Starting life as a 360 Challenge, Michelotto’s 360 N-GT was born of a desire to return Ferrari to the FIA GT Championship. Using the 360 Challenge as its basis, the N-GT received a number of modifications to make it more competitive in the competitive FIA GT field. The engine, initially producing 430 bhp in 360 Challenge specification, was modified with revised engine electronics, more aggressive exhaust, and mated to a sequential gearbox fitted with lightened and closer ratios to manage the additional power. Power was increased by 15 bhp, even with the required 30.8 mm air restrictors in place.

With the restrictors removed, the 360 N-GT could produce 540 bhp, a world’s away from the 400 bhp of the ‘standard’ 360 Modena! In addition to this, thanks to gaining polycarbonate windows, a lighter windshield, carbon fibre body panels, and despite having a large rear wing and front splitter fitted, the 360 N-GT weighed some 90 kg less than the 360 Challenge, tipping the scales at approximately 1,100 kg.

In 360 Challenge guise, this car, chassis number 118533 was shipped new to the U.K. and used only once in the Ferrari Challenge West, driven at the Spa Ferrari Days in April of 2000 by Robert Shaw, racing for Ferrari U.K. The following year, it was sold to Prancing Horse Racing Team based in Melbourne, Australia, with the intention of converting it to 360 N-GT specifications.

As such, chassis number 118533 was shipped to Michelotto in late 2001 to begin its conversion to 360 N-GT specifications, with work being completed in February 2002 and this car becoming the eleventh conversion of just 17 built, bearing serial number 011 M. Immediately put on a plane bound for Melbourne following completion, the car was quickly pushed into testing at Calder raceway prior to its first race meeting: a support race for the 2002 Australian Grand Prix. Its second and final race down under would be the Clipsal 500 Nations Cup Meeting on March 3, 2002 at the Adelaide Parklands Circuit. Following qualifying on pole and posting a new lap record of 1:25.79, John Bowe managed to finish second place in race 1 and race 3 and took victory in race 2.

Shortly thereafter, the 360 N-GT was purchased from Prancing Horse Racing by Veloqx Motorsport and flown to its new home in the U.K., destined to compete in the burgeoning British GT Championship and European FIA GT events. It was said that this was one of three 360 N-GTs acquired and by Team Veloqx in period. During its time with Team Veloqx, this and its sister cars were effectively developed into what became the 360 GTC by virtue of the installation of the Hewland NLT six-speed sequential transaxle, and the car remains equipped as such today. Keeping in close contact with Michelotto, this change would be adopted by Michelotto and the Hewland NLT gearboxes were offered as standard on the 360 N-GTs replacement, the 360 GT.

Flown from Australia to the UK, 011 M in time to compete in the first round of the British GT championship at Brand’s Hatch in the spring of 2002, the driver pairing of Calum Lockie and Jamie Davies finished third in class and fourth overall, with the following round at Donington producing an identical class result and seventh overall. One notable, non-competitive appearance for the car would come at the Ferrari Festival in Brands Hatch in August, where the car appeared on track alongside its sister cars from Veloqx for some demonstration laps with none other than the then Ferrari F1 Technical Director, Ross Brawn. 011 M would appear once more in British GT that season with Lockie and Davies behind the wheel at Oulton Park, the ninth round of the championship, but there the car unfortunately failed to finish. Its final event for 2002 would be the ninth round of the FIA GT Championship at Donington Park, this time being driven by Tim Sugden and Andrew Kirkaldy, again resulting in another DNF.

For 2003, the 360 N-GT would remain with Veloqx Motorsport and would see testing at Jerez, Vallelunga, Misano, Monza, Barcelona, Snetterton, and Spa Francorchamps. Its second foray into the FIA GT championship would come at Donington Park in June, finishing 15th overall and 6th in class, driven by Andrew Kirkaldy and Guy Smith. The car would return to British GT for the eight round of the championship at Thruxton that same August. Andrew Kirkaldy would again take the wheel, this time with Tim Mullen driving alongside. There, the car placed 2nd overall, finishing just two seconds behind the Mosler MT900R of Balfe Motorsport.

Following the end of the car’s racing career, it would return to Melbourne, having been purchased by a local private collector. With him, the car would only be used in a handful of demonstration and exhibition events as well as the occasional private track day. Self-regarded as a perfectionist, he also commissioned a complete repaint to an extremely high standard that replicated the precise details including the complex airbrushing to the livery. Approximately ten years ago, the 360 N-GT was acquired by the current owner who repatriated the car to the U.K., where it remains today, again having only been used sparingly in non-competitive track days.

Now twenty-five years following this particular car’s conversion by Michelotto, the 360 N-GT as a model remains highly eligible for a number of historic racing events and series around the world. Most notably, the car is eligible or Ferrari’s highly desirable Club Competizioni GT events, organized by Corse Clienti and run at tracks around the world alongside some of the marque’s most desirable racing cars. In addition to this, the car remains eligible for Peter Auto’s Endurance Racing Legends series (which includes Le Mans Classic), Masters Endurance Legends, and the Historic Sportscar Racing Mission GT Challenge in the U.S.

Presented today in its 2003 Veloqx livery, the 360 N-GT remains in good running order with strong leak down and compression test figures, both of which were recently undertaken during a technical inspection by Pursuit Racing. These remain on file alongside a quotation for the car to be made race ready akin to current regulations. The 360 N-GT marks a fascinating point in Ferrari’s GT racing history as it was at this time that Ferrari returned to the GT grid after a long absence and instantly took the fight to their archrivals Porsche. This is a car that can easily be driven on track, looks stunning and is accompanied by one of the finest soundtracks of the era.