Few supercars have the sound, road presence, and charisma of the Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale, known as the track-focused iteration of the series. Unfortunately, a pristine example of the model was severly damaged yesterday in Melbourne, Australia, after the driver lost control and crashed into a pickup.
The extent of the damage to the Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale was captured in photos and videos shared on Instagram by journalist Jacqueline Felgate. However, a clearer picture of the incident was provided by 7 News Australia, who made public a CCTV footage of the crash.
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The red Ferrari was cruising down Punt Road when the driver suddenly lost control for unknown reasons. After swerving, the supercar collided with an off-road-prepped Nissan Navara that was waiting in traffic on the opposite side of the road. The height difference between the two vehicles caused the Ferrari to act as a ramp, launching the pickup into an old Subaru Impreza hatchback that was moving slowly alongside it.
Fortunately, all drivers and passengers involved in the accident were able to walk away without serious injuries. However, both the Ferrari and the Impreza suffered significant damage. The front end of the Ferrari, including the bumper, fender, bonnet, windscreen, and internals were completely wrecked and the airbags were deployed. Despite this, the damage appears to be repairable as the mid-mounted engine and bodywork don’t appear to be affected. Nonetheless, due to the age and rarity of the vehicle, the owner can expect a substantial repair bill from Ferrari and a lengthy wait until the car is roadworthy once again.
A few hours prior to the accident, the Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale was spotted in South Yara, looking immaculate. The owner must be a big fan of the Maranello brand, as his collection reportedly includes an SF90 Spider, an 812 Competizione, and a 488 Pista, alongside a number of superbikes.
The Challenge Stradale is a lighter and more powerful version of the standard 360 Modena, featuring a much louder exhaust and a track-focused setup, with power coming from a naturally aspirated 3.6-liter V8 rated at 419 hp (313 kW / 425 PS) and 373 Nm (275 lb-ft) of torque. Although this may be less than what a Mercedes-AMG A45 S makes today, it was a significant amount of power back in 2000. The legacy of V8-powered track-focused specials from Ferrari continued with the 430 Scuderia, the 458 Speciale, and the 488 Pista.