Ferrari 296GTS Is an 819-HP Hybrid V-6 Droptop

• Ferrari has converted the 296GTB into a convertible, the 296GTS, and it uses the same 819-hp hybrid V-6 setup as its coupe counterpart.

• The car's retractable hard top can deploy or retract in 14 seconds at up to 28 mph.

• The 296GTS can also be had with the weight-saving Assetto Fiorano package and can match the GTB on acceleration and top speed.

Last June, Ferrari unleashed the 819-hp 296GTB, powered by the first roadgoing Ferrari V-6 engine since the Dino of the late 1960s and early 1970s and featuring a Formula 1–inspired hybrid system. Now, with summer on the horizon, Ferrari has unveiled the 296GTS, which turns the GTB coupe into a hardtop convertible claimed to offer the same scintillating performance.

The powertrain of the 296GTS remains unchanged from its fixed-roof brother. That means a 120-degree 3.0-liter turbocharged V-6 good for 654 horsepower. This engine is coupled with an MGU-K (Motor Generator Unit, Kinetic) that draws on Ferrari’s extensive Formula 1 knowledge and adds an extra 164 hp. Although the GTS weighs 154 pounds more than the GTB in its lightest configuration, Ferrari still claims a sprint to 62 mph in 2.9 seconds and a 205-mph top speed.

The biggest change, of course, is the roof. Now called GTS—for Gran Turismo Spider—the 296 gains a retractable hard top that can go up or down in just 14 seconds at speeds up to 28 mph. With the roof up, the GTS is virtually indistinguishable from the 296GTB. With the press of a button, the roof folds in two and nestles in above the engine bay, although a window at the rear still allows for a peek at the 120-degree V-6. Ferrari also redesigned the chassis for the GTS, working on the A-pillar, B-pillar, and side sills to maintain torsional rigidity and bending stiffness.

Inside, Ferrari has reworked the seats and added aerodynamic flaps on the rear trim structure to minimize buffeting and make for a more comfortable top-down experience. Like the GTB, the GTS is available with the Assetto Fiorano package, which shaves off weight and prepares the 296 for track duty. There’s no word yet on when the 296GTS will go on sale or how much it will cost, but we would expect at least a $20,000 increase over the GTB’s $322,986 starting price based on Ferrari’s previous droptop offerings.

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