296 GTB, the judgment of a former Ferrari designer | FormulaPassion.it

Electrifying the range has become the priority for all car manufacturers in the world. Even the manufacturers of supercars and hypercars are inevitably adapting to this trend, without exception: Ferrari has recently taken an important step in this direction, presenting the world premiere of the new 296 GTB. The berlinetta with plug-in hybrid powertrain from the Maranello car manufacturer was received rather positively by enthusiasts, even if from an aesthetic and design point of view there are some unconvincing elements. Or at least, that’s what the former Prancing Horse designer thinks Frank Stephenson.

Ferrari, the 296 GTB is shown at the Motor Valley Fest

It must be said that, broadly speaking, the response that Stephenson gives to the new 296 GTB is more than positive: the work done by the Maranello house it was appreciated by the former designer, who recognized the prestige of this new hybrid Ferrari V6. Stephenson was particularly impressed by both the front and rear of the Prancing Horse berlinetta, whose references to the 250 LM he appreciated. The overall appearance of the new 286 GTB was judged elegant by the former designer, who however negatively underlined the choice of Ferrari linked to the positioning of the signal lights, which do not correspond to the lines of the bonnet. Another sore point, according to him, are the taillights: Stephenson is not convinced by their style, according to him they had to be round in shape.

There are also some hints to elements that the former Ferrari designer would have designed differently: let’s think for example of front grille, which according to Stephenson enjoys a style that is too aggressive, or to the rear in general, in his opinion too far from the classic Ferrari DNA. According to the former designer from Maranello, rounding off the taillights and moving the exhaust up a bit would make the rear more eye-catching. The overall judgment, however, is positive, according to Stephenson himself: “The new Ferrari 296 GTB has two wheels in the past and two in the future, and combines the emotion of the past with the technology of the future. I consider it a job done very well ”.