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610 HP Twin-Turbo Ferrari 348 Challenge Restomod Is a Bit Like an Old-School 488

Have you ever seen a horse with a pair of turbos strapped to its saddle? What do you mean by “No”? Haven’t you met the 488? Now that Ferrari has returned to turbocharging, we want to bring you something the combines the forced induction giggles with the analogue Ferrari feeling.
610 HP Twin-Turbo Ferrari 348 Challenge Restomod 1 photo
Photo: screenshot from Youtube
Ladies and gentlemen drivers, meet the a Ferrari 348 Challenge that has gone through quite an extreme restomod job and now greets you with the roar of its 610 Prancing Horses.

For the younger part of the audience, we’ll mention the 348 was never included on the list of top creations that have rolled off the Maranello factory gate, simply because its 300 hp didn’t recommend it.

The Italians did work on the machine, coming up with the 348 Challenge, a racecar that was also street-legal and yet the power disadvantage was never fully overcome.

Ferrari only built 32 units of the 348 Challenge, one of which is now completely remastered. The 3.4-liter V8 at its middle delivers 610 hp and 500 lb-ft (805 Nm) at the wheels.

The V8 works with a pair of Comp 6062 turbos, which deliver 10 lbs of boost. There’s also an evil overboost button, which pushes things all the way up to 15 lbs.

The suspension and the gearbox, which features that superb gated shifter, come from a 355 Challenge, a car Ferrari got right in terms of power. As for the stopping power, this is provided by massive AP Racing brakes, which feature a six-piston caliper setup all round.

The 610 hp machine tips the scales at 3,175 lbs (1,440 kg), with the 0 to 60 mph (96 km/h) sprint going as low as 2.8s, while the top speed sits at 192 mph (309 km/h), being limited by the transmission.

So while this thing mirrors the Ferrari 488 in terms of the 0 to 60 sprint, the idea here is the old school aroma. Sure, the 488 will kick its 90s posterior on a track thanks to its transmission alone, but this is the kind of machine where full boost arrives between 5,000 and 8,900 rpm, so they are entirely different animals.

Then there are the details, with the extreme 348 Challenge having packing engine bay and interior details that aim to replicate the factory trim.

And when a not exactly tiny guy like Matt Farrah talks about the non-assisted steering’s manly feel, you know the driving experience is memorable.

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About the author: Andrei Tutu
Andrei Tutu profile photo

In his quest to bring you the most impressive automotive creations, Andrei relies on learning as a superpower. There's quite a bit of room in the garage that is this aficionado's heart, so factory-condition classics and widebody contraptions with turbos poking through the hood can peacefully coexist.
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