• Ferrari is testing a camouflaged 296 prototype in Germany.
  • The supercar might revive the Challenge Stradale name.
  • It could use a non-hybrid twin-turbo V6 and sharper aero.

The Ferrari 296 series currently includes the standard GTB, the open-air GTS, the hardcore Speciale, and the track-only GT Modificata, but the Italian brand thinks there’s room for more. A track-focused ICE-only variant is being tested, and will likely bring back a popular moniker from the past.

We’re talking about the Challenge Stradale, originally introduced by the most extreme version of the Ferrari 360 back in the ’00s. The supercar was followed by the 430 Scuderia, the 458 Speciale, the 488 Pista, and the 296 Speciale, but its true spiritual successor will be the 296 Challenge Stradale.

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Ferrari has trademarked the name, and the recent sighting of a camouflaged prototype in Germany suggests that the official debut might be getting closer.

The new model is expected to be the roadgoing version of the 296 Challenge racecar, or more likely the upcoming 296 Challenge Evo. Note that the Challenge is designed for a single-make series, and is different from the 296 GT3 racecar, which complies with FIA’s GT3 regulations.

Sharper Aero

The prototype is wearing big chunks of red camouflage on the front and rear end. Still, the exposed sheet metal on the profile, the greenhouse, and the lights make it clear it’s based on the 296.

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The Challenge Stradale will likely sport redesigned bumpers and aero components, designed to make it faster around the track. The side skirts look slightly different from the 296 Speciale, while the tail features a pair of high-mounted provisional exhaust pipes with a round shape.

Judging from previous Ferrari development mules and prototypes, the bulky front and rear clamshells are there to hide the design of the body panels. The model doesn’t have a fixed rear wing, although that could change in the production version.

Ditching The Hybrid Setup

Baldauf

While Ferrari is keeping its cards closed about the 296 Challenge Stradale, it has been reported that the model will ditch the plug-in hybrid system of the standard 296 for a non-electrified engine. As proven by the unrestricted track-only 296 GT Modificata, an upgraded version of the twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 could produce up to  720 hp (537 kW / 730 PS) and 800 Nm (590 lb-ft) of torque.

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This is no match for the 296 Speciale with a combined output of 868 hp (647 kW / 880 PS), but the Challenge Stradale will be lighter due to the omission of the hybrid components.

The debut of the Ferrari 296 Challenge Stradale could take place in 2027, giving Maranello fans yet another limited-production mid-engined supercar to haunt their dreams.

Ferrari 296 Speciale