Moving to a carbon neutral era doesn’t spare the gas guzzling machines, Ferrari has been making steps to fit into the next chapter of auto mobility. Today, they announced their fourth hybrid vehicle so far, which is also their second convertible with an electric motor. Meet the Ferrari 296 Gran Turismo Spider (GTS).
The 296 GTS borrows a lot from the recently unveiled 296 GTB from design to engine output apart from the key difference of a retractable hardtop roof. With the press of a button, the roof will split into two sections that fold flush over the engine section behind the seats. The retracting process takes 14 seconds to go up or down while the vehicle is traveling at speeds of up to 30 mph (45 km/h).
Speaking of speed the convertible 296 GTS can accelerate from 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 2.9 seconds and to 124 mph (200 km/h) in 7.6 seconds. It has a top speed of 205 mph (330 km/h), however, while running on the electric engine, it’s top speed goes down to 84 mph (135 km/h), ideal for a slow city commute.
The hybrid setup is a combination of a 3.0-liter V6 engine which makes 663 horsepower on its own. Put it together with the electric motor and the Ferrari produces a massive 830 hp (610 kW) and 740 Nm (546 lb-ft) of torque.
The electric motor is powered by a 7.45-kWh battery pack which can be plugged in to charge. A full battery has a range of 15.5 miles (25 kilometers). The hybrid system is assisted by a dual-clutch, eight-speed automatic transmission .
Being a convertible, the Ferrari 296 GTS has to deal with the issue of body reinforcements to maintain rigidity. The reinforcements add weight to the convertible, an issue is 296 GTB sibling doesn’t have to deal with, as a result, the new 296 GTS is 70 kg heavier than its sibling.
Ferrari didn’t provide pricing details of the 296 GTS, however considering that’s its non convertible version the GTB, goes for $320,000 you can expect the new car to be slightly above that when it goes on sale later this year.