The Modulo’s design is still capable of eye-catching to this day, and it had the power to make up the look of its supercar.
Concept cars have always been tied to the limitations of commerciality and practicality (and sometimes even possibility) and have always been able to present impressive ideas to the automotive public. Chrysler thrilled audiences in the age of jet engines with a car that was powered by a turbine rather than a piston engine. Audi courted our modern, tech-obsessed culture with an off-road vehicle with drones for headlights.
Of course, between the turbine cars of the 60s and the drone-equipped off-roaders of today, the style prevailed when the futuristic aesthetics of the 70s and 80s were embodied in concept cars. And during the 1970s Ferrari 512S Modulo was revealed right at the beginning of this wave of design. It still looks like something out of a science fiction movie.
The modulo was eye-catching in every way. Its styling is capable of eye-catching to this day, and it had the power to butt off its supercar look. The concept car has intrigued those who have seen it from its debut at the 1970 Geneva Motor Show to its recent purchase of Pininfarina by the Hollywood Bigshot and the extraordinary James Glickenhaus gearbox.
Here’s a look at one of the wildest Ferrari designs ever.
Styling that has to be seen to be believed
Via: Flickr
The first thing that pops out about the Ferrari Modulo is how radical the design of the concept car is. Ferrari’s frequent design partner Pininfarina was hired to give shape to the Modulo. The result looks more like a rocket ship than a car. The shape is basically a wedge, although it differs from the more angular later wedge designs that were common in the 80s. Sharp lines can be found on the edges of the top and bottom halves of the car, but the rest is sleek and smooth.
The bubble-like body of the Modulo is not interrupted by unsightly side mirrors or door handles. The rounded, aerodynamic appearance of the vehicle is also retained when getting in and out. Instead of having traditional doors that swing out to the side, or even the more luxurious butterfly or gull-wing doors that still break up the sleek silhouette of a supercar, the Modulo used a canopy door, with the entire roof raised and slid forward to give access to the to enable interior space without disturbing the curves and lines of the space-appropriate design.
To further encapsulate the car in a slippery, spherical shape, all four wheels of the Modulo are partially covered. There are no sudden, flat sides to be seen on the car that look more like sliding across the ground than when you are driving on it. In this symmetrical Jetsons-like design, the steering wheel is located in the middle of the cockpit, as in the later McLaren F1. This provides a more central driving position which in theory provides better visibility and awareness of the vehicle’s location on the road.
Walking The Walk
Via: Wikimedia
The modulo doesn’t just look like that. The futuristic concept car was originally based on the Ferrari 512 S racing car that was used in the World Sportscar Championship and Can-Am series, and it was also able to deliver the performance one would expect from a Ferrari that looks like it originated from the future.
A powerful 5-liter V12 engine is hidden under the eye-catching body. The engine was visible through holes in the dark engine cover and could produce a whopping 550 hp. Although the numbers are theoretical, as concept car performance data almost always are, Ferrari expected the Modulo to reach a top speed of around 220 mph. The acceleration from 0 to 60 should take about 3 seconds.
The low weight (less than a ton) and the sleek dimensions of the Modulo would make it nimble and agile even around corners. The weight distribution benefited from the arrangement of the rear mid-engine, which was common in racing cars at the time but was unknown in sports cars until the Lamborghini Miura debut shortly before the Modulo was unveiled. Unfortunately, as mentioned in a Classic Driver article about the Modulo, the tire-darkening design restricted movement of the front wheels, which limited actual cornering performance.
The 512S Modulo can actually drive
Since its debut in Geneva over half a century ago, the Modulo has spent much of its time in a museum. Originally black, the car has been repainted white and shown by Pininfarina as an example of their incredible work.
In 2014, however, the Modulo was taken over by James Glickenhaus. The well-heeled car enthusiast has since gone through the process of restoring its operating condition and in June 2018 managed to get the Modulo ready for its first trip on the road. The car’s futuristic canopy door, engine cover and highly stylized wheel trims were removed for propulsion, making the V12-powered car a sight to behold. Even at a standstill, the 512S Modulo still looks like it came from 50 years in the future and not from 50 years in the past.
About the author
James Chadwell
(23 articles published)
James Chadwell is a writer from New Jersey. His love for cars dates back to when his father let him shift gears from the passenger seat of his M3. Now James’ daily driver is a 1974 TVR 2500M. A fan of the Chicago and British blues, he can listen to and play music when he’s not writing about cars or driving cars.
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