- A U.K. company called GTO Engineering is planning to build a modernized version of a Ferrari 250 GT.
- The car will be built around a carbon-fiber body shell and use a V-12 engine.
- Expect a price well north of $1 million.
Back in September we were lucky enough to drive a near-exact replica of the Ferrari 250 GT SWB Competizione built by GTO Engineering in the U.K. The car was entirely special, but we were surprised to learn that many of the buyers for GTO’s high-end faux-raris chose to specify them with period-inappropriate "restomod" changes including air conditioning and even in-car entertainment beyond that provided by a free-breathing V-12 engine.
Now the company is launching a new model that will take historic inexactitude to a spectacular new level, a 250 GT–inspired retromod that will be built around a carbon-fiber structure. It has a targeted weight of under 2200 pounds but is still powered by a quad-cam V-12 engine.
Called the Moderna, the new car’s traditional looks will be wrapped around a much more up-to-date mechanical package. GTO Engineering boss Mark Lyon says it will use aluminum subframes and a fully independent control-arm suspension front and rear. Bigger wheels will also allow it to accommodate more powerful brakes than the skinny discs of the original car.
While clearly inspired by the original Ferrari, the carbon-fiber body shell will also have a Zagato-like "double bubble" roof and, as these early sketches make clear, will incorporate modern projector and LED lights front and rear. Aluminum will still be used for the doors and hood to give an appropriate weight and feel to their action.
The Moderna will use a version of the quad-cam V-12 it builds for its existing replicas. The final specs haven't been confirmed, but GTO Engineering says it is possible the engine will be given both out-of-period upgrades. We anticipate a sizeable hike in power over the estimated 315 horsepower of the new-old car we drove.
It won’t be cheap, of course. The replica 250 GT SWB starts at around $1 million and the Moderna will doubtless be more expensive. But for those with every automotive itch already scratched, the idea of what is effectively a carbon-bodied 1960s Ferrari could be a compelling one.