A Ferrari 296 GT3 driving on a track with the sun setting behind.

Ferrari 296 racing to ACC 19 April

Assetto Corsa Competizione

Despite knowing that the new Ferrari GT3 car was coming to Assetto Corsa Competizione, we did not know when exactly. But now we do, and it’s only one month away!

Image credit: Kunos Simulazioni

19 April will see the next batch of new content come to Assetto Corsa Competizione in the form of the brand new Ferrari 296 GT3. It’s the first 2023 season car to join the game. The likes of the Porsche 992 GT3 R and Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2 are also on their way. All of this was confirmed by Assetto Corsa community manager Rwaggy in a Reddit AMA.

The two further cars as well as previously confirmed GT2 cars are yet to get a release date. For now, the 296 GT3 will join Assetto Corsa Competizione in mid-April, which coincides with its debut in SRO competition at the GT World Challenge Endurance opener at Monza.

Ferrari 296 ACC

The 296 GT3 is the successor of the 488 GT3 Evo. It marks a big shift in Ferrari’s range of midship sports road cars, typically V8 powered. When the 488 went out of production, the F8 Tributo followed. That car was expected to take on the role of Ferrari’s racing car. However, the 296 then became their choice for the basis of their next competition car.

The 296 GTB road car was the first V6-powered road car to wear a Ferrari badge, and was seen as a spiritual successor to the Dino 206 and 246. It also has a hybrid unit, which results in a total power output of 820 horsepower. The GT3 version does not have a hybrid system though and has a peak power output of 600 horsepower.

In 2024, a Challenge version of the 296 will replace the 488 Challenge.

But the reason it’s coming to the game emerged in the announcement video. The 296 GT3 will feature in this year’s Ferrari Esports Series, the competition in which Ferrari awards the champion with a place in its esports team. Past winners include Giovanni de Salvo, Kamil Pawlowski and new signing Jonathan Riley.

As ever with ACC, the content is not arriving at the same time to console. PlayStation and Xbox players got the most recent DLC – the American Track Pack – in November whilst it arrived on PC in July. Although, console players did get the American Track Pack packaged with the previous DLC, the Challengers Pack.

Perhaps the aforementioned 2023 Porsche and Lamborghini as well as the GT2 cars will sit alongside the Ferrari for console release. There hasn’t been any official confirmation on what the 296 GT3 will cost when it does become available to purchase for ACC.

Will you be getting the 296 GT3 on ACC? Tell us on Twitter at @OverTake_gg or in the comments down below!

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