The 296 GTS, which debuted in April 2022 as the spider version of the new-generation mid-engined Ferrari '296 GTB' equipped with a V6 plug-in hybrid powertrain. We test-drove this latest mid-engined spider, boasting a total maximum output of 830 cv, in Italy.

About 100 km west of the center of Florence. Near the knee of the boot-shaped Italian peninsula lies Forte dei Marmi, a seaside resort town in the Tuscan region of central Italy, facing the Mediterranean Sea. In early October, with the unseasonably strong sun stinging the skin, reminding one of summer, the author visited this picturesque coastal town. A press event for the '296 GTS,' the spider version of the new-generation mid-engined Ferrari '296 GTB' powered by a V6 plug-in hybrid, was being held.

The biggest highlight of this model is its powertrain, consisting of a 2.9-liter (2,992cc) V6 twin-turbo engine, which gives the car its name, and an electric motor integrated behind it. The lightweight and compact engine (30 kg lighter than the previous V8 twin-turbo engine!), with its twin-turbo units housed within a wide 120-degree V-bank, produces a maximum output of 663 cv (horsepower). The electric motor adds 167 cv, bringing the total output to an astonishing 830 cv. These are truly racing car-like specifications.

This power unit is housed in a body that is 46 mm shorter in length and has a 50 mm shorter wheelbase than the 'F8 Tributo,' which features a 720 cv 3.9-liter V8 twin-turbo, and drives the rear wheels through an 8-speed F1 dual-clutch transmission.

As you know, current Ferraris are V12 or V8. So, when the 296 GTB debuted with Ferrari's first-ever V6 engine in a road car, I assumed it was a new entry-level model. Knowing its 830 cv output and understanding it wasn't the case, I felt it firsthand when I got behind the wheel of the 296 GTS. This car is a completely new Ferrari that harmonizes ultimate driving pleasure and everyday usability at an unprecedented level.

The day after arriving in Forte dei Marmi, five brand-new 296 GTS models were lined up in front of a restaurant along the beach, the starting point for the test drive. Like the 296 GTB, the exterior features flowing lines from the hood to the roof and rear end. While the fenders have a muscular, athletic feel, the overall design is sleek and elegant, surprisingly well-matched to the chic seaside resort.

'We developed the 296 GTB and 296 GTS projects in parallel,' said Flavio Manzoni, head of Ferrari's Styling Centre, during the briefing. Perhaps because of this, the impact of the retractable hard-top (RHT) roof on the exterior design is non-existent. Like the 296 GTB, it achieves an integrated roofline from the A-pillar to the B-pillar.

The form – short nose, compact cabin positioned forward, and long tail – is common to recent mid-engined Ferraris, but the 296 GTS has a certain classic aura. This is likely because the car's design was inspired by 1960s Ferraris, particularly the legendary '250 LM,' known as a pioneer of mid-engined Ferraris.

According to Manzoni, the homage to the 250 LM is particularly evident in the air intakes on both sides of the body, the rear fenders, and the design behind the cabin known as the 'flying bridge.' Seeing the car in person, I felt this was indeed true.