Launching performance cars with only internal combustion engines is getting more difficult as emissions restrictions tighten up in many parts of the world. Even high-end, niche manufacturers like Ferrari are forced to electrify, which is why the most current Maranello-built Prancing Horses have a hybrid drivetrain. One of them is the 296 GTB, which also comes in a convertible form called the 296 GTS.
Since this 296 Challenge is a thoroughbred race vehicle, it has a pure V6 setup without any hybrid aid. Ferrari may compete in the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli without worrying about emissions standards because to the removal of the license plate. The ninth model to be created for this competition and it supersedes the 488 Challenge Evo introduced for the 2020 racing season.
2024 Ferrari 296 Challenge
Similar to the 296 GT3 introduced for the 2023 season, the core of the 2024 Ferrari 296 Challenge is the same twin-turbo, 3.0-liter engine that does away with the hybrid component. The engineers uncorked the V6 because they were exempt from having to follow stringent regulations required for road cars; as a result, it now produces a whopping 700 horsepower and 546 pound-feet (740 Newton-meters) of torque. The six-cylinder engine of the race car produces “only” 663 horsepower, but the electric motor’s overall output is substantially higher, delivering a combined punch of 830 horsepower.
Ferrari is happy to claim that the engine produces a record amount of power for its sector at 234 horsepower per litre. In the history of the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli, the new 296 Challenge is the first race car to employ a 120-degree V6. The track-only vehicle features carbon-ceramic brakes, an improved ABS system taken from the 296 GTB, and new Pirelli 19-inch tires specifically designed for this use since with great power comes great responsibility.
The aerodynamic system also contributes to the 296 Challenge’s ability to produce more than 870 kg of downforce at 155 mph (250 km/h), which is a record for a race car designed for the single-make championship.
Between October 24 and 28, Ferrari will display its newest racing machine in Italy at the Mugello Circuit and 30 when the Finali Mondiali is scheduled to take place.
