Why The Ferrari F355 Is A 90s Hero Car
The 1980s were not kind to Ferrari. Oh sure, there was the incredible F40 and the hugely successful 308/328, but there was the Mondial and 400i, too. And while the Testarossa had pin-up looks, trying to a hustle a six-and-a-half foot wide, 390hp missile with less than delicate handling was not for the faint-hearted.
At the bottom of the Ferrari range, the 90s didn't start much better, when the 328 was replaced by the 348 in 1989. The 348 wasn't necessarily a bad car, but its baby-Testarossa styling wasn't as pretty as the 328's and its handling wasn't quite as sharp. The interior was full of Fiat switchgear as well.
Despite its flaws the 348 still sold well because, well, what else would you buy? The answer, it turned out, was the Honda NSX. With its Senna-honed handling, everyday usability and near-total reliability, Ferrari must have had the Japanese bullet in mind when it came to refresh the 348.
Launched in 1994, the F355 was a total re-working of the 348, improving every single area of the car. Beyond the aerodynamics-focused styling changes, the chassis was updated with new variable dampers that featured 'Comfort' and 'Sport' modes. Diesel hatchbacks might have that now, but 20 years ago it was a big deal. The F355 had razor-sharp handling but didn't break your back when you ran over a pebble.
It was easy to drive too. People other than Olympic cyclists could press the clutch down and it even came with (shock, horror) power steering! The interior looked good (massive airbag steering wheel aside) and it was built properly.
The centre-piece of the F355 though, was its engine. The 3.4-litre V8 was stretched out to 3.5-litres, and a five-valve per-cylinder head bolted on top. The result was 375hp, a huge increase on the 348's 320hp. The best thing about the F355's engine though, was its 8500rpm red line. That's stratospheric even today. And the noise was spine-tingling.
The numbers added up to a 0-62mph sprint of 4.7 seconds, and a top speed of 186mph. Ferrari's baby could very definitely play with the big boys now.
Alongside the usual choice of 'Berlinetta' coupe, 'GTS' targa and 'Spider' convertible versions, in 1997 Ferrari added a new option to the range. For the first time you could spec the 'F1' paddle-shift gearbox. Even though it cost an extra £6,000 it quickly became almost the default choice. Now of course, you can't actually get a Ferrari with a clutch peddle.
There was the F355 Challenge racer too, specifically designed for the Ferrari Challenge series. It came as a $30,000 kit to upgrade a road car, including race-spec suspension, brakes and safety gubbins. And it spawned a properly awesome arcade game - the one I played had a three-screen panoramic display.
The F355 made way for the 360 Modena in 1999, having sold over 11,000 units. That was a lot by Ferrari standards at the time. Today prices have bottomed out and seem to be picking up again, but you can still get a very nice one for £40k-£50k.
The quality of Ferrari's road cars has often reflected the fortunes of its Formula 1 team. As such, the F355 marks the passing of one era and the beginning of another. For much of the 80s and early 90s, Ferrari's F1 cars were nowhere (Alain Prost was famously sacked in 1991 for calling the car a truck). Then the team started using science and maths to design its cars, particularly when Michael Schumacher joined them. That approach, of course, brought massive success.
The F355 was science and maths applied to a car that was, in comparison, scribbled on the back of a fag packet. Every Ferrari since has been designed from the ground up using the science and maths approach. And all of them have been brilliant.
Built: 1994 - 1999Engine: 3,496cc, V8-cylinder, 40-valvePower: 375hpTorque: 268lb/ft0-62mph: 4.7 secondsTop speed: 186mphGearbox: 6-speed manual/6-speed 'F1' paddle-shift manualWeight: 1,350kg
Always beware Toyota MR2-based F355 replicas. They're not fooling anyone. Jeremy Clarkson loved the F355 so much he actually bought one.
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