that really affects the performance or refinement of the GTS over mixed surfaces.

In faster settings, you could say the GTS goes a step further again with its drop-top mastery. At no point bombing into and out of corners – be they tightening radius, wide open, or over blind crests – does the 296 GTS want for more performance or rigidity. It simply hunkers down and does its thing, all while cosseting occupants from excessive buffeting.

The grip level is mesmerising and the front-rear balance always well poised on smooth, fast roads, where all the information you want is accurately telegraphed via the chassis, pedals and steering wheel.

That means you’ll never truly exploit the GTS’ limits on public roads without landing yourself in jail. So you simply take enjoyment from the precision with which it dispatches every obstacle before it.

The highlight from the entire experience, however, is the hybrid drivetrain – a real surprise. In dynamic settings it offers huge levels of sound, theatre and character irrespective of its relatively low cylinder count.

Ferrari nicknamed this engine the piccolo V12 and it fits the bill perfectly.
The engine is rapid, offering blinding speed out of corners and marrying perfectly with a quick-thinking gearbox and electronics that make for a streamlined supercar experience.

If the hybrid V6 is a surprise, then so too is the driving experience offered by the pure EV part of the equation. Not only does it facilitate covert early getaways, it also gives you a moment to pause and reflect on the giddy excitement you know the powertrain is capable of.

And on a sunny day with birds chirping and the smell of nature in your nose, the 296 GTS makes everything seem right with the world.

The 2024 Ferrari 296 GTS continues the changing of the guard for Ferrari interiors, with a much better execution and modernisation of the cabin space.

Even against Ferraris from five years ago, the 296 feels generations ahead, with much more premium materials and attention to detail in piecing the cosseting two-seat cabin together.

We’ve already spoken about the impracticalities of the haptic controls, but the rest of the interior is quite functional for a supercar. There’s the expected bulky door sill to climb over each time you enter or exit the car, a very low-slung driving position and moderate levels of incidental storage, but it’s all quite well thought out, if we’re honest.

Additionally, the front ‘frunk’ space offers ample space for overnight bags, as well as storing the car’s plug-in charging cable.

Our test car featured one or two cabin idiosyncrasies that don’t quite live up to the $700K purchase price: a misalignment of trims on the passenger door sill and some ever-so-slight creaks emerging on rougher roads.

But all things considered, the GTS interior feels and looks special.

The more apt question here is ‘Do I have the means to buy a Ferrari 296 GTS?’ and if the answer to that question is yes, then you’ve got our unwavering support.

The 296 GTS dispels quite a few myths around engine downsizing and electrification, as well as drop-tops imposing huge dynamic compromise.

It really is the real deal and arguably the most complete model currently available from Ferrari.

2024 Ferrari 296 GTS at a glance:
Price: $668,146 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Powertrain: 3.0-litre V6 twin-turbo petrol-electric hybrid
Output: 488kW/740Nm (electric motor: 122kW/315Nm)
Combined output: 610kW/740Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Battery: 7.45kWh lithium-ion
Range: 25km (WLTP)
Energy consumption: 30kWh/100km (WLTP)
Fuel: 6.4L/100km (WLTP)
CO2: 149g/km (WLTP)
Safety rating: Not tested