More than up to the task is the new Ferrari 360 Modena.  It may seem strange that Ferrari's sports model has a V8, as Enzo Ferrari himself had said that a Ferrari should have 12 cylinders.   Probably for reasons of prestige and cost, this "entry-level" Ferrari (if you can call $130,000 entry level) does not sport a V12 like its big brothers, the GT cars 550 Maranello and 456M. 

This, however, is no ordinary V8.  Its capacity is only 3.6 liters but it develops 400 bhp at 8500 rpm.  That's 111 bhp/liter!  It also cranks out a massive 380 Nm of torque.   It sits just behind the driver's seat, and even from there can be admired through the huge glass engine cover.   The V8 is quite compact, despite having 40 valves, four camshafts, a multi-stage air-intake system and a variable exhaust.  The powerplant is coupled to a longitudinal gearbox, with six gears operated manually or via F1 type paddle shifters. 

The 360 Modena looks quite different from the 355-as well it should.  The F355 is actually a major facelift of the preceding 348, which in turn descended from the 328 and the original 308GT4 introduced in 1973.

Gone is the 355's friendly but generic face, with its central grille and concealed headlamps.  The Modena's face sports two large exposed lamp clusters, and below those enormous nostrils, which house the radiators.  It has no grille and a cutout at the bumper's center, giving it a fierce bulldog appearance.  The fender arches are pronounced, like a McLaren F1's and flow smoothly into the side panels. Air scoops for the engine and brakes are sculpted into the door sills and rear fender.

As its radical styling suggests, the Modena is new from the ground up.  All major components, from engine to chassis to suspension, are made from aluminum, much like the Honda NSX and the Audi A8.  Like the A8, the Ferrari has an aluminum spaceframe-aluminum box sections extruded and welded together-to which the aluminum body panels are attached.  Indeed, the aluminum frame is clearly visible in some areas, particularly surrounding the V8.  Ferrari is apparently proud of its little beast, innards and all.