296 Speciale
296 Speciale
Specifications
Multimatic adjustable dampers and titanium springs as standard; ride height 5 mm lower than the GTB.
Brembo carbon-ceramic; brake-by-wire with the ABS Evo controller and its six-axis sensor.
Notable facts
Reviews
About the Ferrari 296 Speciale
The Ferrari 296 Speciale is the track-focused version of the 296 GTB, presented on April 29, 2025 and the first Speciale-badged mid-engine berlinetta since the 488 Pista. The 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 goes to 690 hp (700 PS) on its own, the electric motor to 178 hp (180 PS), for a combined 868 hp (880 PS) driving the rear wheels. Roughly three-quarters of the gain comes from turbo mapping and combustion changes, the rest from the hybrid system. A new Qualify position on the manettino holds the e-motor at full boost rather than metering it out.
It is 132 lb (60 kg) lighter than the 296 GTB, dry for dry, and the diet goes deeper than trim. Ferrari took about 20 lb (9 kg) out of the engine alone with titanium screws and stud bolts, titanium connecting rods, lighter turbos and a lightened nitrided steel crankshaft. The rest comes from carbon-fiber bodyshell panels, door panels formed from a single block of carbon, a carbon engine cover, optional carbon wheels, carbon-backed buckets that save about 11 lb (5 kg) a seat, and titanium springs. Aero is reworked around an F1-derived S-duct front, a bigger diffuser and an active rear spoiler, and the tires are a Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 compound developed for this car. Ferrari also showed a retractable-hardtop 296 Speciale A alongside the coupe. It's assembled in Maranello.
Pros & cons
What’s great
- Meaningfully lighter than the 296 GTB, engine internals included
- Multimatic dampers and titanium springs as standard, not an option pack
- S-duct front and active rear spoiler add real downforce
Watch-outs
- Titanium springs and a lower ride height make it firmer on the road than the GTB
- Cup 2 compound trades wet grip for dry bite
- Plug-in hybrid hardware still adds weight and complexity
- High-voltage battery is an expensive long-term wear item
- Carbon-ceramic brakes and Ferrari servicing are costly
Buying notes
- Ferrari's 3,109 lb (1,410 kg) dry figure assumes the lightweight options are fitted, so confirm what a given car actually has: carbon-fiber wheels, the carbon-backed buckets with thin Alcantara padding, and the carbon interior trim are the ones that move the number.
- Check high-voltage battery state of health and that the car has been kept on charge. The 7.45 kWh pack drives the eDrive mode and the launch performance, and a neglected pack is expensive.
- The Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 compound is specific to this car and wears fast under track use; confirm which tires are on it and how much life is left before budgeting.
- Ferrari's 7-Year Genuine Maintenance program runs from first delivery and transfers with the car. Check how much of it is left.
Frequently asked
What's the difference between the 296 Speciale and the 296 Speciale A?
The Speciale A is the same car with the 296 GTS's two-piece retractable hardtop, shown alongside the coupe in April 2025. It carries the same powertrain and the same aero package; the folding-roof structure gives back some of the coupe's weight saving. Only the coupe is listed here. There is a third configuration, the 296 Speciale Piloti Ferrari, unveiled at Le Mans in June 2025 and reserved for Ferrari's client racing drivers. That one is a livery and appearance specification, coupe only, not a different mechanical car.
Is the 296 Speciale covered by the 2025 turbocharger oil-line recall?
No, and the story is a little counterintuitive. NHTSA campaign 25V-716 (Ferrari RC 93), a Do-Not-Drive over an under-torqued nut on the turbocharger oil-feed-pipe filter connection, was actually triggered by two 296 Speciales that hadn't been delivered yet. Ferrari traced the fault to a supplier's semi-automatic workstation, and the recall population came out as six 2025 296 GTB and GTS cars built in July 2025. No Speciale is named in the campaign. The older fuel-tank corrosion recall, 23V-329, covers 2022-2023 296 GTB/GTS cars and predates the Speciale entirely.
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