Ferrari Unveils 296 GT3 Car

Photo: Ferrari

Ferrari has officially taken the wraps off its new-for-2023 contender, the 296 GT3, during a presentation Friday at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps ahead of this weekend’s TotalEnergies 24 Hours of Spa.

The mid-engined successor to the 488 GT3 Evo 2020, which first broke cover in April, features a 3.0-liter V6 turbo engine that can produce 600 horsepower at a maximum of 7250 RPM.

It is the first modern-day Ferrari GT car designed entirely in-house in Maranello following recent models that were completed in conjunction with former partner Michelotto.

As previously announced, ORECA has been tasked with the 296 GT3’s assembly and parts support for customers worldwide.

“The 296 GT3 is born from the 488 GT3’s legacy,” said Antonello Coletta, director of Ferrari’s sports car racing activities. “We think that we have achieved a great result.

“This is a Ferrari project, developed in Maranello. They have put all of the company’s know-how and experience into this car. The team has done a phenomenal job.

“The car is dedicated for both pro drivers and teams and gentlemen drivers. The most important goals are to win and to support the customers the best we can.”

The 296 GT3 features a number of innovations including a completely modular design that Ferdinando Cannizzo, head of Ferrari’s GT car track development, said is almost as functional as a prototype.

“We thought about the stuff at the very beginning of the concept phase,” Cannizzo said. “We wanted to simplify the assembly and make the track operations a lot easier.

“What we looked at in the beginning was how the prototypes and Formula 1 are doing that. We just copied that.

“For sure the layout of the car, [with] the bodywork split and assembly [have been enhanced]. There are no more cables around the front or the rear of the car.”

While featuring a new double wishbone front and rear suspension, the 296 GT3’s wheelbase has been lengthened by 60 mm, the maximum permitted in the latest set of GT3 regulations that debuted this year.

The car’s rollcage has been integrated with the chassis to improve cabin space and visibility, while Ferrari has gone with the now-popular swan neck rear wing design, along with an all-new splitter for maximum airflow.

In all, the 296 GT3 produces 20 percent more downforce than its predecessor.

Neither Cannizzo nor Coletta would reveal the price tag for the car, although Coletta said it’s “just a little more” than the 488 GT3’s $615,000 starting price.

“We prefer to explain the price directly to the customers in the next days because we need to create the base of the price and you need to put many, many [options] in the car, depending on the championship that you choose,” he explained.

“For this matter, we are working to realize the final price for the majority of the championships.”

Cars will be able to be ordered via a new configurator in Maranello as well as at Ferrari dealerships beginning in 2023. An online spare parts ordering system will also be implemented by ORECA.

Coletta said customers will begin receiving their cars in the “last part” of this year, with its race debut coming in the 2023 Rolex 24 at Daytona, where he expects to see between five to six cars in action.

Photo: Ferrari

Photo: Ferrari

Photo: Ferrari

Photo: Ferrari

Photo: Ferrari

Photo: Ferrari

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John