There have been two generations of the ModMotor which Ford has used. The first generation was the original ModMotor and with head changes used continuously since 1992. The second is the current Coyote variant of the engine. The one in the link you referenced is a Coyote version of the gen 1 Daytona Prototype engine that broke everybody's brain a couple of years ago at Daytona in their prototype class.
Both the first and second generation versions of the engine are pretty impressive. The most impressive is the supercharged first generation version used in the '03/'04 SVT Cobras. Those engines with only an aftermarket blower (KB or Whipple) produce mind bending performances while idling at 800 rpm getting 24 mpg and passing California emissions.
The extremely broad and flat torque curve the engine produces is impressive and makes the car a lot of fun to drive, to say the least. With a replacement for the stock Eaton blower these engines easily produce more than 600 ft/lbs of torque from essentially just off idle.
Here is a '03 Cobra with the original engine still in the car. The engine has never been removed and never had a valve cover removed. It has an aftermarket 4.0L Whipple blower and it weighs 3300 lbs or possibly a little more.
This YouTube video of the car is a final round appearance @ MIR's NMRA meet a couple of weeks ago, click here =>
MIR Meet The car is the red '03 Cobra coupe in the right lane. The link should open the video up at the 5 minute 10 second point where they show the final round of eliminations. Of course you can always use a smaller Whipple if you don’t want to go that fast.
Both the first and second generations of the engines produce similar power in supercharged form. The first generation however is much easier to work on. If you have to remove the heads on a Coyote generation engine you need to remove all four cams to get at the head bolts/studs and then retime all four cams when you reassemble the engine. On the first generation versions of the engine the heads come off with the cams in place and still properly timed making reassembly a breeze.
These engines tend to be light for what they are. Fully dressed with a blower they come in at about 450 lbs which gives our cars very nice handling characteristics.
While not even close to period correct they are impressive in both performance and appearance. Physically the engine is as big as a SOHC engine so you get the wall to wall engine effect when you open the hood. I suppose you could argue that is has the modern day DNA of its namesake so it has some redeeming lineage considerations.
All in all not a bad choice for fun, reliability and pure performance …
Ed
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