The Inside Story

Ferraris have always been tactile. In 2023, though, the concept of ‘connectivity’ has entered a dramatic new dimension. From the very beginning, Ferrari was an engineering company, then a design leader, and it remains superior in both disciplines now. But credit must also go to the teams working on the HMI – the human machine interface. Ferrari’s commitment to innovation is inviolable, and the cars’ interior and capability have been completely reimagined.

The Purosangue probably pushes things the furthest, as befits its role as the first Ferrari four-door. This is a car with an almost avant garde cabin architecture upfront. Two binnacles sweep across the cabin, one for the driver, the other for the passenger, with air vents and full information displays on either side. Ferrari is aiming to deliver outstanding emotional engagement for all four passengers.  

The two ‘wings’ converge in the middle with a topographical flourish. Beneath that meeting point is a new-for-the-Purosangue feature, which introduces a physical touchpoint in a set-up that relies mostly on digitalisation and haptics. This is a cylindrical control panel that rises smoothly out of the dashboard when it’s tapped, and gives the driver or passenger access to climate control, seat heating or seat massage functionality.

The Purosangue’s cockpit takes some of its cues from the SF90 Stradale. Its influence is also felt in the 296 GTB, a car that many critics have placed in the pantheon of Ferrari greats. It’s part of the mid-engined bloodline that stretches back to 1975’s 308 GTB, but is obviously now powered by a hybridised, turbocharged V6 whose combustion/electric harmonisation is startlingly good. 

But inside, too, we can see what 50 years of progress in connectivity looks like. Another car in this much-loved series, 2004’s F430, was the first to introduce the manettino, a steering wheel-mounted rotary switch that gives the driver instant control over the car’s chassis settings. That was an inspired and unimprovable example of ergonomic thinking.

Now it’s joined on a Ferrari wheel by a myriad of other functions. Indicators, lights and wipers are now controlled by switchgear on the wheel (as of the 458 Italia), but the 296 GTB advances the set-up that first appeared on the Ferrari Roma and uses touch-sensitive thumb pads on the wheel spars. These trigger access to various sub menus shown on the main 16in instrument display, itself clearly visible through the wheel. 

The driver can scroll between navigation, media and communication, each thumb flick accompanied by a subtle little ‘whooshing’ sound. Three different main display modes are available, although the standard setting is perhaps the best and most emotive: an out-sized rev counter takes precedence here. Note that on the newly introduced Roma Spider, a little extra buzz can be felt under the thumb pads to reinforce the mode selection. (It also introduces ADAS – advanced driver assistance systems – whose reach can be custom configured and controlled via a wheel button.)