Ferrari F355

For the video game, see Ferrari F355 Challenge.

Ferrari F355

Manufacturer	Ferrari
Production	1994–1999
Predecessor	Ferrari 348
Successor	Ferrari 360
Class	Sports car
Body style	Berlinetta Targa top Spider
Layout	RMR layout
Engine	3.5 L 5V DOHC  Tipo F129B & Tipo F129C V8
Transmission	6-speed manual 6-speed 'F1' electrohydraulic manual
Wheelbase	2,451 mm (96.5 in)
Length	4,249 mm (167.3 in)
Width	1,900 mm (75 in)
Height	1,171 mm (46.1 in)
Curb weight	2,976 lb (1,350 kg) (dry)
Designer	Pininfarina

The Ferrari F355 is a sports car built by Ferrari from May 1994 to 1999. It is an evolution of the Ferrari 348 and was replaced by the Ferrari 360. It is a mid-engined, rear wheel drive V8-powered 2-seat coupe. One major difference between the V8 in the 348 and that in the F355, apart from the displacement increase from 3.4 to 3.5 L, is that the F355 features a 5-valve per-cylinder head that is considerably more powerful, producing 380 PS (279 kW; 375 hp). The longitudinal 90° V8 engine was bored 2mm over the 348's engine (85 mm rather than 83 mm) to achieve the modest increase in displacement to of 3495.50 cc. The engine's compression ratio was 11:1 and it employed the Bosch Motronic M2.7 engine control unit in the 1995 model year, and switched to the M5.2 in 1996 through end of production, using electronic fuel injection and an ignition control system with a single spark plug per cylinder and a dry-sump oil lubrication system.

The frame is a steel monocoque with tubular steel rear sub-frame with front and rear suspensions using independent, unequal-length wishbones, coil springs over gas-filled telescopic shock absorbers with electronic control servos and anti-roll bars. Ferrari fitted all road-going F355 models with Pirelli tires, size 225/40ZR 18 in front and 265/40 ZR 18 in the rear.

At launch, two models were available: the coupe Berlinetta, and the targa topped GTS. The Spider (convertible) version was introduced in 1995. In 1997 the Formula One style paddle gear shift electrohydraulic manual transmission was introduced with the Ferrari 355 F1 (note the dropping of the F before the 355) adding £6,000 to the dealer asking price.

The nomenclature does not follow the formula from the previous decades, i.e. engine capacity (in liters) followed by number of cylinders (e.g. 246 = 2.4 litres + 6 cyl, 308 = 3.0 litres + 8 cyl, and same for the 328, 348, 512 etc.). For the F355, Ferrari used engine capacity followed by the number of valves per cylinder (355 = 3.5 litres engine capacity and 5 valves per cylinder) to bring the performance advances introduced by a 5 valve per cylinder configuration into the forefront. The F355 is relatively common as Ferraris go with 11,273 total units produced.

Significance of the Model

The F355 is categorically the most important car Ferrari has ever made. While the F355 is the mid-engined paterfamilias of the 360 Modena, 430 Scuderia, and 458 Italia, the 348 was a technological dead end, embodying the qualities that relegated the company's F1 entries to backmarker status and its kept its customer cars confined to garages and trailers.

Consumers' expectations of world-class sports cars were raised by the Honda NSX, which began production a year after the 348, in 1990. In stark contrast to the Japanese vehicle, the Ferrari started irregularly, handled unpredictably, and ran unreliably; the mere existence of the NSX transmogrified those qualities from celebrated, high-strung Italian temperament to reasons for disappointment and causes of buyers' remorse.

Ferrari embarked on its road to redemption with humiliating measures—installing Japanese starter motors and Nippondenso generators; replacing the engine management with German-sourced Bosch systems; acknowledging that the flinty ride paid no dividends in handling by revising suspension design and replacing components; and excising the simultaneously wooden- and slushy gearbox via an extraordinary transplant of paddle-shift technology from Ferrari's Formula One programme.

The sum of this patchwork of workarounds and desperate measures—no longer indifferently-assembled or appointed with industrial leather and off-the-shelf switchgear—would eventually be unified in the gloriously modern F355.

Out was the 348, about which Ferrari Chairman Luca di Montezemolo would declare, "...with the exception of its good looks I was utterly disappointed. This was clearly the worst product Ferrari had developed for some time;” in was the F355, the progenitor of a succession of products both beautiful and world-beating. If Ferrari hadn't found the will to redeem the 348 and all of its failings, its output would have been reduced to a trickle of LeMans prototypes-cum-impractical road cars à la the F40/F50 paradigm.

F355 Berlinetta

F355 Berlinetta, pictured in London

The Berlinetta was introduced in May, 1994 as the first in a successful series of F355 models. Initially, the 6-speed manual was the only transmission available. However, in 1997, the Berlinetta was the first ever road car to be equipped with the innovative F1-style gearbox management system. Derived directly from Formula 1, where it made its debut in 1989 winning the Brazilian Grand Prix, the electro-hydraulic system was operated by paddles behind the steering wheel using the F355’s conventional 6-speed manual gearbox. The new transmission guaranteed lightning-quick gear changes, with the additional advantage that both the driver’s hands could stay on the wheel at all times.

Ferrari produced 4,871 road-going Berlinetta models during the entire production run, of which 3,829 were 6-speed and 1,042 were F1 transmissions.

F355 Spider

F355 Spider

The F355 Spider debuted in 1995, its Pininfarina-penned lines honed by 1,800 hours in the wind tunnel, resulting in a blend of elegant style and aerodynamic performance. For the first time on a Ferrari, the semi-automatic soft-top was powered electronically. Initially, the Spider was offered with the 6-speed transmission. In 1997, the Spider was offered with the F1 transmission option. The Spider proved to be the second-most popular F355 model, with a total production of 3,717 units, of which 2,664 were produced with the 6-speed transmission and another 1,053 produced with the F1 transmission.

F355 GTS

In 1995, Ferrari introduced the GTS model to the F355 family. The GTS model is based on the Berlinetta but offers a removable "targa-style" hard top roof, which can be stored behind the seats. Other specifications were identical to the Berlinetta. A total of 2,577 GTS models were produced, with 2,048 delivered with the 6-speed transmission and another 529 with the F1 transmission.

F355 Challenge

In 1995 Ferrari introduced a race ready F355 Challenge model for use specifically in the Ferrari Challenge. The Ferrari F355 Challenge model is created by starting with a standard Ferrari F355 Berlinetta model and modifying it with a $30,000 factory-to-dealer supplied kit. The kit requires 110 hours to install, and includes the following components/modifications:

• Competition clutch
• Competition steering wheel
• Lightweight exhaust
• Rollcage
• Racing seats
• Safety harnesses
• Fire extinguisher
• Engine cutoff switch
• Carbon fiber rear wing
• Upgraded 14" Brembo brakes
• 18" Speedline wheels
• Pirelli racing slicks
• Solid suspension bushings and competition springs
• Rear brake cooling ducts
• Challenge black rear grille

The F355 Challenge shares the same engine performance and physical dimension specifications as the original. 108 were produced, all with the 6-speed transmission. Each F355 Challenge has an emblem on the rear that specifically denotes 'F355 Challenge'.

Serie Fiorano

For 1999, Ferrari introduced a limited production of F355 Spider models designated, "Serie Fiorano." Launched in March, 1999, this limited production run of 100 planned units (104 actually produced) included a number of performance enhancements:

• Competizione-derived Fiorano suspension pack, featuring wide track, stiffer springs, a thicker anti-roll bar
• Drilled and ventilated brake discs and competition brake pads
• Competizione-sourced steering rack
• Alterations to the computer mapping provided a little more power and torque
• Challenge rear grilles and enamelled Scuderia Ferrari shields
• Carbon-fibre inserts (normally only available as expensive special order options): centre console, door sills and paddle shifters
• Suede-covered steering wheel

There were 100 Serie Fiorano units delivered to the U.S. market, 74 with the F1 transmission and 26 with the 6-speed manual. An additional 4 units were produced beyond the planned production with 3 European models and one South African delivery. Each unit was delivered with a numbered plaque affixed to the dashboard.

Performance

• Max power @ rpm: 380 hp (283 kW) @ 8250*
• HP/liter: 109 hp/l
• Torque @ rpm: 363 N·m (268 lb·ft) @ 6000
• 0-60 mp/h: 4.6 s
• 0–100 km/h: 4.7 s
• 0–160 km/h: 10.8 s
• Quarter Mile: 12.9 s
• 0–1000 m: 23.7 s
• Top speed: 295 km/h (183 mph)

References

• Buckley, Martin & Rees, Chris (1998). World Encyclopedia of Cars. London: Anness Publishing. ISBN 1-84038-083-7. 

External links

• Ferrari 355 Registry
• Official Ferrari Website
• Ferrari 355 Buyers guide and other information
• Ferrari 355 resources