The Ferrari F163 V6 engine debuted in the 2022 296 GTB and boasts a host of firsts. It is the first V6 engine in a road-going Ferrari (excluding Ferrari’s Dino sub-brand) and holds the title of the highest specific horsepower engine in the world. It produces 654 horsepower from 2,992 cc of displacement, the highest power-per-liter ratio of any production car. It also has a unique design: the engine’s cylinder banks are 120 degrees apart, giving it a lower center of gravity than a traditionally shaped V6.
The turbochargers are located inside the V of the engine, with the most efficient design saving weight overall. This also contributes to the engine’s unique soundtrack: with less complicated piping than other six-cylinder engines, the exhaust note sounds closer to that of Ferrari’s V12 engines than a traditional V6. In the 296 GTB, the engine is complemented by an electric motor, giving the car an all-electric range of around 16 miles. This means it can meet city restrictions on emissions and noise levels while maintaining its distinctive howl when leaving town. Hybrid performance cars are an inevitable compromise as the industry moves towards electrification, but the F163 V6 proves that those compromises don’t have to mean sacrificing Ferrari’s traditional soundtrack, at least not yet.
