I have been lusting after the Ferrari 296 GTB supercar ever since it debuted on the 24th of June 2021. When a 2022 Ferrari 296 GTB made a brief visit to my local Vancouver Ferrari dealership clad in mouth watering Rosso Imola livery, I was head over heals in love. In order to fulfill my desire to experience this magnificent machine, I had to make the journey south to California and the city of Los Angeles. Ferrari very kindly offered me four days and a 500-mile limit to explore the many wonders of the new Ferrari 296.

Getting The Rockstar Treatment By Having Your Ferrari 296 GTB Delivered On A Trailer

I flew into LAX airport and then headed to the Sheraton hotel which is five minutes from the airport to pick up my Ferrari test car. In previous Ferrari test drives I have gone to the Ferrari Beverly Hills service center to pick up my test cars, but not on this occasion. Instead, I got the Ferrari delivered to me on the back of a trailer. Seeing the car for the first time as the delivery chap backed it down the ramp was spine tingling. I felt for a brief moment what it must be like for supercar owners having their supercar delivered to their home. Next thing I knew, I was all alone standing in front of this stunning Rosso Imola liveried 2023 Ferrari 296 GTB. It was surreal knowing it was mine for the next four days.

What Does This Ferrari 296 GTB Supercar And Steven Spielberg Have In Common?

The first order of business was escaping Los Angeles. To do so meant enduring some time on Los Angeles freeways. I survived 30 miles on the notorious 405 freeway, and then I was able to branch off to explore Soledad Canyon road. After the hustle and bustle of the freeway this was my first chance to start enjoying the 296. Soledad Canyon enjoys a Hollywood connection with Steven Spielberg’s made for TV movie 'Duel'. Spielberg used the tunnel along Soledad Canyon Road during the film. Blasting through the tunnel was definitely a memorable way to begin my Ferrari 296 adventure.

The 296 GTB Is A Bold A Masterpiece Of Ferrari Engineering

The Ferrari 296 Gran Turismo Berlinetta (GTB) heralds a new pathway for future Ferrari models as it ushers in the age of the V6 twin turbo hybrid engine. Ferrari's electrification began with the V12 LaFerrari hypercar in 2013, followed in 2019 by the V8 Ferrari SF90 Stradale. The 296 V6 twin turbo has a gas engine and an electric motor that combine to produce 830 hp. This is the most horsepower I have ever had under my right foot. Unlike its all-wheel drive SF90 sibling the Ferrari 296 transmits its prodigious 830hp through the rear wheels only. Styling wise the 296 draws many cues from the 1967 Dino 206 GT and 1969 Dino 246 GT. The name honors Ferrari Founder Enzo Ferrari’s late son, Alfredo “Dino” Ferrari. Dino gets credit for designing the V6 engine used in the 206/246. I adore the styling of the 296. The flowing curves all combine to create an elegant supercar. Parking off to the side of the road I could not stop gawking at the car and taking picture after picture. This would be a recurring theme during my four days with the 296.

Related: Why Electric Hypercars Are The Future Of High Performance Vehicles

Take A Peek Inside The Digital World Of A Ferrari 296 GTB Driver

I made my base outside the Mojave Air and Spaceport thereby combining my love of supercars and aviation. The Mojave region gave me plenty of open road to test all aspects of the 296. Getting into the Ferrari 296 is an easy affair thanks to traditional doors. The cabin is spacious. My example was well-endowed with carbon fiber accessories. The center tunnel has a handy location for your Ferrari key. Push button shifter controls design mimic the gated manual gearboxes of old. Ferrari in a nod to utility provide a pair of cupholders and phone charging pad. Ferrari steering wheels are a very busy affairs with numerous touch controls and dials. In front of the driver is the dash with its single digital gauge display. All the functions for the audio and navigation have been integrated into this single screen.

Navigating the infotainment system from controls on the steering wheel is clumsy at best and down right frustrating at worst. It was easier and quicker to use my iPhone for navigating around Mojave. In previous Ferrari models, the theater of starting a Ferrari began with a bright red button on the bottom right of the steering wheel. It was a physical button that marked the beginning of one’s experience with a Ferrari. The 296 dispenses this in preference for a touch icon. Touch the icon once to start systems then touch it again to actually start the car. The 296 default start mode is hybrid. In this mode, the car starts on pure electric power and then switches to engine mode power when higher rpm. The 296 possesses two manettino switches. The red manettino switch on the right side of the steering is familiar to all Ferrari drivers and controls the dynamic systems. On the left is a touch panel E-manettino that controls the powertrain modes. You have 4 modes to chose from, hybrid, eDrive, Performance and Qualifying mode. I tried all the modes, and they all worked seamlessly. My preference was to leave it in performance mode.

Related: 10 Hybrid Cars We'd Love To Drive

This Ferrari 296 GTB Is A Hypercar Disguised As A Supercar

The 296 GTB is an easy car to drive thanks to the electronically assisted power steering. The biggest issue for a Ferrari driver is continually being aware of the low ground clearance and that means remembering to use the nose lift kit. Driving into a rather steeply inclined entrance to my hotel in Mojave was always an exercise in patience. The wheel wells on a Ferrari 296 feel like industrial strength vacuums for the amount of stones and gravel they pick up. The sound is most disconcerting, you fear you are damaging the car. So when you find a lonely stretch of smooth highway in the Mojave Desert you can properly exercise this rocket ship of a supercar. Ferrari claim 0-62 mph in 2.9 seconds, and I can testify this is accurate.

Thanks to its 8-speed dual-clutch automatic transition and the multitude of driving systems on the car, the Ferrari 296 will top out at 205 mph. A host of driving aids are always beavering away in the background. These range from the 6-way chassis dynamic sensor, to electronic traction control, and side-slip control. In order to effectively stop a 830hp supercar, Ferrari has developed a new braking system, brake by wire. This means that each wheel can be independently braked separately from the other wheels. Getting used to a car’s braking characteristics is a key element in being able to exploit the performance and enjoyment of a car. I was immediately comfortable with the brake by wire system on the 296 especially in heavy LA traffic where one has tendency to brake often thanks to aimless drivers on the freeway. Braking the 296 from high speed was awe-inspiring.

The World's Most Beautiful Ferrari Supercar Meets The World's First Stealth Aircraft

The highlight of my four-day Ferrari 296 adventure was taking the 296 to the Blackbird Airpark in Palmdale. I was the first visitor through the gate at 9am. I asked if I could take the 296 for a photo shoot with the legendary SR-71/A-12 Blackbird. Happily the young woman who had opened up the museum said "yes." I am in awe of the Lockheed A-12 and its successor the SR-71 Blackbird. They are legendary aircraft from the designers at Lockheed’s Skunk Works, who even today continue to produce technological masterpieces. I love combining my passion for aviation and supercars. Nothing comes close to the SR-71. It was surreal to see the 296 GTB posing next to an aircraft that cruised at three times the speed of sound at 80,000 feet.

Related: The Birthplace Of Stealth: 10 Thing You Didn't Know About Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works

All to soon it was time to head back to LA to give back the Ferrari 296. The 296 can happily sit in traffic. You can switch into electric mode and save some gas. I have never taken so many pictures of a car that I was test-driving. Rosso Imola is my new favorite Ferrari color. If you are going to order one then you will need some patience As there is a long waiting list, but it is worth the wait. My test car with all its carbon fibre add ons came to $444,287. Expensive to be sure but when looked at in context it becomes a bargain. The 296 has the performance of the LaFerrari hypercar which sells second hand for $3 million or more. For me the Ferrari 296 is the most beautiful and most powerful Ferrari I have ever driven. Is the Ferrari 296 GTS even better than the GTB?