NOVITEC Ferrari 296 GTS N-LARGO Is 2.08 Metres Wide. Good Luck Parking It

A Ferrari 296 GTS is already wide enough to make narrow streets uncomfortable. NOVITEC’s N-LARGO version measures 2.08 metres across, which means its owner might want to check the garage entrance before ordering one.

That’s twelve centimetres wider than the original car.

The extra width isn’t there simply to accommodate larger wheels. NOVITEC has commissioned designer Vittorio Strosek to create an entirely new carbon-fibre body, giving Ferrari’s open-top hybrid a rather different personality.

And it’s difficult to mistake for a standard 296.

The rear fenders account for much of the increase, while the front arches extend another three centimetres on each side. New side skirts connect the enlarged sections, avoiding the awkward appearance that some aftermarket widebody conversions suffer from.

Whether the result is prettier than Ferrari’s original design is another matter. The 296 GTS was hardly short of visual drama before NOVITEC started working on it.

The company has also redesigned the front bumper and bonnet, adding air ducts and openings intended to improve airflow. Above the front wheels, ventilation outlets help release heat from the braking system.

At the rear, buyers can choose a small ducktail spoiler or a much larger wing. Both are rather noticeable.

NOVITEC says the aerodynamic components were developed using wind-tunnel testing, which suggests the conversion involves more than making the Ferrari look wider.

The mechanical upgrades are relatively modest by comparison.

Ferrari’s twin-turbocharged 2.9-litre V6 receives modified turbo inlets, sports catalysts and a new exhaust. Combined output increases by 38 hp to 868 hp, while the electric motor remains unchanged.

That’s an interesting decision.

The standard 296 GTS already delivers extraordinary performance, so chasing another enormous power increase probably wouldn’t improve the car as much as its appearance suggests.

NOVITEC also offers an INCONEL exhaust with optional gold plating and electronically controlled valves.

Vossen supplies the forged NF11 NL wheels, measuring 21 inches at the front and 22 inches at the rear. Those enormous rear arches accommodate 335 mm tyres.

Sports springs lower the car by around 35 mm.

Fortunately, an optional hydraulic lift can raise the nose by 40 mm, which might save an expensive carbon spoiler when approaching a speed bump.

And that brings us back to everyday usability.

A 2.08-metre-wide Ferrari with a lowered suspension isn’t going to make parking easier. Nor will it improve visibility around tight corners.

But practicality clearly isn’t the reason someone buys an N-LARGO.

The attraction is having a Ferrari that looks nothing like the standard car, even if finding somewhere to park it becomes part of the adventure.