Ferrari introduces the $320,000 hybrid sports car

Ferrari introduced its first plug-in hybrid automobile on Thursday, as the premium sports car company retools its line for the electric future. Ferrari is known for its screaming combustion engines.

The Ferrari 296 GTB is the company’s third hybrid to enter series production, excluding limited-edition models. It comes after the SF 90 Stradale, which debuted in 2019 and a convertible variant, the SF90 Spider, that debuted last year.

The 296 GTB, according to Ferrari Chief Marketing and Commercial Officer Enrico Galliera, “established a new segment.”

In an online presentation, he remarked, “If the SF 90 was built to achieve the top of performance, this has been designed to reach the peak of driving enjoyment.” “We anticipate that this will also help us attract clientele who do not already own a Ferrari.” The two-seater will cost 269,000 euros ($321,000), with the “Assetto Fiorano” high-performance variant costing 302,000 euros. It will have a peak speed of more than 330 km/h (205 mph).

The Italian firm famed for its prancing horse emblem and red racing vehicles has guaranteed that its first fully electric model would be available in 2025.

“It’s a process that began a few years ago,” Galliera explained. “We’re working to meet regulatory requirements as well as the objective of decreasing emissions.” Ferrari and its competitors are pondering how to transition their lineups to battery power without sacrificing the high performance that underpins their premium price.

Porsche, which is part of the Volkswagen group, already has a full-electric vehicle, the Taycan, but Ferrari is ahead of Lamborghini, which is also part of Volkswagen and will not have a full-electric vehicle until the second half of this decade.

Ferrari has named Benedetto Vigna, a technology sector veteran, as its next CEO to lead the company into the new era of electrification.

The 296 GTB will be equipped with a 6-cylinder (V6) mid-rear turbo engine, the first of its kind on a Ferrari road car, despite the fact that similar engines have been used in Ferrari racing cars since the 1950s.

Despite this, the V6 engine can deliver a whopping 830 horsepower when combined with a 122 KW electric motor.

It can offer 25 kilometers of quiet electric-only power, just as the SF90 Stradale. The first deliveries are scheduled to begin in Europe in the first quarter of 2022.

Ferrari had promised three vehicles for this year, the 296 GTB being the third. Purosangue (Thoroughbred), the company’s first SUV, is set to debut next year.