Ferrari's new Pininfarina-designed 348 was introduced in September of 1989 at the Frankfurt Auto Show. It was a departure from the previous Ferrari road cars and the traditional tubular chassis design was succeeded by a rigid steel monocoque main structure with aluminum and plastic body panels mated to a tubular steel rear subframe containing a longitudinal mid-mounted V-8 engine, transverse gearbox, and suspension pickups. The Pininfarina designed 12-cylinder Testarossa heavily influenced the styling of the 348. Both cars shared the bodyside strakes and horizontal rear treatment. Several design features from the earlier 308 and 328 were incorporated onto the 348 including the sloped nose, rear sail panels, and retractable headlamps.

The 32-valve dual overhead cam V8 engine mounted in the 2+2 Mondial was enlarged to 3405cc and installed in the 348. Thanks in part to a compression increase, horsepower rode to 300 bhp. A dry-sump oiling system kept the 348's V-8 lubricated and power was transferred to the road by a twin-plate clutch and five-speed gearbox controlled by Ferrari's signature gated shifter design. The engine was mounted low within the chassis giving the car a low center of gravity. The suspension was comprised of a fully-independent design with revised geometry. Braking was handled by enlarged disc brakes with ABS.

The 348 was initially available in 'tb' Berlinetta and 'ts' Targa form. In 1994, a full-convertible 348 Spider made its debut. Production continued through mid-1995 when the F355 made its debut. During the production lifespan of the 348, as few as 1,090 348 Spider were produced, including 556 examples imported to the United States.

By Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2018