Watch This Ferrari 296 GTB Top 218 MPH on the Autobahn

This V-6-powered Ferrari goes way beyond its claimed top speed, and it sounds great getting there.

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Christopher Smith

By: Christopher Smith

May 11, 2024 at 3:00pm ET

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Ferrari doesn't list a definitive top speed for its mid-engine 296 GTB. It's officially listed as going faster than 205 mph, an oddly specific number that suggests it can't go much quicker. As we see in this video published by AutoTopNL, 205 mph (330 kph) is just the start.

Jump ahead to the 4:45 mark and you'll see an unrestricted run that takes the Ferrari from a standstill to 205 mph in 21 seconds, per our stopwatch. And it's still pulling very hard at that point.

The top speed run comes at the end of the clip. We suspect this run is pretty close to the 296's actual limit. Towards the end of the run the digital readout clicks very slowly from 350 to 352 kph. Speedometer error is certainly a possibility at such speeds, and we aren't shown any GPS data to back it up. But even with some error factored in, this is a supremely fast hybrid.

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It also sounds great. That twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 singing its heart out, developing 654 horsepower on its own. With the electric motor from its hybrid powertrain factored in, total output rises to 818 hp. It's a 120-degree engine with an 8,500-rpm redline, and if you didn't know otherwise, you might think the car in this clip has a V-12. An eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox drives just the rear wheels, though top speed is achieved in seventh for this run.

We knew the 296 GTB was fast, but as this clip shows, it's a true speed demon if given enough room. We can't wait until Ferrari releases another version with even more power.