296

Ferrari’s 296 nameplate marks the brand’s modern return to a six-cylinder road car and began with the 296 GTB, revealed in 2021 and delivered as a 2022 model-year car. The name references the engine’s 2,992 cc displacement and six cylinders, and Ferrari used it to launch a new V6 hybrid era for its mid-rear-engined sports cars. The open-top 296 GTS followed in 2022, carrying the same basic powertrain and design philosophy into a spider format. Together, these cars established 296 as Ferrari’s compact, twin-seat, plug-in hybrid performance line positioned below the larger V8 and V12 flagships. The 296 is significant because it brought a V6 back to Ferrari’s road-car lineup in a highly advanced form, pairing a turbocharged engine with electric assistance rather than treating the six-cylinder as a lesser alternative. It also revived a historic Ferrari naming convention that blends engine displacement and cylinder count, while visually and conceptually continuing the company’s mid-engined berlinetta tradition. As of now, the 296 remains in production, with the nameplate representing an ongoing chapter rather than a closed model era.