Ferrari had been refusing to help Mat Armstrong rebuild his Ferrari 296GTB but after months the YouTuber finally makes a crucial breakthrough
Published on May 26, 2026 at 6:10 PM (UTC+4)
by Alessandro Renesis
Last updated on May 26, 2026 at 6:10 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Mason Jones
Mat Armstrong is apparently rebuilding multiple cars at the same time, including a Ferrari 296 GTB.
Originally recovered in Cyprus, the car was a mess and simply wouldn’t start.
To make matters worse, it initially looked like Ferrari couldn’t help.
However, after months of failed attempts, something changed.
Nothing was working, and the car just wouldn’t start
Mat Armstrong recovered this Ferrari 296 GTB in Cyprus, where it had crashed.
The first main problem was that it just wouldn’t start no matter what, and the second big problem was that Ferrari couldn’t help, just like Bugatti with Armstrong’s other big project, the Chiron.
He opted for several DIY solutions, but nothing worked.
He even spent $20,000+ on a brand-new battery system that also made zero difference.
With so many dollars down the drain, and little to no hope left, he contacted the manufacturer again and, amazingly, they eventually decided to help.
This, as you can imagine, made all the difference.
Ferrari correctly diagnosed the main problem
Ferrari quickly realized that the electronic handbrake was disconnected from the car, certainly because of the crash, and this, coupled with the faulty haptic start-stop button on the steering wheel, had turned the car into a giant paperweight.
“After months of trying with the 296, we still [couldn’t] get it started. This car has been through everything. I can’t believe it was one button that stumped us for months,” Armstrong said in the video.
Everything else was easy in comparison.
Armstrong fitted a 296 Challenge body kit with a new front bumper, a massive diffuser, and even larger rear wing.
Several months, thousands of dollars, and no doubt a few cold sweat-fueled phone calls with Ferrari later, Armstrong got himself a 299 GTB with a Challenge body kit.
Not a bad deal.
More importantly, it just goes to show that the automaker’s help, when you can get it, is crucial.
After beginning his automotive writing career at DriveTribe, Alessandro has been with Supercar Blondie since the launch of the website in 2022. In fact, he penned the very first article published on supercarblondie.com. He’s covered subjects from cars to aircraft, watches, and luxury yachts - and even crypto. He can largely be found heading up the site’s new-supercar and SBX coverage and being the first to bring our readers the news that they’re hungry for.
