UK-based engineering firm and Ferrari specialist GTO Engineering has revealed the first details about its latest project. Following the reveal of the 250 SWB Revival recreation, GTO Engineering is now developing a sub-1,000 kg sports car “celebrating the best of Sixties motoring with modern and motorsport-derived engineering”.
Codenamed Moderna, the new car will be
made by hand and sold under the GTO Engineering name. The company says the
ethos of the new project is to push the boundaries of modern craftsmanship
using new materials and the learnings the team has has building and maintaining
a range of road- and race-oriented Ferraris since 1991.
The Moderna will use a tubular steel
chassis with lightweight yet high-strength aluminum subframes, while the main
body will be made of F1-spec carbon fiber – a first for a GTO Engineering
product. The car will also feature aluminum doors and bonnet to save weight
while also maintaining a 1960s sports car feel. The company also aims to give
the Moderna a racing twist by adding motorsport-derived components for
increased driver engagement, enjoyment and usability. Those will include
independent all-round suspension and large diameter wheels housing lightweight
and powerful brakes, among other things.
As for the design, it’s obviously inspired
by the cars the GTO Engineering team has been working on since the company’s
inception in 1991, with many cues reminding of the iconic Ferrari 250 GTO. The
front-engined, two-seater sports coupe will combine traditional styling
elements like the ‘double-bubble’ roof and functional venting on the bonnet and
the wheel arches with modern touches. Those will include LED headlights,
spotlights, and taillights, a contemporary exhaust system, as well as updated
electrics and internals.
Customers will be offered many paint, trim
and accessory options, alongside the ability to adjust major components such as
suspension and gearbox options. Each car will be hand built in the UK.
