The beating heart of the new Ferrari 296 GTB (click here for our track and road test) is the electrified V6 engine, an engine that was developed and designed entirely from scratch by the Maranello technicians who worked to create a hybrid powerplant that could combine driving pleasure and cutting-edge technology. The architecture of the new Prancing Horse berlinetta therefore benefits from a completely new unit, a turbo engine with a 120 ° angle that brings with it various peculiarities and records, starting with the specific power which on the 296 GTB reaches 221 HP / l, an absolute record for a production supercar.
The high power expressed by the six-cylinder was achieved through a series of solutions applied to the internal combustion engine, starting with the housing of the turbochargers that were positioned inside the V. In this way it was possible to significantly reduce the mass and at the same time lower the center of gravity of the Ferrari 296 GTB, giving life to a compact engine and a vehicle capable of expressing great dynamism in the running phase. To make the V6 even more compact and light, external lungs and supports have been eliminated, thus improving suction efficiency. The intake and load flows are favored by the 120 ° architecture, with the position of the central turbo that makes the air path lower. In addition, the pressure in the combustion chamber has been increased, without however compromising the reliability of the unit thanks to the use of light alloys and high-performance materials, the result of the experience acquired in Ferrari over the years. In particular, thanks to the know-how acquired through the SF90 Stradale, with the use of central injector and spark plugs with injection at 350 bar, reducing emissions and improving both in-chamber mixing and performance.
Also for IHI turbochargers high performance alloys were used, thus maximizing the rotation rate which reached 180,000 rpm, with a high boost of 24%. The new architecture of the V6 that equips the Ferrari 296 GTB has led to a redesign of the exhaust line, made more linear and placed in a higher position in the engine compartment. For the collectors and for the catalyst was used Iconel, a material also used in Formula 1 and formed by a nickel steel alloy, lighter and highly resistant to higher temperatures. The sonority also benefits, with the intensity characteristic of the turbo units and the high frequency harmony of the aspirated which are combined in an engaging sound from the low revs. Hence also the nickname of the small V12, given by the designers in the development phase.
The sound of the six-cylinder is then brought into the cockpit thanks hot pipe system that brings the singing of the V6 from the after-treatment systems to the driver’s ears. The plug-in hybrid powertrain of the 296 GTB is thus composed of the thermal unit and the electric motor located at the rear, between the first and the gearbox, and is connected to the six-cylinder by an actuator called TMA (Transition Manager Actuator). The internal combustion engine performs various functions in the architecture of the new Ferrari berlinetta: for example, it recharges the 7.45 kWh high-voltage battery, turns on the internal combustion engine (to which it supplies additional torque and power) and allows you to travel fully electric. The system power of the Ferrari 296 GTB thus stands out on the 830 hp at 8,500 rpm, with a torque of 740 Nm for a sprint from 0 to 100 km / h in 2.9 seconds and a top speed of over 330 km / h. The result is a completely new berlinetta, which is fully placed in the Maranello range that looks to the future with a sports car with a reduced wheelbase and highly engaging driving dynamics.
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