\u2018Describe it in one word? Impossible. In three? I can try: muscular, light and mean’. Flavio Manzoni, Ferrari’s Chief Design Officer, describes the latest creature to take shape from the pencils of the Maranello Style Centre. It is called the 296 Speciale and is the most exclusive and powerful variant of the 296 GTB presented in 2021. \u2018More than a variant I would speak of a completely new model. The aesthetic interventions have been important and decisive, releated with the new stylistic course that we inaugurated first with the 12Cilindri and then with the F80,\u2019 explains Manzoni. \u2018The objective is always the same: to give unique shapes to a car that has performance in its blood\u2019.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>To go faster, the 3.0 V6 hybrid of the 296 Speciale (also available in the spider variant Speciale A) has been brought up to 880 horsepower (+50 horsepower over the 296 GTB), but, above all, a great deal of lightening work has been done overall using super-performance materials such as aluminium and (lots of) carbon fibre. The front of the car immediately clarifies the model’s strong sporting and expressive charge thanks to the bonnet, which is more hollowed out, while the lower part features a suspended splitter, a winged element in body colour that visually widens the base of the front. \u2018The mouth is imposing: it almost looks like that of a catamaran,\u2019 says Manzoni. The influence of the racing world, in particular the 296 Challenge, can also be perceived in the rear, while the side is a clear homage to the legendary 250 LM. \u2018At the rear, the most characteristic element is the two unprecedented cantilever wings that frame the transom, remaining anchored at the end of the tail,\u2019 continues Carlo Palazzani, Head of Pilot Design Projects.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>The action of the style centre to carry out a major slimming treatment also came in the interior: \u2018Here we adopted different materials to achieve the lowest possible weight. Of the 60 kilos saved on the model, one third comes from the interior,\u2019 explains Nicola Bevilacqua, Interior Design Manager. \u2019An example? 10 kilos less come from the use of the new seats, while the floor mats are made of aluminium and the door panel, in its entirety, is made of carbon. In addition, we have replaced the leather with Alcantara, which is lighter and performs better when it comes to high-performance driving\u2019.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>