1998 Ferrari F355

The Ferrari F355 was in production from May of 1994 through 1999 with a total of 11,273 examples built. The F355 succeeded the Ferrari 348 and was replaced by the 360 in 1999. Styling was similar to the outgoing Ferrari 348 as was its engine, albeit a displacement increase from 3.4- to 3.5-liters and the introduction of a five-valve cylinder head. The 3.4-liter engine in the 348 was stroked by 2mm, increasing from 75mm to 77mm, and longitudinally positioned in the engine bay. Its compression ratio was 11:1, the connecting rods were forged in Ti6-Al-4V titanium alloy, and used a Bosch Motronic 2.7 engine control unit for the 1995 model year, switching in 1996 to an M5.2 unit. The V8 engine delivered 375 horsepower at 8,250 RPM and nearly 270 lb-ft of torque at 6,000 RPM, sent to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual transmission.

The steel monocoque frame had a tubular steel rear sub-frame with an independent suspension system at all four corners, comprised of unequal-length wishbones, coil springs over gas-filled telescopic shock absorbers with electronic control servos, and anti-roll bars. Two damper settings were available including 'Sport' and 'Comfort.' Power-assisted steering was standard but could be replaced by a manual steering rack setup by special order. The Pirelli tires measured 225/40ZR 18 at the front and 265/40 ZR 18 at the rear.

The asymmetrical seats, with the driver being slightly closer to the car's centerline than the passenger, were upholstered with Connolly leather hides.

The F355 did not follow Ferrari's traditional nomenclature (engine capacity in liters followed by the number of cylinders), instead, the first portion represented the engine's liter capacity (3.5) and the final '5' represented the valves per cylinder.

At its introduction, only the Berlinetta body style was offered. The Spider (a convertible) and the GTS (Targa) followed in 1995. Formula One-style electrohydraulic-operated automated manual paddle-shift transmission was introduced in 1997 and models equipped with this transmission were designated the 355 F1.

1998 Ferrari F355
For 1998, the Ferrari F355 was available as a coupe, cabriolet, and Targa body style. Pricing began at $128,225 for the coupe and rose to $138,115 for the cabriolet. The Targa had a price of $137,725. Power was from a dual-overhead-cam eight-cylinder engine that displaced 213 cubic inches and offered 375 horsepower.

For 1998, the mid-engine, rear-drive vehicle was given an F-1 style-shifting mechanism. The system had a small toggle switch on the console used to engage the reverse gear. Two paddles extended from either side of the steering wheel to operate the gears. Pulling both paddles toward the driver, the gearbox was put into neutral.

The F355 was the last of the mid-engine Ferrari models to employ the Flying Buttress rear window, ending the lineage whose history dated back to the Dino 206 GT of 1965.

by Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2013