Powering the Ferrari 296 Speciale onto the straight of the company’s Fiorano circuit in Italy, feeling the mad rush and mathematical precision of this 868-horsepower hybrid supercar, I’m reminded why collectors jostle for pole position when Ferrari announces a new Special Series model.
Beginning in 2003 with the 360 Challenge Stradale, and continuing with modern classics such as the 458 Speciale, Ferrari has regularly dangled a faster, more race-bred version of the mid-engined coupes and convertibles that have forged the company’s modern reputation. Now it’s the 296 GTB’s turn. That model seemed heretical upon release, not only for its downsized V6, but for its hybrid cheat code, an electric motor sandwiched between the engine and dual-clutch transmission.
That 296 GTB turned out to be one of history’s quickest rear-drive cars. The Speciale is faster, with a 2.5-second sprint to 60 mph, and a quarter-mile in roughly 9.5 seconds at 154 mph. It sparks a bold claim from company executives and engineers: the 296 Speciale was expressly designed to be the most fun-to-drive Ferrari, in objective metrics such as longitudinal-and-lateral acceleration, responsive braking and pure, unfiltered handling. It’s a car these proud parents, including the company’s revered test drivers, declare a favored child.
Unsurprisingly, Ferrari is limiting face time with its talented baby. The company vetted only existing owners to presell an unspecified production run, with prices starting at around $475,000. Sources estimate Ferrari produced about 3,500 488 Pista cars, a previous Special Series, between 2018 and 2020. US buyers will see initial Speciale coupes in early 2026, followed by Speciale A convertibles, with US pricing not yet released.
In other words, this may be the first and last time I drive a 296 Speciale. That includes a five-hour stint on the same roads in EmiliaRomagna that Ferrari wears out while developing its models. I spur this racing-striped beauty on tarmac that curls like strands of the local tagliatelle. The GTB’s signature experience, which makes even amateur piloti feel like Schumachers-in-training, is palpably heightened. Ferrari sprinkles engineering magic throughout. The Speciale generates 959 lbs of aerodynamic downforce at 155 mph, 48 percent more than a standard model, gluing this coupe to the road. A new ‘aero damper’ routes air through a duct and over the hood to boost stability. Dramatic ‘Gamma wings’ hover over the rear, bookending a faster-acting moveable spoiler.
I fire the Ferrari into dozens of corners, knowing there’s time to mash its trusty by-wire brakes. The V6’s 8,500-rpm crescendos are a husky baritone amplified in the cabin via new resonator tubes; yet this twinturbo engine doesn’t scale the sensory heights of Ferrari’s old, naturally aspirated V8s. A new ‘fast shift’ feature sends jolts of electricity during upshifts, sustaining pace by filling dips in power from the gasoline engine.
The three rocky peaks known as the ‘Sassi’ rise in the distance, lending their name to the Parco dei Sassi di Roccamalatina, a regional preserve near Guiglia. Ferrari’s scenic home turf is also a fantasy playground for cars, as the Speciale slaloms down the sinuous Via Fondovalle with almost supernatural force and confidence.
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Lightness is another crucial factor. Ferrari trimmed 132 lbs, via racing tech such as titanium connecting rods — a bequest from the forthcoming $3.8m F80 hypercar — and carbon-fiber seat frames. Choose its signature paint color, called Verde Nürburgring, and the result is an emerald-hued, 3,109-lb jewel of exclusivity and performance. If you can find one, it’s the perfect accessory for your next trip to Italy.