Author: Angus MacKenzie

The headlines concentrate on one number: With a thumping 648kW under your right foot with the manettino on the steering wheel switched to Qualify mode, the Ferrari 296 Speciale is essentially the most powerful rear-wheel drive automobile Maranello has ever built. Not even the 12 Cilindri, with its mighty 6.5-litre V12 that screams to 9500rpm, outpowers the brand new performance version of Ferrari’s entry-level mid-engine supercar. How? The 296 Speciale’s plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrain architecture is unchanged from that of the regular 296 GTB coupe and GTS convertible, however the 3.0-litre, 120-degree V6 at its core now produces 515kW of…