The talk show host hates the Ferrari buying experience, but he was actually cool with the 296 GTB.
We all know that Jay Leno, the former talk show host and avid car collector, doesn't like Ferrari as a brand. He even said getting a vehicle from the Italian supercar maker is like going to a dominatrix. Then again, that doesn't mean he hates the cars from Maranello; he has featured several Ferraris on his YouTube Series before, such as the very rare yellow Ferrari F50.
Recently, Leno has featured a Ferrari 296 GTB with the Assetto Fiorano package brought in by fellow car collector David Lee. And while many may cringe at the fact that this Prancing Horse supercar is equipped with a hybrid V6, Leno actually enjoyed driving the thing. In fact, he was impressed.
Before getting behind the wheel, Leno noted that the pricing for the 296 GTB wasn't that bad. It retails at a relatively expensive $338,255, but he pointed out that this makes the car competitive against McLaren's similarly priced offerings. He likewise appreciated that it comes with a seven-year warranty, one of the best among supercars.
Leno went on to say that it felt and sounded like a V12. Not too loud, but its growl is reminiscent of the Italian carmaker's older and larger engines. He added that the clutch was smooth, even declaring the dual-clutch gearboxes the “greatest idea ever.” Leno was likewise amazed that the brand didn't skimp on the car and instead went all in on it where tech was concerned.
Jay Leno's Garage/Youtube Jay Leno's Garage/Youtube Jay Leno's Garage/Youtube
The 296 GTB uses a 2.9-liter V6 hybrid that can produce up to 819 horsepower. While that output figure doesn't place it in the same realm as the beastly McLaren P1, Leno and Lee said it was plenty for the car's size.
That wasn't surprising as a 296 GTB, which also came with the Assetto Fiorano package, recently broke the seven-minute barrier at the Nurburgring. It managed to get a time of 6:58.7, the quickest official time for any production model Ferrari on the Nurburgring. That said, the Maranello-based company looks fine in this era of hybrid sports cars.
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