978-1-4222-3279-8

or F1 electrohydraulic manual transmission. Two years after the launch of the Modena, Ferrari announced its 20 th road-going convertible – the 360 Spider. Similar to the Modena, the Spider featured the mid-mounted 400 bhp V8 engine that was visible under a glass cover, and the engineers at Ferrari cleverly designed the roof to automatically fold away into its own compartment between the cabin and the engine bay. The final model, the Challenge Stradale, was a special edition high- performance road-legal version of the 360 Modena that made its debut at the Geneva Motor Show in 2003. Experience in the International Ferrari Trofeo Pirelli Challenge and GT competitions

enabled engineers to modify the Challenge Stradale into something completely unique. Reducing the weight by 242 lb (110 kg) and major modifications to the V8 engine boosted performance. While aluminum remained the

main construction material for the chassis and body, carbon fiber was introduced for structural elements. The aerodynamic styling was honed and a lower racing setup increased downforce by 50 per cent in comparison to the Modena.

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