*

Presents 296 Speciale hybrid, plus convertible version

*

296 Speciale priced around $450,000 in Italy; US will be

higher

*

Comes ahead of Ferrari's first fully electric car in

October

MARANELLO, Italy, April 29 (Reuters) - Ferrari

refreshed its hybrid range on Tuesday with the new 296 Speciale

and its convertible version as the luxury sports car maker

prepares for its first leap into the fully electric era.

Ferrari, which will present its first EV in October,

showcased the two new plug-in hybrid models at its Maranello

headquarters, in northern Italy.

They are based on the 2021 Ferrari 296, a car now

approaching the end of its life cycle.

The 296 Speciale is lighter, more powerful and with improved

aerodynamics, Chief Marketing and Commercial Officer Enrico

Galliera said, adding it was focused on performance and driving

pleasure.

"It's not a car for everyone, we won't widen our client base

with it," he said during the presentation.

"It's a model for our historic clients, who know Ferrari

very well and seek driving thrill".

The 296 Speciale packs a three-litre, six-cylinder, 700

horsepower combustion engine. Its electric component adds a

further 180 horsepower.

Deliveries are expected to start in the first quarter of

next year, while the retractable top version, known as the 'A',

will be available in the second quarter.

The new car will have a price tag in Italy of 407,000 euros

($449,000), rising to 462,000 euros for the convertible, which

puts them in the mid- to high-end of Ferrari's price range.

Prices will be higher in the United States by an amount

still to be defined, Galliera said, after Ferrari announced last

month it was increasing prices of some of its cars in the

country by up to 10% in response to tariffs.

Only some models approaching the end of their life cycles

are being excluded from U.S. price increases.

Order books for the 296 Speciale open on Tuesday, but

interest is already high, Galliera said. Clients who have

interacted with an official Ferrari dealer in the past five

years will have a priority in placing orders.

Though not a limited-series model, its exclusivity will be

preserved by keeping its life cycle shorter than the

four-to-five years typical for other Ferrari models, Galliera

added.

Ferrari's first fully electric car, breaking its tradition

of roaring petrol engines, will be unveiled on Oct. 9 in

Maranello.

"It will be something completely different. But we've been

developing skills on components for EVs for more than a decade,"

Galliera said.

CEO Benedetto Vigna reaffirmed this month Ferrari would

continue to make petrol and hybrid cars, as well as EVs. He

added the company would launch a total of six new models this

year, including the fully-electric one.

($1 = 0.9060 euros)