Ferrari 360 Modena: amazing, affordable magic

By Simon Hucknall

| 17 Sep 2024

Classic & Sports Car – Ferrari 360 Modena, Spider and Challenge Stradale

It was the sound of that flat-plane-crank V8 that really stuck with me.

At maximum attack – 8000rpm-plus – it bounced off the rocky walls of the autostrada tunnels and savaged your ears’ tympanic cavities.

It didn’t help that we were in convoy with a Porsche 911 GT3, Noble M12 and Caterham R500, but the Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale’s brutal report was the most painful to bear.

Painful physically, but bloody infectious, too.

The Ferrari 360 Modena set a supercar benchmark when new, and today it’s hot property again as the best-value used Prancing Horse you can buy right now

We’d been based at Pirelli’s Vizzola Ticino test track near Milan for Autocar’s Performance Car of the Year test, and a late-night thrash on near-deserted roads had been the perfect tonic for cars and drivers after the relative confines of Vizzola during the day.

This being 2003, the Challenge Stradale was box-fresh and only recently launched, but it won outright against the cream of the supercar crop.

It was everything you wanted a Ferrari to be, and producing 94dB at 70mph – just 1dB shy of the savage R500 – explains why to this day I can still recall that mesmeric, megawatt soundtrack.

The Ferrari 360 Modena is raucous and agile at speed, but retains a supple daily usability

But it was Ferrari’s original 360 Modena, from which the Challenge was derived, that had laid down the supercar gauntlet four years before, and today it has to be the most usable and best-value Ferrari on the market (see below).

It was perhaps the biggest advance for the Italian manufacturer’s mid-engined series to date, a line that had started more than three decades earlier with the 206GT.

Like that car – but none in the series in between – the 360’s body was formed from aluminium, as were its chassis, suspension wishbones, engine and many other parts.

‘The Ferrari 360 needed to be faster, more user-friendly and awash with the latest technology expected in the new millennium’

So, despite having a 10% bigger footprint, gifting it a more practical cabin, at 1447kg (according to Autocar’s scales) it was a mere 22kg heavier than the Ferrari F355 that preceded it.

For the 360M to raise the bar still higher, it needed to be faster, more user-friendly and awash with the latest technology expected of a supercar entering the new millennium.

Its design – by Goran Popović at Pininfarina – eschewed the wind-blocking pop-up headlights of previous mid-engined Ferraris to create a longer, more streamlined shape, with faired-in lights and a greater emphasis on aerodynamics.

Ferrari’s 400bhp 3.6-litre V8 remains on permanent display

Gone was the classic eggcrate grille, replaced by large inlets on either side of the registration plate to duct air into canted radiators housed in each wing and under the car’s raised centre section to the twin rear diffusers, generating four times the downforce of the F355.

Upper and lower side inlets for engine cooling – the latter perhaps a nod to those of the 250LM – were more subtle than before and moved further rearwards into the wing area.

Overall, the cab-forward 360M was more rakish than any of its predecessors, with a wheelbase that was 150mm longer than the F355’s and even equal to that of the 2+2 456M GT.

The Ferrari 360 Modena’s bodywork is aluminium

What you also had with the 360, for the first time, was a faceful of engine.

Exposed in all its glory, through an epically large rear ’screen flowing down from the roofline, was Ferrari’s latest iteration of the 90° four-cam V8 that had evolved from that in the 348 in heavily modified form, via the F355.

Now with 3.6 litres, up from 3.5, the five-valve-per-cylinder unit, with its dry sump and flat-plane crankshaft, used a variable-length induction system and dual-phase valve timing to extract more power, which rose from 380bhp to 400bhp at 8500rpm.

The Ferrari 360 Modena’s cabin is ergonomically pleasing, bar a slight pedal offset

More significantly, an identical slug of torque was produced 1250rpm earlier, at 4750rpm.

Once again, Bosch’s Motronic system took care not only of fuelling but also, now in updated ME 7.3 form, engine management, including an all-new fly-by-wire throttle.

The 360 Modena was the subject of the biggest adoption yet of Ferrari’s electro-hydraulic, six-speed ‘F1’ gearbox, supplied by Graziano.

By the end of production in 2005, 70% of 360 buyers had opted for the paddle-shift, instead of Ferrari’s signature open-gated manual gearchange, despite the system costing an extra £6485.

The Ferrari’s well-bolstered driver’s seat

There was no doubting that this was the easiest Ferrari to live with so far.

Would that have bothered Porsche, now its newly reformed and water-cooled 911 (996) had reinforced its position as the go-to everyday supercar?

Probably not, given that even in turbo guise it was around £15,000 less than Ferrari’s £101,249 launch price for the ‘standard’ 360.

But still, Ferrari had moved its technology game on by a country mile.

‘Ultra-light for its size and immensely stiff, the new car’s torsional rigidity was improved by 40% over that of the Ferrari F355’

The hard points of the car’s underpinnings remained true to form, with double wishbones and coils all round, plus an anti-roll bar at each end, but all componentry was new and it incorporated continuously variable electronic dampers developed with Sachs.

The 360’s power-assisted steering rack was decisively quicker than that of the F355, down to 2.7 turns from lock to lock versus the older car’s 3.2 turns.

Braking performance was said to have improved by 10% overall, using bigger Brembo discs of 330mm diameter front and rear.

On track with Sport mode slected, the Ferrari 360 Modena’s F1 gearbox delivers lightning-fast shifts with auto-blip downchanges

The 360’s construction was its biggest headline-grabber, though, as an all-new aluminium spaceframe and body replaced the F355’s steel frame and tubular steel subframes, and there was a mixture of steel and aluminium body panels.

Not only was the 360 ultra-light for its size (Ferrari claimed a 100kg weight reduction, even if independent contemporary figures showed a marginal increase), but it was immensely stiff, too, with torsional rigidity improved by 40% over its predecessor.

The 360 trio we have with us at Silverstone Circuit today represents the key production variants introduced over the model’s six-year lifespan: the 360 Modena, 360 Spider and 360 Challenge Stradale.

Ferrari claimed that the 360 Spider’s roof could be deployed electronically in 20 secs

Toby Forrester’s Tour de France Blue 360M appears about as subtle as a modern Ferrari can.

Fresh from a repaint, and with no Prancing Horse shields on its front wings, it blends nicely into Silverstone’s paddock.

I love that the standard 18in, five-spoke alloys are the same diameter as those on a current Mazda MX-5, and have profiles (45 at the front, 40 rear) better suited to UK roads than those on any modern supercar or hypercar.

Ferrari’s gated manual gearbox is a draw for many

You enter the cabin through a wide door opening (another 360 improvement) and sink down into a supremely comfortable, well-bolstered leather chair with ribbed facings.

The seating position is higher than in Ferrari’s 355 and, since Toby’s car is equipped with the F1 transmission, you face a three-spoke leather- and carbonfibre-trimmed wheel with carbonfibre paddles fixed to the column – left for downshifts, right for up, and pull both back together for neutral.

The only other transmission control is via a tiny lever on the aluminium central tunnel to engage reverse, and a button next to it for full automatic mode.

The Ferrari 360 Spider‘s cabin remains relatively hushed with the roof down, but some column shake can be felt on bad roads

Facing you is a five-dial binnacle, with a central tacho redlined at 8500rpm, a 200mph speedo on the right and three small dials clustered to the left.

Any thoughts about Italian-esque driving positions are banished immediately: a near-vertical wheel, adjustable for reach and rake, and fine ergonomics soon have you sitting comfortably, with only a pedal offset to the left taking some familiarisation.

And, while the cabin is pared down almost to the point of austerity, the fit and finish are exemplary.

There is even, Ferrari claims, room for a full set of golf clubs behind the seats, in addition to a small front luggage area.

The Ferrari 360 Spider retains the V8 viewing window

We are shooting on the circuit today, but the flowing A-roads around Silverstone will also give us a feel for the 360’s real-world usability, even in its more focused Challenge Stradale guise.

At lower speeds, the Modena is as user-friendly as you’d like: steering effort is minimal, and the engine is placid and tractable, although throttle pick-up with the F1 ’box is a little clunky.

As you gather pace the ride is supple, and the car feels poised and light on its feet.

The precise steering is rich with feel but not nervously quick off the straight-ahead, as you find with some of the latest Ferraris.

‘The Ferrari 360 Spider is a thing of beauty. Small buttresses behind the roll-over hoops bring some visual relief to the long rear deck’

Structurally it feels tight, with no rattles or suspension noise, and that adds to the sense of everyday usability.

But this is a Ferrari, so you drive it hard. Response from the long-travel throttle is as immediate as the soulful wail from the V8 that plays in unison.

The engine sounds smaller, busier and more urgent than any other V8, but it’s cultured, too.

It is immensely flexible from low revs, with the feel of a turbocharged mid-range: 6000rpm feels near to peak power, until you realise there’s still another 2500rpm to go.

The Ferrari 360 Spider is best enjoyed when the sun’s out

The F1 transmission works better when you’re really on it in Sport mode, with quicker changes (just 150 milliseconds at above 7000rpm), and downshifts come with a helpful auto-blip to smooth things out.

At the same time, the dampers are stiffened and greater yaw angles are allowed, if you’re in the mood.

Left in Normal, with the transmission in Auto, there is a slight ‘nodding dog’ effect between changes, but that’s easily remedied with a gentle lift of the throttle at the right moment.

The Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale has racing-car roots

The sight of the open-gate manual gearshift in Chris Higenbottam’s 360 Spider completes the Ferrari experience for me.

Who cares if it’s a little bit slower than the F1?

Launched at the Geneva Salon in March 2000, before the first UK cars arrived in July of that year, the Spider brought many advances over the previous F355 Spider.

It was to be Ferrari’s very first car with a fully automated electric hood mechanism, capable of deployment in a claimed 20 secs (we timed it at 25, including the side-window action).

Ferrari 360 buyers paid a £30k premium for the Challenge Stradale when it was new

The roof operation has a near-balletic quality about it, but once it’s tucked away beneath its body-coloured clamshell cover, the Spider remains a thing of beauty, with its small buttresses behind the rollover hoops bringing some visual relief to the long rear deck.

Three glass wind deflectors – one in each hoop, the other between them – were vital in reducing buffeting, and while some of the visual drama afforded by the Modena’s rear ’screen was lost, a flat glass panel let into the engine cover means that you can still view the Spider’s crackle-red induction system.

Ferrari insisted that compromises for the Spider were few: the reduced space behind the seats could only accommodate soft luggage rather than a set of golf clubs; and there was a 60kg weight penalty thanks to not only the mechanism itself, but also the addition of a crossmember in front of the engine and strengthening to the base of the windscreen (the pillars of which were 30mm shorter).

The Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale’s engine makes an extra 20bhp and comes only with the F1 gearbox

Overall, though, performance was nigh-on identical to that of the fixed-roof version: a 180mph top speed was still claimed, with a 0-62mph time a 10th of a second slower, at 4.6 secs.

The price rose to £107,500 at launch, around £6000 more than the Modena.

It would have been a price worth paying.

Chris has driven to most of the European F1 Grands Prix in his Spider – now showing 50,000 miles – and reckons buffeting is minimal with the roof open, while the cabin is well sealed with little wind noise when it’s closed.

The paddle-shift gearbox better suits the Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale

Again, this relatively high-mileage example feels solid and rattle-free, and in terms of dynamics and performance there’s little to choose between it and the closed car.

We happily chat at 70mph as I reacquaint myself with a Ferrari stick shift.

It’s a joy to use – when warm: slick, light and quick through the open gate.

For me, it engages you at a higher level with the car and puts you in mind of classic Ferraris of yore.

Lightweight trim reveals the Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale’s more focused intent

If there is one small fly in the ointment, it’s the steering: most of the Modena system’s attributes remain, but on lumpy road surfaces the Spider’s column gently trembles, revealing the price paid in the pursuit of open-top 360 motoring.

There was a far bigger price to be paid – at point of purchase, at least – for our final 360.

The Challenge Stradale cost £133,025 at launch in 2003 – almost exactly £30,000 more than the Modena.

That premium did, however, buy you a very different breed of 360.

‘There’s more of everything here. The Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale would definitely be your weapon of choice provided the road was clear and your focus absolute’

Derived from Ferrari’s 360 Challenge racing car, the CS was significantly lighter and more powerful.

A natural rival for Porsche’s 911 GT3 RS, the CS shed 110kg from the Modena through greater use of carbonfibre, thinner glass and a plastic rear ’screen.

Inside, carbonfibre-backed seats and yet more carbon trim were added, plus much of the soundproofing was removed.

Then, just to show it was really serious, Ferrari fitted carbon-ceramic brake discs, titanium springs, lightweight multi-spoke wheels and even lighter wheelnuts, plucking 5kg from its unsprung mass.

The removal of sound-deadening material affects the Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale’s door-closing noise

Engines were blueprinted, freer-flowing air intakes were fitted and all CSs came with a redesigned exhaust with less back pressure.

The net result was a 20bhp boost, which, along with the weight-saving, resulted in the 0-62mph time dropping to 4.1 secs, along with an increase in top speed to 186mph.

In reality, the CS’s revisions produced a far more extreme proposition than its on-paper data suggested.

Only around 100 right-hand-drive cars came to the UK, so it’s unsurprising that Tony Williams’ is an imported left-hooker.

The Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale seats have extra bolstering

Save the wheels and badging, the CS reveals little of its identity from the outside.

But when you drop down into the narrower and more deeply bolstered leather seat, look down at the rubber-matted floor and pull the carbonfibre-trimmed door shut with a ‘clank’ rather than a ‘clunk’, you feel as if you should be turning right out of the paddock and into the pitlane, rather than towards the A413.

With Race mode selected, the CS is primed for maximum attack.

Even at lower speeds there’s a snarl from the V8 that is absent from the Spider and Modena.

The Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale makes 420bhp

Subjectively, there appears to be less pedal offset sitting on the left, but otherwise comfort and ergonomics are unchanged.

The CS was only available with the F1 ’box, but it’s better-suited to this car than the others.

Gearchanges are brutally quick, and in this mode it’s best to just leave your right foot planted and let the V8’s strident but magnificent bark rip through the cabin.

There’s more of everything here, with greater urge at any revs and no loss of flexibility.

The 360 Modena, Spider and Challenge Stradale reveal why now is the time to buy this brilliant Ferrari

The CS would definitely be your weapon of choice provided the road was clear and your focus absolute.

The steering is even more engrossing, thanks to less weight at each corner, and while its secondary ride can be abrupt, the payback is a level of high-speed control that unwraps the chassis’ full potential.

Only Maranello’s underdogs, such as the 308GT4, the Mondial and the various flavours of 365/400/412GT have been labelled ‘bargain’ Ferraris in recent times – and even these are on the rise.

So it’s heartening to know that, with prices starting from around £40,000, the 360 – one of the most advanced and thoroughly resolved Ferraris of its time – is now able to adopt that same mantle, too.

Images: Max Edleston

Thanks to: Mike Wheeler, Rardley Motors; Ferrari Owners’ Club GB; Silverstone Circuit; Gary Mullins

Ferrari 360 buying guide

Mike Wheeler has been hands-on with the Ferrari 360 since its launch in 1999

Mike Wheeler, of independent Ferrari specialist Rardley Motors, has been dealing with the marque for more than 40 years and has had considerable experience with the 360 since it was launched.

We asked him to explain why the model is such an appealing buy right now, and what to look out for when considering a purchase.

Reliability

“The 360 has stood the test of time well. Interior build quality is good, with only items such as sticky switches sometimes needing replacement – but that’s a straightforward fix.

“The ball-jointed suspension does tend to wear quite quickly, but Hill Engineering makes a replacement part that is of better quality and less expensive.

“The cars are also very durable: my 25-year-old, 75,000-mile Modena still looks more like a cosseted 25,000-miler!”

Service costs

“We charge £780 including VAT for an annual service, and £1680 for a cambelt replacement and service.”

Marque specialist Mike Wheeler’s price guide reveals what Ferrari 360 buyers should be willing to pay (figures correct at date of original publication)

Running costs

“I tell potential owners to allow an average annual budget of £2500 to £3000.

“This would typically cover tyre and brake wear as well as servicing.”

Essentials before buying

“I would recommend having any potential purchase independently inspected by a marque specialist beforehand.

“A full history file is also vital – even if it reveals that a cambelt service was missed 10 years ago; you just need to be able to see that it’s been looked after ever since.”

Manual or F1 transmission?

“The F1 is an automated manual gearbox, so it’s never going to be as smooth as a normal automatic.

“On the upside, it weighs less than a conventional auto and doesn’t come with a power-sapping torque converter.

“The F1 ’box will change gear more quickly than you would be able to in a manual, on faster roads and circuits.

“But for manoeuvring at low speeds, the F1 is more tricky than a manual gearbox.

“Increasingly, I’m being asked to source cars with F1 gearboxes so that owners whose offspring only learnt to drive in an automatic can also get behind the wheel.”

Factfiles

Ferrari 360 Modena

Sold/number built 1999-2005/8800
Construction aluminium spaceframe and body
Engine all-alloy, dohc-per-bank 3586cc V8, Bosch Motronic 7.3 ignition and sequential fuel injection
Max power 400bhp @ 8500rpm
Max torque 268lb ft @ 4750rpm
Transmission six-speed manual or six-speed ‘F1’ automated manual, RWD
Suspension independent, by double wishbones, coil springs, continuously variable electronic dampers, anti-roll bar f/r
Steering power-assisted rack and pinion
Brakes ventilated discs, with servo and ABS
Length 14ft 8in (4477mm)
Width 6ft 8in (2050mm)
Height 3ft 11in (1214mm)
Wheelbase 8ft 6in (2600mm)
Weight 3190lb (1447kg)
Mpg 14.8
0-60mph 4.5 secs
Top speed 184mph
Price new £101,249
Price now £40-95,000*