Ferrari 360 Modena Challenge

Ferrari challenge is a racing program staged by the company for the paying customers. They powder their wallets simultaneously on the Atkins diet while at the same time gives you the chance to compete against the other plutocrats. Late model Challenge series racing versions of vehicles, which is limited to eight in the United States in 2000 will compete on the race track. Throughout the world, with bragging rights in the town of Mugello Italy's regional championship in the fall there is a series of five general.

In addition to the races, Ferrari challenge and vintage ceketlenebi local club members on the weekends usually dedicates a lot of time for that to blow them up. Carlo Fiorani, Ferrari court in this country of a press agent, "in the United States is very important," he said. "In here, due to strict laws and tight, challenge, it gives you the chance of riding the cars to the U.S. owners on the right track." That means fast. This year, by chance, people who are lucky enough 51, taken 175,000 $ 'puncture Link's new 360 Modena challenge cars North America (full race Ferrari's Berlinetta version) they'll get. During the 2000 season, challenge races, 360, and the previous Challenge car, 355%, despite being in separate classes compete with. 355 Struggle ends, upgraded suspension, roll cage, and the 360 Modena challenge Edition takes up very little space in the factory is made with the renewal of road and 100 litres of fuel cell includes means serious competition, such as Vented , brakes-channel and integrated Fire Extinguisher system. (Note to readers: as a result, ad hoc and completely unofficial 360 challenge car 360modena 360m before we'll describe the definition.) When it comes to all-aluminium body from carrozzeria Scaglietti a truck just a few miles outside Maranello, Italy to build in a month we need to staff a month (see, it's that easy). For the purpose of weight loss 360mc all from Luxor-exotic traces gathered. Leather Seats, carpet and upholstery, brushed aluminum consoles, tools green ghoul passed. Instead, a single OMP racing seats, rounding up a healthy cage, a fire bottle is located where the passenger seat with a prewired panel LCD display and onboard telemetry magneti Marelli, which houses a simple suede clean-shaven split took place. Include F1 gearbox paddles behind the Racing Wheel with three arms. Scrolling inch extended a shovel to make it easier to upgrade the right gear when cornering (360-meter rod-shift six-gear not available. Other lighting measures, sound insulation materials, Airbag, brake, air conditioning, and includes the failure of door and window mechanisms. Instead of the window, with F40-style slide openings was brought to fixed lexan panels. Carbon fibre door trims. The engine cover also Lexan. A few traces remained in production. Steering column reach and rake adjustable; the T-shaped arm behind the back, big with the MUTE button I-believe-I-M-on-fire button between the center console stays on. Ferrari 355 Challenge, 360 Modena, and about 250 pounds lighter compared to standard 360mc light from the car that is 300 lbs heavier claims. Weight-conscious compared with arch compression, powertrain modes seems quite low. 3.6 liter DOHC all-aluminum V-8, titanium rods, dry pool and 11.0: 1 compression ratio to begin with, because it is quite a hot mill remains intact. Motronic ME 7.3 injection, which controls the software by-wire throttle, variable intake runners and the exhaust valve timing remains the same. Hardware changes between the catalytic converter and the silencer said motor through an open 360mc, thus back-pressure variable eliminates the need for a system - Ferrari's urban noise reduction program. The factory says this change alone means that BG 410 horsepower increase of approximately four percent. In effect, stolen by the silence of the drummer 355 exhaust note is not as decisive in sycamore hot and ongoing.

A transmission-oil radiator -- ducted through the Lexan engine cover -- takes the place of the water-to-oil gearbox intercooler. Stiffer engine mounts and a racing clutch round out the hi-po massaging.

The racing clutch gets a workout. In the street 360 Modena, upshifts below 7000 rpm are softened by the engine management system, which momentarily feathers the e-throttle. Such tokens to smoothness are dispensed with in the Challenge car, and it upshifts with crisp, authoritative whacks.

Ferrari claims the 360MC transits from 0 to 62 mph in 3.9 seconds (0.6 second quicker than our stock 360 F1 to 60 mph), and a cavort around Homestead gave us no reason to doubt that. Out on the front straight, the 360MC accelerated with glycerin smoothness into truly heartening triple-digit speeds, trailing belle canto engine notes in its wind vortexes that would make Verdi weep.

Yet for all the full-race gestalt, what is most striking -- carbon fiber and roll cage notwithstanding -- is the 360MC's close kinship to the streetable car.

Like the road car, the 360MC is effortlessly, blithely easy to drive fast, thanks to the F1 gearbox and the Bosch ASR (anti-lock and traction control) system, neither of which was deployed on the 355 Challenge car. Downshifting for a tight corner, you need only tap the left paddle for the desired gear -- the F1 gearbox automatically blips the throttle like Eddie Irvine showing off for a new girlfriend. Heel-and-toeing is so outré. The clumsiest of dilettantes cannot zing the valves because of the gearbox's self-preserving software.

Feel like performing a little threshold braking? Dive into a corner with the ABS on fire. It will happily stutter the four-pot Brembo brakes (14.0-inch rotors in front, 13.0 inches in back, up from the stock 13.0-inchers all around), slowing the car as if it had hit a wall of pudding. Exiting corners, the traction control permits enough wheelspin for tail-out throttle steer but intervenes discreetly when things become too interesting.

The ASR system is defeatable, but it enhances performance so seamlessly and judiciously that we suspect many Challenge weekend warriors -- after they get over their own vanity -- will gladly opt for the computer assist. Of course, some might lie about it.

The early editions of the 360MC will sport a more understeering chassis setup. Firmer springs and less stiff front anti-roll bars will soon be made available. In the meantime, the car is flawlessly neutral at high speed with a pronounced low-speed push in tight corners, particularly before the new Pirelli P Zero slicks build up heat. Once hot, they hang on like bad grades around a presidential candidate's neck.

With up to 400 pounds of aerodynamic downforce available at high speeds, Ferrari expects the 360MC to achieve greater than 1.50 g of peak lateral acceleration. Turn-in is scalpel-sharp, and the steering is, with apologies to My Cousin Vinny, dead-on-balls accurate.

A factory Ferrari racer is a beautiful thing.

Some Ferraristi may sniff at all the electronic driving assists that have made their way to the Challenge car. No question, the 360MC is, ahem, accessible to a more diverse clientele, which means a high wank quotient. What would Enzo think? Still, shed of 250 pounds and wearing grippy racing slicks, the world's best sports car makes a damn fine race car. Nobody is going to want a refund.