While the Ferrari Luce is being debated... Ferrari is quietly preparing two models for 2026 that will put everyone in agreement.

While the Ferrari Luce continues to be the subject of debate in the automotive world, Maranello already seems ready to turn the page. The first electric Ferrari 100 % has taken up all the media space in recent weeks, but the prototypes spotted around the factory and the information circulating behind the scenes tell a very different story: Ferrari is quietly preparing two new features that should make it much easier for everyone to agree.

On the one hand, a radical competition-inspired version of the 296. On the other, a new Ferrari road car that could well put the manual gearbox back at the center of discussions. Two very different models, but with one thing in common: they are aimed precisely at those who fear that Ferrari is gradually losing its DNA.

The 296 Challenge Stradale, the Ferrari that purists have been waiting for

For several months now, prototypes of a very special Ferrari 296 are spotted on the roads around Maranello. Officially, Ferrari confirms nothing. Unofficially, there's little doubt that this is the future 296 Challenge Stradale, known internally as the F171CS.

And there's every reason to believe that it will be one of the most desirable Ferraris of recent years. The idea is simple: take the spirit of the Ferrari 296 Challenge, currently competing in the brand's one-make championship, and adapt it to the road. A philosophy reminiscent of the legendary 360 Challenge Stradale, 430 Scuderia and 458 Speciale.

But the surprise could come from the powertrain. According to several sources close to the matter, Ferrari is working on a variant without a hybrid system. Gone would be the rechargeable architecture currently fitted to the 830hp 296 GTB. The future Challenge Stradale would retain the 3-liter twin-turbo V6, but would run solely on an internal combustion engine. The first prototypes we've seen already reveal a much more aggressive aerodynamic design, with redesigned air intakes, a larger diffuser and a spectacular rear spoiler. The result is a car that looks much more like a race car than a road-going GT.

The official presentation could take place at the Finali Mondiali in Barcelona in November 2026. Ferrari would then take advantage of the event to also unveil the 296 GT Modificata, designed for customers wishing to drive on racetracks without the constraints of competition homologation.

A «manual» Ferrari V12 that could spring a surprise

The other project that is currently agitating enthusiasts concerns the Ferrari 12Cilindri. For several months now, rumors have been multiplying about a very special version that could be presented as early as this summer during the Ferrari Cavalcade. A version that would resurrect a feature that has been missing from Ferrari for over fifteen years: the manual gearbox.

Note, however, that this would not be a traditional transmission as on the old 550 Maranello or 599 GTB. Instead, Ferrari is said to be working on a technology similar to that used by Koenigsegg on the CC850.

In concrete terms, the car would retain a modern dual-clutch gearbox, but the driver would have an H-shaped grille and a clutch pedal that faithfully reproduce the feel of a real mechanical gearbox. A sophisticated electronic system would then recreate the driving experience of a Ferrari with a manual gearbox.

The idea may seem strange on paper, but it meets a very real demand. Ferraris with manual gearboxes are now reaching record values on the collector's market, and many customers are regretting the disappearance of the three pedals. Under the hood, no revolution is expected. The 830hp, 6.5-liter naturally-aspirated V12 engine is expected to be retained. What counts here is not power, but the driving experience.

The exact date is not yet known, but there could be an official presentation at the Ferrari Cavalcade 2026 event, which runs from June 29 to July 6.

Ferrari already seems intent on reassuring its customers

The timing is probably no coincidence. The Ferrari Luce showed the extent to which some Ferrari customers remain attached to the brand's traditional values: combustion engines, mechanical sensations and the thrill of driving. Even if Ferrari has fully embraced its electric offensive, the sometimes virulent reactions observed after the presentation of the Ferrari Luce have certainly been heard in Maranello.

The arrival of a potentially hybrid-free 296 Challenge Stradale and a 12Cilindri symbolically bringing the manual gearbox back into fashion almost seems like a response to purists.