Ferrari 296 Speciale
Two types: Berlinetta and open body
Emanuele Calando (right), Head of Product Marketing, who visited Japan from the Maranello headquarters, and Donato Romaniello, President and CEO of Ferrari Japan.
The 10th annual Ferrari Racing Days was held at Fuji Speedway in 2025, where the 296 Speciale, which was just announced in April, was unveiled for the first time in Japan.
The 296 Speciale is a special edition of the plug-in hybrid super sports car 296 GTB, and is the fifth special edition high-performance berlinetta that Ferrari has released, following the 360 Challenge Stradale, 430 Scuderia, 458 Speciale, and 488 Pista.
The body types available are the berlinetta “296 Speciale” and the open-body “296 Speciale A (Aperta),” and the car on display this time is clad in the car’s image color, the vivid green “Verde Nürburgring,” a new color developed exclusively for the 296 Speciale.
The highest power output of any rear-wheel-drive production Ferrari
The 296 Speciale boasts significant improvements over the 296 GTB in terms of agility, turn-in responsiveness, and stability. The powertrain, consisting of a 3.0-liter V6 twin-turbo engine and a plug-in hybrid architecture incorporating an electric motor, delivers a maximum system output of 880 PS, up 50 PS from the 296 GTB. This is the highest output ever for a rear-wheel drive Ferrari production model.
Utilizing knowledge gained from the 296 Challenge one-make racing car, the car features titanium connecting rods, reinforced pistons, and a lightweight crankshaft. It also features a knock control system derived from F1, giving the V6 engine a maximum output of 700 PS, 37 PS more than the 296 GTB.
The electric motor has also been strengthened, and in the newly introduced “Extra Boost mode” it produces 180 PS. In line with the strengthening of the motor, a new strategy has been introduced to the 8-speed DCT that adds additional torque when shifting, resulting in faster shift speeds. It boasts 0-100 km/h acceleration in 2.8 seconds, 0-200 km/h acceleration in 7.0 seconds, and a top speed of 330 km/h.
60kg lighter than the 296 GTB
The car employs stronger pistons and new special oil jets to improve cooling performance. The titanium connecting rods, the same as those used in the Speciale F80 announced last year, are approximately 35% lighter than the steel ones used in the 296 GTB. The steel crankshaft has also been made lighter, resulting in a reduction of 2.2 kg from the entire piston-crankshaft-connecting rod assembly.
The engine block and crankcase are made using the same techniques as those used in the 499P hypercar, which won Le Mans three times in a row, and by removing excess metal, they have reduced weight by 1.2 kg. Furthermore, by using titanium for the screws and stud bolts on the cylinder block and cylinder head, they have reduced weight by 1.9 kg. As a result, the weight of the engine alone has been reduced by approximately 9 kg from the 296 GTB.
In addition, carbon fiber body parts and extensive use of titanium in engine parts have resulted in significant weight reductions for interior and exterior parts and the power unit. The cockpit, which follows Ferrari’s latest generation design philosophy, has been simplified compared to the 296 GTB. All structural parts of the center tunnel are made from carbon fiber, and the controls, including the “shift gate” element, are located on the console. Weight reduction has also been achieved in the interior by extensive use of carbon, aluminum and Alcantara. A weight reduction of 60 kg has been achieved compared to the 296 GTB.
20% more downforce
The aerodynamics have also been significantly improved. The “Aero Damper Concept” derived from the 296 Challenge has been introduced. This is a system that connects the front undertray and the front bonnet with a duct, directing part of the airflow from the underbody to the upper body. In addition, the front bonnet has two sets of louvers on both sides, just like the GT3 category racing car “296 GT3”.
Other features include a vertical fin at the rear, an active rear spoiler that combines side wings, and other components that work together to generate greater downforce while driving. These features increase the downforce level by 20% compared to the 296 GTB, generating a total of 435 kg of downforce at 250 km/h.
The allocation for the Japanese market has already sold out, but for reference, the Berlinetta 296 Speciale is priced at 59.11 million yen. The open-body 296 Speciale A is priced at 67.15 million yen. The 296 Speciale will be available from next year, and the 296 Speciale A may have a slight chance of being available as the recently announced “Piloti Ferrari 296 Speciale” for customers involved in motorsports activities.
PHOTO/GENROQ, Ferrari Japan
