Somewhere Out There, An Opel-Powered Ferrari Exists

Purists hold sacred the soul of Ferrari sports cars, but one project has taken a bold detour. A Ferrari F355 Berlinetta – an icon of ‘90s performance and style, and the forebear of the Ferrari F8 Tributo – has undergone one of the most unconventional engine swaps to date. Underneath its sleek, red Italian skin now lies the heart of a German mass-market car: an Opel-sourced Z20LET engine made by General Motors.

The project surfaced on the TechTurkey forums in 2009, where user BrakeHorsePower shared the work done by Vmax Performance, a tuning outfit based in Germany. Instead of the original 3.5-liter V8 that delivered spine-tingling revs and a soundtrack to match, this F355 now packs a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four engine from a relatively pedestrian Opel Astra Coupe. Yes, it’s a real Ferrari and not just a hideous replica to upend your day.

It Still Exists After Over 16 Years

After 16 years, the car still exists, with Twin Engine Corsa, the mad men behind insane builds with a twin-engine setup, bringing it to light via its social media channels. This isn’t just a junkyard engine drop, though. The Z20LET, a GM engine used in several midsize applications, has been heavily modified, reportedly producing around 600 horsepower, with ambitions to reach 800 hp using a massive GT4202 turbo.

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One of the rods exited the assembly through the oil pan.

The motivation behind the swap wasn’t entirely clear, but it demonstrated serious fabrication skills. According to the original poster, the original Ferrari transmission was retained, mated to a custom bellhousing to fit the Opel block. Other modifications include a BMW M3-sourced intake manifold and significant custom work throughout the drivetrain and turbo system.

Of Course, It Didn’t Sit Well With Fans

Unsurprisingly, reactions from forum users were predictably mixed. The majority balked at the idea of desecrating a Ferrari with a “lesser” engine, especially one from a mass-market German brand that sometimes moonlights as a performance automaker. For the minority, though, the project stands as a daring example of what happens when performance and experimentation take precedence over tradition.

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With styling by Ian Callum, a screaming naturally aspirated V8, and a six-speed manual, this limited-edition is a sub-2,800-lb analog delight.

Is it sacrilegious? Maybe. Is it impressive? We think so. The car might no longer have the scream of a flat-plane V8, but with double the power, it should definitely offer a different kind of thrill. Whether you see it as a crime against automotive heritage or a fascinating engineering experiment, there’s no denying this F355 is one of a kind.