2026 Ferrari 296 Speciale unveiled – 868bhp of sharpened hybrid fury

Ferrari has a history of taking its already-exceptional mid-engined V8 models and turning them into leaner, meaner, sharper-edged masterpieces—the Challenge Stradale, the Scuderia, the Speciale, the Pista. Now, it’s the hybrid V6-powered 296 GTB’s turn. Introducing the Ferrari 296 Speciale, a more focused, more intense evolution of an already spectacular machine.

You might not think the 819bhp 296 GTB needs a power bump, but Ferrari thinks otherwise. The Ferrari 296 Speciale ups the ante to 868bhp, a 49bhp increase achieved through turbo boost tweaks inspired by the 296 Challenge race car, forged pistons, and a titanium crankshaft. The 177bhp electric motor remains, but now it helps deliver faster, more emotional gearshifts by supplementing torque to the 8-speed dual-clutch gearbox.

Weight has also been shaved, but not uniformly. Thanks to a host of exotic materials—titanium springs and fastenings, a lighter exhaust, reworked engine block, carbon-fibre options—the dry weight drops by up to 60kg over the GTB. That brings the coupe down to 1,410kg, or 1,460kg for the convertible Spider.

Aerodynamic efficiency has seen a major rework. There’s a new ‘aero damper’ up front, diverting airflow from beneath the car to the top of the bonnet for better high-speed stability. Pressure ventsabove the wheelarches, rear aerofoils, and active rear spoiler enhancements help increase downforce by 20% at 150mph.

That spoiler now includes a third ‘mid’ setting between low drag and full airbrake, finding that elusive sweet spot for optimal cornering grip without sacrificing straight-line speed.

The Ferrari 296 Speciale also rides lower, corners harder, and brakes even more crisply, thanks to recalibrated suspension using Multimatic shocks, stiffer settings, and lightweight wheels as standard. Ferrari has even rebalanced the braking, shifting, sound, and acceleration profiles—part of five core metrics the brand uses to define driving satisfaction.

Performance is staggering:

0-100 km/h (0–62 mph): 2.8 seconds
Top speed: Over 205 mph
Fiorano lap time: 1:19 (2 seconds quicker than the GTB)

There’s even a new ‘Qualify’ mode, which manages the e-motor’s battery reserves smartly over a lap, delivering precise bursts of torque that maximise corner exit speed without overheating. It can even tailor boost deployment to specific circuits—14 boosts per two laps at Fiorano, for example.

Though available as both Coupé and Spider, purists will naturally gravitate to the hard-top. The Spider weighs an extra 50kg but retains the same aggressive tuning and performance character.

Visually, it’s still recognisably a 296, but the Speciale’s new aero cues, carbon detailing, and motorsport-inspired touches announce its intentions clearly.

This isn’t a numbered limited edition, but production is time-bound. To get one, you need to be an ‘active Ferrari customer’—meaning you’ve bought a Ferrari within the last five years—and be deep enough in the brand’s ecosystem. Prices start at €407,000 for the Coupé and €462,000 for the Spider, before taxes and options.

The Ferrari 296 Speciale isn’t just about more power or less weight. It’s about amplifying the already-sublime 296 experience—cranking the dial from 10 to 11 in pursuit of pure, unfiltered driving joy. Like the iconic special editions before it, this is a car engineered not just to be faster, but to feel faster, louder, sharper and more alive.