Ferrari Muletto M3: The Forgotten Prototype That Created the Ferrari Enzo

Secret Lineage - There’s a certain magic in the way Ferrari tells its stories—not through words, but through the roar of engines and the spirit of experimentation. Some of those stories are told loudly, like the triumph of the Ferrari Enzo, while others remain buried deep within the archives of Maranello. One of those hidden chapters carries the name Muletto M3, a car that never wore its fame but quietly carried the weight of a legend in the making. It wasn’t built to dazzle collectors or dominate racetracks; it was built to discover what Ferrari could become next.

The Ferrari Muletto M3, a car that never wore its fame but quietly carried the weight of a legend in the making. (Picture from: Autoevolution)

In the late 1990s, Ferrari’s engineers faced a challenge that was as thrilling as it was daunting: creating a successor to the F50. The world of supercars was rapidly evolving, and Ferrari’s ambitions went far beyond producing another fast machine. They wanted to bring the precision and intensity of Formula 1 engineering to the streets—a vision known internally as the FX project. But before the Ferrari Enzo could ever make its grand debut, it needed a secret partner: a prototype that could take all the punishment of experimentation and refinement. That prototype became the Muletto M3. 

The Maranello-based premium automaker, Ferrari, built three prototypes for the Enzo’s development—M1, M2, and the most ambitious M3, which carried the all-new V12 engine that would ultimately define the Enzo. (Picture from: FerrisCars)

Unlike most test vehicles, the M3 didn’t start from a blank slate. It was born from a Ferrari 348, a model that by then had been overshadowed by the newer F355 and 360 Modena. The decision was both practical and brilliant—the 348’s mid-engine layout offered balance, accessibility, and room for radical modification. What rolled out of the factory was no ordinary 348 anymore. 

The Ferrari Muletto M3 transformed the once sleek and balanced proportions of the 348 into something raw, muscular, and purposeful—a Frankenstein creation, yet unmistakably Ferrari at heart. (Picture from: Autoevolution)

The chassis was stretched, the rear end elongated to make room for a monstrous 6.0-liter V12 engine, known as the Tipo F140. Reinforced subframes supported the added power, while new aerodynamic panels and expanded side vents kept the beast cool. The once sleek and balanced proportions of the 348 gave way to something raw, muscular, and purposeful—a Frankenstein creation, but unmistakably Ferrari at heart. 

The Ferrari Muletto M3, born from a Ferrari 348, featured a stretched chassis and an elongated rear end to accommodate a monstrous 6.0-liter V12 engine. (Picture from: Autoevolution)

Three prototypes were built for the Enzo’s development: M1, M2, and M3. Among them, the M3 was the most ambitious, acting as the carrier for the all-new V12 engine that would later define the Enzo itself. It wasn’t just a test car; it was a laboratory on wheels. Under its hood, the 680-horsepower powerplant thundered—an early iteration of the F140 family derived from Ferrari’s Formula 1 experience. To handle its ferocity, the M3 borrowed suspension components and brakes from the F355 Challenge and even fitted BBS racing wheels for extra grip.  

The Ferrari Muletto M3 roared under its hood with a 680-horsepower powerplant, an early iteration of the F140 family derived from Ferrari’s Formula 1 experience. (Picture from: Autoevolution)

Inside, the car wore an eclectic mix of Ferrari DNA: a 348’s doors, a modified dash to fit the 360 Modena’s instrument panel, and functional simplicity that spoke more of engineering than elegance. When the M3 took to the roads around Maranello in 2000, it must have turned every head that heard its unfiltered V12 scream. To the untrained eye, it was just a strange-looking 348 with a swollen rear end—but those who knew better sensed that something special was happening. 

When the Ferrari Muletto M3 took to the roads around Maranello in 2000, its swollen rear end and unfiltered V12 roar turned heads, revealing its extraordinary nature to those who knew better. (Picture from: Autoevolution)

Rumors swirled through the car community, and soon Ferrari had to admit that the mysterious prototype was indeed a test mule for their upcoming hypercar. By 2002, that hypercar emerged as the Ferrari Enzo—a carbon-fiber masterpiece that redefined performance and technology for a generation. Most prototypes like the M3 are doomed to obscurity once their purpose is fulfilled. They’re dismantled, destroyed, or locked away, their stories confined to the memories of engineers. But the Muletto M3 escaped that fate. 

Before the Ferrari Enzo could make its grand debut, it needed a secret partner capable of withstanding rigorous experimentation and refinement, which became the Muletto M3. (Picture from: Wikipedia)

It survived, crossing from experiment to artifact. In 2005, Ferrari released it into the world alongside the 400th Enzo ever made, with a promise that it would never be driven legally on public roads. It sold for just under £200,000—a modest sum for a machine that had once been the beating heart of Ferrari’s innovation. Today, the M3 resides within private collections, a ghost of a golden era when Ferrari tested its limits without hesitation. | 9Y1bE_-uObM |

Its existence reminds us that progress in performance doesn’t always start with perfection—it starts with curiosity, with boldness, and with the willingness to turn a humble 348 into a vessel for something extraordinary. The Enzo may have carried the glory, but the Muletto M3 carried the vision. It was never meant to shine under showroom lights, yet its legacy gleams in every Ferrari that came after—a quiet legend that taught Maranello how to build the future. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | FERRISCARS | CLASSICDRIVER | AUTOEVOLUTION | WIKIPEDIA ]

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