For sale now through German Ferrari specialists Modena Motorsport is a one-of-a-kind patchwork beauty, a 348-based test mule used to develop what would become the iconic Ferrari Enzo. The prototype would be an incredible addition to any Ferrari collector’s stable—a true piece of prancing horse history. History ain’t cheap, however: Originally auctioned by Sotheby’s in 2005 for €195,000 (roughly $300K in today’s money), the Enzo Prototype was listed for sale in 2011 at €750,000 (approximately $1 million). As enthusiasts wait and wonder how much the Enzo Prototype will fetch, let’s take a look at the history and construction of this unique Ferrari.
In the three years leading up to the Enzo’s debut at the 2002 Paris Motor Show, Ferrari built three prototype cars to refine its vision of an F1 car for the road, which were designated M1, M2, and M3. This car is M3. At the time of its original sale, it was the first Ferrari prototype to be offered for auction by the factory, as most cars of its kind are usually destroyed or kept at Modena. Built between September and November 2000, the Enzo Prototype used a version of the chassis from another prototype that was lengthened by 9.8 inches in order to accommodate an V-12 engine good for 670 horsepower. The A-type V12 was replaced in the final Enzo with Ferrari’s B-type V-12, which got an associated carbon-fiber air box as opposed to the aluminum one found in the prototype. The Enzo Prototype was also used to test the V-12 that would go into the 599.
The internals of the Enzo Prototype come from a who’s-who of 1990s Ferrari classics: The oil radiator is from the 550; the brakes, suspension, and drivetrain are mostly 355 Challenge; the interior is mostly adapted from the 348, with the instrument panel coming from a 360 Modena. The body is most recognizable as a heavily modified 348, with a custom asymmetrical air vent leading directly to the radiator, and the unmistakable 348 doors harkening back to the 1980s Testarossa. The body is stretched to cover the longer chassis, and the rear is adapted from the 360 but is actually nicely integrated.
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The looks of the Enzo Prototype are slightly rough by nature, but make for an intriguing view of an alternate universe where Ferrari’s late-1980s/early-1990s design aesthetic carried through to their logical conclusions. All of this to say one thing: We’re gonna need a bigger wallet.
from Car and Driver Blog http://ift.tt/1slulIb
via Agya
