2002 Ferrari 360 Modena Review
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By Scott Oldham

Overview

The Ferrari 360 Modena isn't a car. Not really. Not in the traditional sense. Cars are about transportation, get to grandma's house, haul home the groceries, they're a necessity, like food or ESPN. But the Ferrari 360 Modena F1 has little to do with transportation, little to do with necessity. It's a 395-horsepower, $155,000 sports car. It's a pleasure machine, pure and simple. A toy.

Oh sure, it'll get you to granny's, quickly in fact, it's just not the reason why you own such a machine. You own a Ferrari 360 Modena F1 because you want to. Because you can. Because women will like you if you do.

Still, the 2002 Ferrari 360 Modena F1 is as close to a real car, a traditional car, a usable car, as the storied Italian car maker has ever produced. For the first time, Ferrari has addressed such things as interior space, basic ergonomics and overall comfort, not to mention our test car's automatic transmission, which makes this the first of the brand's mid-engined supercars that can truly be driven everyday.

Model Lineup

The Ferrari 360 comes in two bodystyles; Berlinetta (hardtop) and Spider (convertible).

Both are offered with a either a conventional 6-speed manual or a trick semi-automatic 6-speed transmission. Cars with the semi-automatic gearbox, like our Berlinetta test car, get their own model designation, F1, because shifting is controlled with two paddles mounted on the steering column similar to those used by Michael Schumacher in his gazillion-dollar Formula 1 race car.

Technically, there are four distinct models, the 360 Modena ($144,620), the 360 Modena F1 ($154,550), the 360 Spider ($161,475), and the 360 Spider F1 ($171,185).

Each comes with a long list of standard features including the ubiquitous air conditioning, power windows, locks and mirrors. (At these prices, they better.) Leather seats and a AM/FM stereo with CD player are also standard. Spiders get a standard power top. Standard safety equipment includes ABS, traction control and dual airbags.

Options are limited to exterior and interior colors.