Ferrari's 296 Speciale isn't just a GTB with fancy badges. It's a GTB that spent six months with Maranello's most sadistic engineers.
They stripped 60 kg of fat, pumped the hybrid powertrain to 880 hp, and gave it aerodynamics that would make an F1 car blush.
The Diet Plan That Actually Works
Ferrari's weight-reduction program doesn't involve kale smoothies. It involves carbon fiber. Lots of it.
The bumpers, engine bay components, and wheels all get the carbon treatment. Under the skin, titanium connecting rods and lighter pistons borrowed from the F80 hypercar trim precious grams from the 2.9L V6.
The result? A track weapon that weighs 1410 kg (3109 lbs) – making the standard GTB look positively portly.
Hybrid Power That Doesn't Suck
The 120° V6 now produces 700 cv – up 37 horses from the GTB – while the electric motor contributes another 180 cv in extra boost mode.
Ferrari's engineers didn't just add power. They weaponized it.
The 8-speed DCT now uses a shift strategy that leverages extra torque during gear changes, shortening shift times and keeping the power flowing. It's the difference between a punch and a haymaker.
Performance figures tell the story:
- 0-62 mph: 2.8 seconds
- 0-124 mph: 7.0 seconds
- Top speed: 205 mph
Race-Bred Handling That Makes You Look Good
The Speciale sits 5 mm lower than the GTB. Not much on paper, but transformative on track.
Titanium springs and Multimatic dampers pulled straight from Ferrari's GT3 race car replace the standard suspension components. Fixed damping rates tuned specifically for road and track use mean no compromise, no confusion.
Aerodynamic improvements generate 435 kg of downforce at 250 km/h – 20% more than the GTB – through an aero damper, vertical fins, new side wings, and an active rear spoiler with faster actuation.
Ferrari also offers the Speciale A – an open-top version with identical mechanicals but a retractable roof and more decibels for your ear canals.
The 296 Speciale isn't a marketing exercise. It's what happens when Ferrari engineers get to build the car they actually wanted in the first place.
