Latest news with #GianmariaFulgenzi
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Ferrari 296 Speciale revealed with 868bhp and radical aero set-up
The new Ferrari 296 Speciale is billed as the 'most fun to drive, emotionally charged' car the marque has built yet, with its 868bhp claimed to be 'very close' to the limit of what a rear-wheel-drive car can offer. Priced from €407,000 (£349,000) in Italy and offered in both coupé and spider forms, it packs 49bhp more than the 296 GTB, has 20% more downforce and is 60kg lighter. However, it is 'not just an exercise where we put a few additional horsepower', said Ferrari marketing chief Enrico Galliera. The Speciale instead represents a more comprehensive engineering effort. For instance, its twin-turbo V6 uses aluminium pistons and the titanium conrods from the new F80 hypercar, and the head is secured to the block with titanium bolts. This has allowed an increase in combustion chamber pressure of 7%, boosting the V6's output from the previous 654bhp to 690bhp. Moreover, the crankcase has been shaved down to save 1.2kg and the turbo design has been reworked to shed another 1.2kg. Ferrari has also doubled the size of the 'hot tube' – the sound pipe linking the engine bay and cabin – to improve the sound quality and volume of the V6. Revised cooling for the hybrid system has unlocked a further 13bhp, independent of the V6. 'We are very, very close to the limit of the maximum horsepower that we can manage for a rear-wheel-drive car,' said development chief Gianmaria Fulgenzi. With that in mind, an aerodynamic overhaul has resulted in a redesign of the 296's rear end, inspired by the Challenge and GT3 racers. This has brought about the fitment of two winglets atop the car's rear haunches and a small active spoiler that rises from the back end – from just above the Prancing Horse badge. The spoiler has three possible positions and adjusts based on the steering angle and throttle position. It plays a key role in boosting the car's maximum downforce by 20% compared with the 296 GTB, with 435kg at 155mph. The damper and spring set-up has been revised, bringing a 5mm drop in ride height and a claimed 13% reduction in maximum body lean when cornering. The cockpit has been reworked to minimise weight, with new seats that are said to be 5kg lighter than those in the 296 GTB. There is more carbonfibre than before, including on a new single-piece door card, and the new steering wheel swaps the previous unit's touchsensitive control pads for traditional buttons. Ferrari said the Speciale will not be strictly limited in number but by the time it spends in production, which will be significantly shorter than for the GTB. It will be 'very exclusive', said Galliera. Ferrari will offer the car only to what it calls 'active' clients: those who have bought a new or approved-used car (or maintained an older car) through an official dealer within the past five years. ]]>
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Ferrari Could Bring Back the Stick Shift
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." There are few details more iconic in the automotive world than the classic Ferrari gated shifter. Unfortunately, it's been more than a dozen years since that's been an option on a new car out of Maranello — but according to a recent report by Australian magazine Car Sales, Ferrari is considering bringing it back. Gianmaria Fulgenzi, the chief product development officer at Ferrari, admitted that the performance of the company's road cars has reached a point where the cars have become so quick, they're on the limits of what a human body can handle — at least, a human who isn't trained to handle the forces like Charles Leclerc or Pete "Maverick" Mitchell. 'For a normal driver you have to physically support yourself for this kind of acceleration and in terms of muscles and bones in your neck, it's not easy for long [periods of] time,' Fulgenzi said. Ferrari sold over 13,000 cars last year, and it's safe to say the vast majority of them did not go to Formula One drivers or fighter pilots. 'I don't think all our customers want to have to train every morning just to drive our cars,' Fulgenzi added. So, if peak performance has been achieved, what's left? A revival of the manual transmission, potentially,.. Ferrari went away from the manual transmission as they chased ultimate performance. But now that the ultimate level of performance has been reached, the manual transmission is back in play as a way to add engagement, rather than brute force, to the experience. "In terms of mechanical gearchanges, it's something that could be in the future," he said. That said, don't expect to see a gated stick in the successor to the 296 GTB or Roma. Fulgenzi said the classic manual would make most sense in the brand's limited-run Icona cars, which represent Ferrari's heritage through a modern lens. Previous cars in the Icona series include the Monza SP1 and SP2 and the Daytona SP3, all of which were highly exclusive (even by Ferrari standards) and carried pricetags to match. There is no timeline for when a new Icona model with a manual transmission may be released or what that car would be called. However, just last month Lewis Hamilton said he wanted to build a follow up to the F40 called the "F44", and he said wants it to be equipped with a stick shift. Could that be the next Ferrari we see with a gated shifter? The idea seems more realistic (and exciting) than ever. You Might Also Like You Need a Torque Wrench in Your Toolbox Tested: Best Car Interior Cleaners The Man Who Signs Every Car Sign in to access your portfolio
