2002 Ferrari 360 Spider news, pictures, and information

The 360 Spider is Ferrari's 20th road-going convertible and is a record breaker in two quite different ways. Without doubt it is the best spider Maranello has ever produced in terms of engineering, looks and performance. And, thanks to the exclusive experience Ferrari has accumulated as a Formula 1 constructor, it is the most technologically advanced convertible available today. Despite the car's mid-mounted V8 engine Ferrari's engineers have found a way of creating a hood that automatically folds away inside the engine bay, thus ensuring purity of line. The intrinsic quality of the design is underlined by the two fairings in the bodywork to the rear of the seats which evoke memories of classic sports cars. These are matched by the two roll bars that add the final touch to providing maximum safety for the car's two occupants.

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The Ferrari 360 Modena went into production in 1999 and served as a replacement for the F355. The name 'Modena' was used after the birthplace of Enzo Ferrari. The styling was courtesy of Pininfarina and mounted mid-ship was an eight-cylinder engine constructed entirely of aluminum. The engine was mounted to a six-speed gearbox available as a manual or F1 electro-hydraulic shift. Production continued until 2005 when it was replaced with the F430. The 400 horsepower engine produced around 400 horsepower and could carry the 2840 pound vehicle from zero-to-sixty in just 4.3 seconds. Top speed was achieved at 185 mph. Performance was improved with the introduction of the Challenge Stradale. This was a stripped-down performance version that was void of amenities and non-essential items. The aerodynamics were improved slightly; the chassis was constructed of aluminum. The engine, suspension, and brakes were all greatly improved. With 425 horsepower available and now weighing just 2600 pounds, the Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale could go from zero-to-sixty in a mere 4.1 seconds. The overall top speed improved slightly, now at 186 mph. In 2000 Ferrari introduced the 360 Challenge Series which gave privateers an opportunity to race modified Ferrari's in a regulated environment. The cars that competed in this series were dubbed the Ferrari 360 Challenge. They featured 18 inch BBS alloy wheels and a lowered ride height. A F1-gearbox was matted to the stock engine. The engines were sealed as to not allow tampering. The F1-gearbox is very quick, with gearshifts taking only 150 milliseconds. The suspension was improved to handle the tough track environment. The electronic damping system was replaced with Boge shock absorbers. There were three championships - one in Italy, Europe, and North America.

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