If you take a short glance at this car –there is another Michael Benner picture displayed in the “Picture Box”-, the “Dual Frame”-Project, you will be seduced to say “a Modena” and easily turn to the next car. But you will have the impression of the car in mind and turn around because you know: “this is different, this is not fitting my knowledge of a 360” and you are right.
You might think, this is a Spider with a hard top, even if the roof would be colour coded to the Argento Nürburgring livery of the car. But still you are feeling uncomfortable compared to your previous Modena impressions. There are more things on the car that make you feel curious: the mirrors are different that’s the first impression, followed by a view on the door: “that’s no Modena-door” you think and you are right, but it isn’t a gullwing door, the side skirts are just a variation of the Modena side skirts and the outside view of the dash makes you sure, this is no design icon, this is a project car.
The serial number of the car is yet unknown, but the Factory describes it as a study that was used to reduce the noise and vibration produced by the engine compartment to the passenger cell. The Modena had implanted the passenger cell of an F50 that had received additional absorbers made of elastics blocks!
Two prototypes have been built, one having an 8 cyl. engine, the other was added with a 12 cyl. engine. The results of the road test did not return satisfying results and the project was abandoned in 2005.
If you see the multiplicity of the results of “mechanical Igors” (note from the editor: please have a look at Terry Pratchett’s creation about the friendly definition of a useful Igor) we all are very curious how many other strange but interesting automotive creatures are still hidden in the Factory’s cellar vault.