Thursday 28th January 2016

Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale : Spotted

It's not just the classic Ferraris that are getting expensive...

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Remember when the Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale came out? Back in 2003 it initially looked like an awful lot of money. For £30,000 more than a regular 360 Modena, you got another 25hp and 90kg less car. It appeared a big premium for a fairly modest gain by the numbers, especially when there was a 996 GT3 RS at £50,000 less...

But then of course people drove the Challenge Stradale and it started to make a good deal more sense. The noise, the intensity and the handling sealed its reputation as another excellent V8 Ferrari Berlinetta.

Beyond the initial launch excitement though, the Stradale didn't hold its value like you might predict nowadays. Indeed, I have an issue of Classic & Sports Car from November 2011 where a low mileage CS was for sale at £49,995. Fifty grand!

Now you'll need more than double that to get into any Challenge Stradale, £140,000 seemingly the entry point for LHD cars. And you don't even get the stripe for that. Then at the other end of the price scale is this black car, a beautiful and very late example that's had just two owners and has covered a paltry 2,000 miles. It's also for sale at £334,990.

What's perhaps most surprising of all about that number is that it's not the only one. This red CS is £329,950. It appears the world has blinked and the Challenge Stradale has skyrocketed. That there are a few cars for sale at comfortably over £200K would suggest this is what they're selling for now. Extraordinary.

Why are they doing this? Lightweight, track focused versions of anything are doing especially well at the moment (see M3 CSLs for example) and the CS has the appeal of a naturally aspirated V8 too. As the world moves towards forced induction, the glorious old atmospheric engines will become all the more exciting.

Moreover, as Stradales head for the stratosphere, so they are pulling up regular 360 Modenas; the most affordable manual coupe on PH at present is nearly £60K. It's interesting as well to compare the CS with its Porsche contemporary.

Though this GT3 RS has twice the miles (so still only 5,000), it's also £100,000 less.

So can a 360 Challenge Stradale really be worth £300K? It would be fascinating to know your thoughts. Is it now a bona fide classic that will stay up there? Or a victim of the current boom that will inevitably slide? Whatever your view, it's worth looking at this dealer's stocklist too; the Aventador SV and GT2 RS are particularly nice...

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FERRARI 360 CHALLENGE STRADALE
Engine: 3,586cc V8
Transmission: 6-speed automated manual, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 425@8,500rpm
Torque (lb ft): 275@4,750rpm
MPG: N/A
CO2: N/A
First registered: 2007
Recorded mileage: 2,034
Price new: £133,025
Yours for: £334,990

See the original advert here.

[GroundEffect]

One of these cars in blue with no stripe is my perfection.

[daveco]

I always thought there was something distinctly aftermarket about the 360 design, particularly the CS.

The wheels don't seem to sit flush with the body or go with the design, the headlights an an afterthought, the stripe looks naff, and the seats look too large for the cabin. That said wasn't the 360 engine more aurally pleasing than the 430 that followed?

But then what does a pauper like me know

[Durzel]

The prices on these things are quite staggering. There have been soothsayers talking about the imminent burst of the financial bubble for the last year or more, and in the meantime prices on these and even later models has just continued on a stratospheric rise. I see no reason this won't continue in 2016, particularly with renewed murmurs about the chances of interest rates going down instead of up.

The hidden downside of course is that for people that own them it becomes less and less of a car and more of an investment. If I was in the position to have bought a 360 CS back when the prices were on the same planet I would feel very pressured now (and for some time) not to drive it at all. Same with the F430 Scud, 458 Speciale, etc. Even the regular models prices have been trending consistently upwards all year long. It's a bit of a shame when ultimately they are also amazing, thrilling cars to drive.

Great if you own, not so great if you just want to drive.

[LankyLegoHead]

The greatest sounding Ferrari, to me.

[BRR]

I do love the CS, i think they look & sound brilliant and i'm sure they're very exciting to drive. the price they're now commanding is crazy though.

looking at the dealers stock list and the prices being asked emphasises what great value a used 12c is

[kel176506]

GroundEffect said:

One of these cars in blue with no stripe is my perfection.

You have impeccable taste sir! The advert for these was good as well:

https://youtu.be/PI57X03AtyA

[stephen300o]

The good rare cars of all kinds are flying up in price.

This one, one of my favourites.

[Leins]

Make this 348 GTC look a bit of a bargain, especially when compared to 964RS prices: http://www.simonfurlonger.co.uk/docs2/cars/EFApuZF...

[Gandahar]

daveco said:

I always thought there was something distinctly aftermarket about the 360 design, particularly the CS.

The wheels don't seem to sit flush with the body or go with the design, the headlights an an afterthought, the stripe looks naff, and the seats look too large for the cabin. That said wasn't the 360 engine more aurally pleasing than the 430 that followed?

But then what does a pauper like me know

Agree, if Ferrari made a kit car trying to look like a Ferrari it would look like a 360. The headlights are so naff. It looks like they spent about 4000 lira on the materials.

I'd much rather have a F355 or F430.

[thiscocks]

Saw one driving the other day- do look properly stanced. Isnt the ride meant to be a bit too hard for the road?

[RamboLambo]

Sadly a great drivers car is now seen purely as an investment, never to see the road again.

Sold my 430 Scuderia because I was literally scared to drive it in fear of stone chips and mileage harming its value.
Such a shame these cars only end up in the hands of the wealthiest collectors and the humble car enthusiast is priced out of the market.

The next big thing in the supercar market and currently great value for money - early McLaren 12C/650S. Low production volumes, a fantastic quality product ahead of its time and a rising brand will see demand outstrip supply in future years.
Mark my words

[steve1386]

Why on earth would you buy one of these when you can have a F430 Scuderia for over £50k less...

More modern, more powerful, more advanced, just about as fast as an Enzo round Fiorano (If I remember correctly) and MUCH better looking!!

[Summit_Detailing]

Easily the best sounding Ferrari in 'race'.

If my Lotto numbers came up it's the only F car I'd purchase...in silver or blue.

Chris

[stephen300o]

Sadly people are so obsessed with money, they forget to enjoy.

[J4CKO]

How much are normal 360's ? 50 to 80 k ?

Always amazes me how a few mechanical tweaks to ostensibly the same thing means they are worth several times more. Appreciate they made some pretty impressive changes but I would expect it to be worth a bit more, not six or seven times more but I guess its just supply and demand.

[stephen300o]

Gandahar said:

daveco said:

I always thought there was something distinctly aftermarket about the 360 design, particularly the CS.

The wheels don't seem to sit flush with the body or go with the design, the headlights an an afterthought, the stripe looks naff, and the seats look too large for the cabin. That said wasn't the 360 engine more aurally pleasing than the 430 that followed?

But then what does a pauper like me know

Agree, if Ferrari made a kit car trying to look like a Ferrari it would look like a 360. The headlights are so naff. It looks like they spent about 4000 lira on the materials.

I'd much rather have a F355 or F430.

These two are more enthusiastic about this 'dreadful' car...
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=plYTjTxxNqQ

[junglist]

This kind of pricing, all be it at a much lower budget, is the bain of my life currently. I have a list of potential cars that I've been eyeing up for several years. It took me several years to save up a healthy amount to spend however I was actually working out of the country for nearly two years and planned to treat myself once I returned to the UK at the end of 2015. But as the article highlights things have gone crazy. All of the cars on my own list have seen at least 50% increases, often more. I am now in the position that I have the money to buy and comfortably run a car, however unfortunately only at prices from 2 years ago!

So now I'm stuck with a lump of dispoable income but everything I actually want to buy is not attainable any more. There are no cars I really want in the current market for the budget I now have, I feel I would just be buying for the sake of buying something. Might just forget the car market, run around in a shed and invest my money in upscaling my property!

Speculators that drive up the prices really get under my skin. For those who don't earn six figures it's a tough slog to get something you really want and a kick in the teeth when you almost get there but gets pulled from under you. I for one am hoping for a car market pricing correction, that'll learn them! But doubt that will happen any time soon.

[Superhoop]

Durzel said:

The hidden downside of course is that for people that own them it becomes less and less of a car and more of an investment.

At the PH SS at Brands Hatch last year, I was having a chat with a PHer with a Porsche 964RS, who was in exactly this position - He bought it to do track days in, and said that at the time, his excess for TD insurance was relatively cheap (£500 or so), now, it was more like 10k, and with the panels being unobtainable, and the loss of value for a car that had been damaged, he said he just couldn't track it any more

[J4CKO]

You just have to think a bit more about what is out there and avoid the usual suspects, or find one that hasnt been trotted up by specialist dealers, there are still loads of decent cars out there, just dont get caught up in the hype unless you have vast cash reserves.

Depends whether you want "an icon" or just something fun, I think there is a large dose of "Emperors new clothes" going on and a lot of very rich folk buying them like they are Pokemons.

334 grand for a Ferrari 360, does not compute.

[sparta6]

Epic car. Exciting. But got out of mine and grabbed some classic manuals instead. The 308 is prettier, and the 928 is better for the runs down to Nice.
Do I miss the CS soundtrack ? Sometimes, but the neighbours do not
I think CS prices will track the F40, around the 50% mark.