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Ferrari 360 Modena

The Ferrari 360 Modena had a lot to live up to, the outgoing Ferrari 355 being acknowledged as one of the most beautiful and usable Ferraris ever. The 360 didn’t have to be good, it had to be brilliant - and it was.
Developed under the code name F131 Ferrari’s launch of its latest assault weapon in the international exoticar wars was a raging stunner. This de facto replacement for the F355 made its world debut at the Geneva Motor Show to rave reviews. Styled by Pininfarina, the boldly elegant 360 Modena employs lightweight aluminium componentry throughout. With a completely new chassis beneath its brawnier-looking bodywork, it tips the scales at just over 1360 kilograms--nearly 100 kilograms less than the F355. Motivating this reduced mass is a midship-mounted 3.6-liter/400-horsepower V-8. The 25-horsepower output increase from the version currently used in the F355 comes courtesy of an extra 90 cubic centimetres of displacement and revised intake plumbing. Torque is also up marginally in this 40-valve twin-cam screamer, but now peaks lower in the rev range for better in-town tractability.

Unlike the F355, the 360 Modena uses a longitudinally mounted transmission instead of a transverse gearbox. That variation improves static weight distribution and helps lower the car’s center of gravity. Gear changes can be made through a conventional sixspeed manual or an upgraded version of Ferrari’s slick F1-style paddle-shift sequential system. Either way, the newest member of this legendary Italian marque should charge from rest to 100 km/hr in under 4.5 seconds and top out near 296km/hr (185 mph). Expect nothing less than sheer handling brilliance. While the 360 Modena retains double wishbone underpinnings, significant hardware revisions from the F355 plus modified geometry and a switch from steel to aluminum suspension components promise greatly improved responsiveness.

Inside, the 360 Modena exhibits numerous styling cues borrowed from its 550 Maranello and 456GT kin. The passenger compartment is considerably roomier than that of a F355 and ergonomics are noticeably enhanced. Supple leather, high-quality materials and straightforward ergonomics struck an excellent balance between luxury and driving-focused simplicity. The snug seats offer plenty of lateral support, with a comfortable reach to the divine steering wheel. Besides contributing to superb road-holding, the 360’s wide body also provides lots of elbow room and enough space for a set of golf clubs behind the two seats.

At the heart of the Ferrari 360 is the 3586cc V8, one of Ferrari’s most powerful normally aspirated V8’s, as the revs build past 4000rpm the exhaust note changes from a menacing crackle to a howling wail. It’s undoubtedly one of the most intoxicating automotive sounds in the world.

Drive the car with gusto and the computer-controlled electronic suspension system lets the car corner with an almost total lack of body roll. Ferrari has suggested that as much as 10% of a typical 360’s mileage will be covered on tracks so has built this magnificent machine accordingly.

What makes a Ferrari a Ferrari is so much more than simply a go-fast engine and a logo imprinted with a startled horse. The experience is second to none, the sound, the prestige, the sensation of arguably the best automotive engineering in the world at your command; it simply must be felt to be understood.