The Challenge Stradale is for those of you who think Ferrari has gone too far down the luxury route but can't afford an Enzo. Almost every component of the car has been evaluated and reengineered to make the car faster, resulting in a 3.5-second lap time improvement on Ferrari's Fiorano test track.

Aerodynamic changes are significant ¡X the Challenge Stradale pushes down 50 percent more negative lift than the 360 Modena with no increase in drag. This comes from a new front nose with more downforce, revised underbody and side sills, and aerodynamic side mirrors.

Carbon fiber is used throughout the Challenge Stradale for weight savings. The door panels, racing seat shells, air filter casing covers, and underbody are all made of composite. Additional weight savings comes from using Lexan for the rear window and adopting the use of titanium in the suspension. Total weight reduction is 250 pounds.

The Challenge Stradale is only the second road-going Ferrari to use carbom-ceramic brakes. The massive 15-inch, 6 caliper fronts and 14-inch, 4-caliper rear discs are 16 percent lighter than their steel counterparts. Braking distance is reduced by 5 percent with a 15 percent increase in deceleration values.

The oh-so-pretty engine has been given a new air mass meter, lower-pressure exhaust, and polished inlet ports and cylinder heads. Power is up 25 horsepower to 425, and torque is unchanged at 275 pound-feet. The specific output is 118.5 horsepower per liter, the highest of any naturally aspirated road car.

Carbon fiber racing seats come covered in racing cloth with your choice of three- four-point seat belts. Leather seats and a CD player are available for those seeking more creature comfort.

If you didn't know by now, drilled petals and lack of floor mats or interior cloth tell you that the Challenge Stradale is serious. The center tunnel is also covered in carbon fiber.

Yet more subtleties to make you feel better than the schlubs with a standard 360 Modena. The steering wheel on the Challenge Stradale is flattened at the top, with a center marker. The right-hand paddle on the F1 gearbox has been extended to facilitate easier upshifts whewn coming out of a corner.

Carbon fiber on the interior trim will impress onlookers for years to come. The much-maligned t-bar on the 360 Modena has been replaced with a button for reverse, and automatic shifting is not available in this version of the paddle-shifted manual.

The instruments are enclosed in carbon fiber (notice a theme here?), and the center mounted tachometer is colored yellow for greater visibility.

Rubens Barrichello takes time from his Formula One schedule to drive around the Ferrari factory grounds. Certainly not the worst job in the world.

The Challenge Stradale costs $200,000. Look at this picture and ask yourself: is this car worth a second home? It just might be.