New hardcore Ferrari 296 Speciale is lightweight, fast and expensive

Some of Ferrari’s most sought after cars have been lightweight iterations of its ‘entry’ mid-engined models, so after a brief hiatus with its F8, the Italian brand is back at it with the 296 Speciale. The new hardcore supercar is supposedly lighter, more focused and more intense than the already vivid 296 GTB and 296 GTS, and will reach customers in the first quarter of 2026, costing around £350,000. 

The Ferrari 296 Speciale will be launched from the start in coupé and open-top forms, the latter carrying the traditional ‘A’ modifier on its name. There’s little difference between the two when it comes to specification, although some of the hard-fought 60kg weight saving is slightly offset thanks to the convertible’s folding roof mechanism. 

The weight savings start under the rear engine cover, with 9kg removed from inside the twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 engine. This includes tech brought over from the F80 hypercar such titanium conrods plus a lighter crank and turbos. Peak power from the V6 is 30bhp more than the standard GTB, with a total of 690bhp. This is joined by an uprated e-motor that adds a further 178bhp to create a total of 868bhp – 48bhp more than the GTB and the most of any rear-wheel-drive Ferrari yet. 

Power is channeled via the same eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, helping drive the Speciale to 0-62mph in just 2.8 seconds. Top speed is limited to 208mph, which is somewhat tempered by the Speciale’s increased levels of downforce that’s rated at 435kg at 155mph. 

Look at the Speciale and you quickly realise this is a phenomenal number considering the lack of an aggressive Porsche 911 GT3-style stacked rear wing. Instead, the Speciale’s downforce is generated through a range of more subtle devices. Elements such as a new type of front air-dam that mimics the S-duct of the former 488 Pista works with an enlarged rear diffuser to create the bulk of the downforce. This is helped along by two floating aero devices that wrap around the rear lights, with a larger version of the standard car’s active rear wing hidden between. 

Ferrari has also fiddled with the chassis, replacing the springs for stiffer titanium units and fitting high-end Multimatic dampers. It’s also dropped the ride height by a further 5mm.

With all the lightweight options fitted, Ferrari quotes a dry weight of 1,410kg for the Speciale, rising to 1,490kg for the open-top Speciale A. These include carbon-fibre seats with scantily-clad padding, carbon-fibre wheels and carbon bumpers. 

The cabin is stark, without any fitted carpets or much in the way of sound deadening. But as with the marque’s former lightweight specials, it retains all the key functions and technology. This includes the digital driver’s display, which helps control all the various driver modes accessible through the Manettino switch on the steering wheel. 

But Ferrari’s focus with this Speciale isn’t just on raw numbers, but also driving enjoyment. As such, Ferrari’s engineers have spent lots of time curating the digital stability control systems to give even novice drivers access to the sort of engagement that once was only in the remit of the most talented or experienced drivers. 

Breakthrough chassis electronics such as Ferrari’s Side Slip Control, which is now in its ninth iteration, allow you to dial in as much or as little electronic support as you want – a crucial element considering the huge power figure. 

Ferrari has said that the Speciale won’t be limited in terms of build numbers, but that customers wanting an allocation will need to be ‘active’ buyers, having recently purchased a new or approved used Ferrari in the last five years to qualify. 

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