Cars & Concepts

Ferrari, Lamborghini now rely on hybrids for their most powerful supercars

The Ferrari 296 Speciale
The Ferrari 296 Speciale limited-series supercar has a hybrid V-6 powertrain with 868 hp. (FERRARI)
May 08, 2025 06:31 AM

MARANELLO, Italy — It is impossible for an internal-combustion engine alone to match the power output of an ICE combined with a hybrid, Ferrari’s chief product development officer said, illustrating how electrification is changing even the supercar market.

Last month, Ferrari unveiled the 296 Speciale and 296 Speciale A, “track ready” versions of two hybrid supercars, the 296 GTB coupe and 296 GTS roadster, with starting prices of more than $460,000. Unlike earlier limited-series versions such as the 296 GT3 and 296 Challenge, the new cars retain their base models’ hybrid powertrains, which combine a turbocharged V-6 engine and an electric motor.

Gianmaria Fulgenzi, Ferrari’s product development chief, said at an event on April 3 in Maranello to launch the new special series cars that an ICE cannot reach the same power-to-weight ratio as the hybrid system, even if it adds 120 to 130 kg to a car like the 296.

Two previous limited series of the 296 GTB were powered by the 3.0-liter, V-6 engine without any electric boost. The 296 GT3 was a track-only version meant to take part in GT races; the hybrid part of the powertrain was removed as it is forbidden in GT races.

The 296 Challenge, a limited series launched in 2023, runs in Ferrari Challenge Trophy races. The simpler drivetrain could lower costs and is easier to repair, Ferrari said when the car was announced.

Sign up for the Automotive News Europe Interview of the Month newsletter delivering exclusive interviews with top auto executives.

Both the 296 GT3 and 296 Challenge have a top power output of 690 hp, much lower than the 868 hp of the 296 Speciale, which has a weight-to-power ratio of 1.62 kg per hp, lower than the 1.92 of the 296 Challenge.

Fulgenzi said that the 296 Speciale’s 868 hp in a mid-rear-engine car “is close to the limits of physics in terms of ability to effectively deploy power to the ground.”

CO2 emissions may also be part of the picture, because even though Ferrari is a low-volume automaker, it still has emissions targets, which are 290 grams of CO2 per km in 2025. The 296 GTB’s CO2 emissions are 149 g/km; the Speciale version has not yet been homologated.

Ferrari’s mid-engine performance coupes have historically been powered by V-8 engines until the F8 and F8 Spider launched in 2019 and 2020, respectively. The choice to replace the V-8 with a hybridized V-6 in the 2022 296 GTB was due to the higher efficiency and lower emissions of the six-cylinder engine.

Ferrari’s sales and marketing chief, Enrico Galliera, said in Maranello that each car’s technical architecture has to be consistent with Ferrari’s market strategy. Performance cars are hybridized, while grand touring cars for “gentleman drivers” such as the Purosangue SUV, the 12cilindri and the Roma rely on ICE power alone, he said.

Those cars have sufficient power already, and the normally aspirarted V-12 engine resonates with Ferrari lovers, he said.

Lamborghini Temerario
The Lamborghini Temerario has three electric motors, in addition to a combustion engine, and a total output of more than 900 hp. (LAMBORGHINI)

Other supercar makers are also hybridizing their powertrains. The McLaren Artura coupe, with about 690 hp, has the same layout, a three-liter, V-6 gasoline engine coupled with an electric motor.

The Lamborghini Temerario, the brand’s smallest coupe, has a 4.0-liter, turbocharged V-8 and three electric motors, with a total output of more than 900 hp. The entire Lamborghini range, which also includes the Revuelto coupe and the Urus SUV, has hybrid powertrains.

Aston Martin, meanwhile, uses pure ICE powertrains in some of its sports coupes, such as the V8 Vantage or the V12 Vanquish. But it chose a hybrid powertrain for its Valhalla supercar, coupling a twin-turbocharged V-8 with two electric motors, for an output of more than 1,050 hp.


Staying current is easy with newsletters delivered straight to your inbox.