Ferrari has introduced the 296 GTS in India at a starting price of Rs 6.24 crore with recommended options. The rear mid-engine supercar, offered as a folding hard-top convertible version of the 296 GTB, made its global debut in April last year.
The 296 GTS name, as per the Italian manufacturer, combines the car’s total displacement (2.992-litre) and the number of cylinders with the (GTS) Gran Turismo Spider acronym. The new 296 GTS is also the first Ferrari offering sporting a six-cylinder engine. Although the Prancing Horse did manufacture V6s for the Dino 156, it never really powered its own road car. The 296 GTS is claimed to clock 0-100 kmph in just 2.9 seconds with its top speed governed at 330 kmph.
This plug-in hybrid is powered by a 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged V6 Petrol engine fitted with an electric motor. The powertrain combines to churn out a total of 818 hp and 740 Nm of peak torque. It comes mated to an 8-speed automatic.
In terms of design, the 296 GTS fairly resembles its coupe sister, the 296 GTB. However, there are some minor tweaks to accommodate the folding hardtop – which takes about 14 seconds to operate and functions at speeds up to 45 kmph. Further, the open-top version of the supercar weighs almost 70 KGs more than the GTB due to chassis reinforcement components.
