What it really costs: Ferrari 296 GTB

The 296 GTB was the first six-cylinder road car to wear the Ferrari name, and it is now the entry point to Maranello's mid-engined range. Its 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 and electric motor make 819bhp. With the first UK cars registered in 2022, enough have now reached the used market to show what owning one actually costs.

New against used

What Car? shows new 296 GTBs available from £259,695, and Top Gear quoted a starting price of £241,500 in July 2024. Top Gear also notes that most cars leave the factory at over £300,000 once options are added; the Assetto Fiorano pack alone is £25,920.

On the used side, PistonHeads listed 25 examples in October 2026, with asking prices from around £195,000 to £225,000 for coupés. Ferrari Swindon was asking £191,990 for a 2022 car with 5,543 miles, sold as Ferrari Approved, and £249,990 for a 2026 car with 1,370 miles.

What Car? new 296 GTB Top Gear buying guide PistonHeads listings Ferrari Swindon, 2022 car

The yearly bills

Servicing is the gentle part. Every new Ferrari comes with seven years of scheduled maintenance included. After that, MyRepairCost puts a full service at an independent specialist at £600 to £1,400, with main dealers 30 to 50 per cent higher. Its suggested upkeep budget across the first decade is about £2,000 a year.

Depreciation is the real cost. A 2022 car asking £191,990 sits roughly £68,000 below What Car?'s new-from price of £259,695, before any options are counted, and options rarely hold their value. Marque's UK market data estimates depreciation at about £13,100 a year, alongside £1,750 for agreed-value insurance and £2,400 for maintenance. Treat those as estimates; your own insurance quote will depend on you, your postcode and your garage.

What Car? new 296 GTB prices MyRepairCost: Ferrari 296 Marque: 296 GTB market data

Verdict

The 296 GTB is a superb car that loses money in a perfectly ordinary way. Buying a four-year-old Ferrari Approved example lets someone else absorb the steepest part of the curve while the factory servicing still has years to run. If you want a week with one rather than a lifetime, there is a simpler route.

Drive one in Portugal

The 296 GTB is on the hire list for our Portugal Grand Prix Supercar Tour, which runs from Porto through the Douro and Serra da Estrela to three nights at Vila Vita Parc, with Grand Prix hospitality at Victory Lounge at The Tower. Renisetté has been running tours since 2014.

Hire this car through Renisetté for a Grand Prix tour, or a bespoke tour of your own.

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