Ferrari adds 296 GTS targa top to PHEV range

FERRARI is expanding its plug-in hybrid range with the 296 GTS, a targa-top version of the mid-engined 296 GTB coupe – the Prancing Horse’s first V6-powered model since the Dino of the late 1960s – that was launched last year.

The 296 GTS (Gran Turismo Spider) is powered by the same hybridised V6 driveline that debuted in the 296 GTB. The 488kW turbocharged 2.9-litre petrol engine is paired to a 122kW electric motor to offer combined system output of 611kW. The electric motor is fed by a 7.45kWh battery and offers an electric-only driving range of 25km.

Ferrari says the automatic-folding targa top takes 14 seconds to retract or deploy and may be operated at speeds up to 45km/h. The Maranello-based manufacturer says that with the roof in place, the 296 GTS offers a near-identical silhouette to the 296 GTB.

The retractable top’s system has been carefully integrated in the 296’s design to aid performance and efficiency and splits into two sections that lie flush over the front of the engine bay when stowed to maintain the model’s thermal-dissipation characteristics – and the balance of the overall design.

Furthermore, the design enabled Ferrari’s designers to introduce a window in the engine cover to showcase the V6 powerplant. When the top is retracted, the cabin and the rear deck are separated by a height-adjustable glass screen that reduces buffeting, even at high speeds, Ferrari says.

The profile of the rear wing and roof buttresses serve to ensure that the aerodynamic and thermal efficiency properties of the 296 GTS match those of the 296 GTB, while the roadster retains the coupe’s active rear wing to generate additional downforce.

The 296 GTS is available optionally with Ferrari’s Assetto Fiorano package which incorporates several lightweight features and aerodynamic modifications to further improve performance.

The Ferrari 296 GTS is one of two new models the brand aims to launch this year. It will be followed by the company’s first SUV, the Purosangue, in the second half of 2022. 

The 296 GTB and GTS are the second and third plug-in hybrid models for the Prancing Horse brand following the SF90 Stradale launched back in 2019.

Ferrari says it will provide more information on its future plans at the brand’s Capital Markets Day in Maranello on June 16. Prices and delivery dates for the 296 GTS are expected to be announced soon.

With Automotive News.