It’s not just our opinion any more – the Ferrari 296 GTB is now officially ‘certified’ as the best-looking production car in 2022, scooping up the win in the Production Car category in the prestigious Car Design Award, which was launched in 1984 by Italian magazine Auto&Design.
The prize-giving ceremony took place on 12 June at the ADI Design Museum, as part of Milan Design Week.
According to the Car Design Award’s website, the accolade is presented to “projects that have made a significant contribution to the development of car design.” Winners are chosen by an expert jury of 11 journalists from leading international motoring publications, including Auto&Design itself.
As for why the 296 GTB won the award, the jury said: “Creating a form this beautiful and organic whilst still complying with all current regulations and giving the car an incredibly high level of technology and performance, is a truly impressive feat.
“The legendary sports prototype racers of the 1960s have informed the Ferrari 296 GTB’s design and the end result is a superb, contemporary interpretation of a classic design language.”
The Ferrari 296 GTB is Maranello’s first entry into its new electrified era, and it’s perhaps a good thing it looks so dang good, since keyboard warriors can’t bring themselves to hate it. The 296 GTB takes the form of a two-seater berlinetta, with a hybrid V6 engine behind the driver to make 830 hp and 740 Nm of torque exclusively to the rear wheels.
Other winners of the 2022 Car Design Award included the Toyota Compact Cruiser EV, which took home the grand prize in the Concept Cars category. The award for the Brand Design Language category, meanwhile, went to Volvo’s high-performance EV arm, Polestar.
