3,496cc DOHC 40-Valve V8 Engine
Bosch Motronic Fuel Injection
375bhp at 8,250rpm
6-Speed Manual Transaxle
4-Wheel Independent Suspension
4-Wheel Disc Brakes

*Highly original, well-preserved example with less than 900 miles from new
*Fitted with the desirable gated-shift, 6-speed manual transmission
*Desirable Black over Biscuit livery
*Elegant and timeless 'no-frills' Pininfarina design


THE FERRARI F355

'Complex, sophisticated, and very fast, it is the quantum leap that has enabled the Ferrari V8 to run in proud parallel with the 456GT and 550 Maranello,' enthused Car magazine's review of the F355. First presented to the motoring press in May 1994, the F355 effectively re-forged the reputation of Ferrari's V8 which, 328 and 348 notwithstanding, had suffered since the introduction of the Mondial 'world car'. The latter, with its four seats, well-appointed interior, and - relatively - soft ride, was considered far too sensible to be a 'proper' Ferrari; the F355 though, was cast in the mould of that great drivers' car, the Dino 246GT. Just how great an advance it was may be gauged from the fact that the F355's best time around Ferrari's Fiorano test track was three seconds quicker than the formidable 512TR's.

Despite its prodigious performance the F355 was no mere 'racer on the road', but a thoroughly modern automobile employing state-of-the-art technology - in the form of computer-controlled variable damping - to reconcile the differing requirements of ultimate roadholding and acceptable comfort. A light-action clutch, proportional power-assisted steering, and driver's air bag were other features calculated to make the car reassuringly user-friendly.

The heart of the F355 though, was its phenomenal 3.5-litre V8 engine. Equipped with four overhead camshafts and five valves per cylinder - a layout borrowed from Ferrari's Formula 1 engine - this remarkable unit produced a claimed 370bhp at 8,250rpm, with 268lb/ft of torque available between 5,000 and 6,500rpm. A six-speed gearbox, mounted transversely behind the longitudinally disposed engine, ensured a sufficiency of ratios to keep the motor on the boil whatever the situation.

Testing an F355 in 1994, Autocar achieved a top speed of 173mph, with the 0-60mph dash covered in 4.3 seconds. 'The F355 is, we're certain, a landmark car for Ferrari,' declared the esteemed British motoring magazine. 'Not only is it good enough to tear down the walls of the class you think it should be in and cause deep blushes throughout the one above, but it is also the best sports car Ferrari has turned out since the 246 GT Dino some 30 years ago.' Praise indeed.



THE MOTORCAR OFFERED

This stylish F355 Spider was completed at the Maranello Ferrari works as a 1995 model-year car and finished in the same stealth black exterior color as seen on the car today. While the new semi-automatic F1 gearbox was now available in the F355, the original owner seems to have made the wise choice and saved him or herself the optional-F1 gearbox's extra cost and gone for the now much more desirable standard 6-speed gated manual. According to the Carfax report on file, the F355 Spider was acquired new by a private and first owner Florida on March 15, 1996, a resident presumably residing in Miami at the time.

The black F355 Spider remained in Florida through the 2000s, presumably stored away, as the mileage was kept extremely low. In 2009 Ferrari North America is reported to have done a fuel distributor recall on the F355. The 2nd owner, a Georgia-based resident, purchased the Ferrari in 2015, at which point the car had just clocked about 600 miles on the odometer. The car has remained in Georgia ever since and had clocked just a few more miles (721 to be exact) in 2017. A recent belt service has been performed, just due to time, and many other service records are offered with this low mile F355 Spyder.

Offered with a clean Carfax and the odometer reading less than 900 miles from new, this 6-speed manual F355 Spider must be among the lowest mileage examples left. Widely considered one of the best looking and most exciting mid-engined Ferraris to come from the wizards in Maranello in the last 30 years, this F355 Spider is ready to snick through twisty mountain roads with a smile inducing driving experience and beautiful music erupting from the quad tailpipes.