Ferrari tests a new hardcore racecar for the road

While Ferrari is taking a new direction with its upcoming Luce EV, petrolheads still have something to wait for this year. A new camouflaged test mule was spotted out in the wild, looking like a race-bred machine that has managed to break out of the track onto public roads. But a hardcore, road-legal version of one of its racecars may be precisely what the Italian marque has in store for us.

The Ferrari 296 Challenge was launched in 2023 as the thoroughbred racecar derivative of the 296 GTB, ditching the latter’s hybrid powertrain for pure V6 thrills. If our expectations are right, the latest test mule is a road-legal version of that racecar, which was, of course, based on a road-legal sports car.

Ferrari 296 Challenge Stradale prototype:

The 296 Challenge Stradale retains its massive rear wing and aggressive aero kit

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The 296 Challenge Stradale retains its massive rear wing and aggressive aero kit

While much of the aggressive aero remains, the test mule does reveal small differences. The front fascia features a new bumper not seen on other 296 variants, as well as what appears to be front parking sensors. The slicks on the 296 Challenge have been swapped out for road-biased units, and the big rear wing has been carried over. The rear end also puts on dual exhaust tips and a see-through mesh offering a glimpse at the twin-turbocharged symphony.

The 296 Challenge Stradale also looks different inside: the prototype is seen with a regular cabin rather than the no-frills interiors of the racecar, which is to be expected when it comes to such conversions. After all, everybody says they want a racecar, but who actually wants to live with one? Expect an elegant, leather-wrapped cabin that is characteristic of all cars to wear the Prancing Horse badge.

The Ferrari 296 Challenge derived its power from a 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 that shed its hybrid motor and power restrictions to churn out 690 bhp and 740 Nm of peak torque. In the road-legal GTB, the engine itself made 663 bhp, but with the added punch of the hybrid setup, overall output went as high as 830 bhp. The upcoming Stradale is expected to stay true to the race-spec powertrain, although it remains to be seen just where the total output hovers after falling in line with emissions norms.

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