1996 Ferrari F355 Berlinetta

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION

Looking resplendent in Canna di Fucile with Bordeaux interior, this Ferrari F355 has been fastidiously maintained throughout its life, and comes with a history file that features invoices and receipts from some of the most well-known marque specialists in the UK.

Supplied new to the UK, it was originally registered on 20 September 1996 and sold to its first owner by Graypaul Motors in Loughborough. It was then serviced and maintained during the early years of its life by Maranello Sales Ltd in Egham, Surrey – the service book notes a cambelt change in September 1999, with the mileage standing at just under 17,000. 

The F355 was then sold by the same company in September 2002 to a new owner who was based in Gloucestershire. Subsequent stamps in the service book show that it was entrusted to the likes of Talacrest, DK Engineering, Simon Furlonger and Foskers, with regular cambelt changes being noted along the way. They were replaced most recently as part of its annual maintenance in December 2022, with the mileage at 59,117 – it has covered only about 500 miles since.

Immediately recognised as being one of the finest driver’s cars of its generation, the Ferrari F355 has always enjoyed a strong following, and over the years it has come to represent a high-water mark in the history of the marque’s mid-engined V8 models. With its free-revving 3.5-litre engine allied to a manual six-speed gearbox – operated via Ferrari’s evocative open gate – this particular example is just as exhilarating to drive as it was almost 30 years ago.

It has been used only sparingly in recent years, and is being offered for sale with a complete set of manuals and books – all still presented in their leather wallet – as well as the original factory tool set in its leather case. With its stylish colour combination and extensive service history, this F355 is a superb example of this landmark sports car.

MODEL HISTORY  

Ferrari’s legendary line of mid-engined V8 sports cars stretches back to the Bertone-styled 308 GT4, which was launched under the Dino name in 1973. It then progressed through the 308, 328 and 348 before the arrival in 1994 of the new F355.

The intention with this latest model was to improve its usability without comprising performance. It was fitted with an updated 3495cc V8 engine that gained a five-valve cylinder head and produced 375bhp at a heady 8250rpm – its specific output of 109bhp per litre bettered even that of the McLaren F1. 

A rod-operated gearchange replaced the 348’s cable system, power steering was added, and the seductive Pininfarina-designed bodywork was refined using extensive wind-tunnel testing. The 0-60mph sprint was dispatched in less than five seconds, and the Ferrari got to 100mph in less than 11. Its top speed was officially quoted as being 183mph.

At first, only the Berlinetta body style was offered, but in 1995 that was joined by the Spider and the GTS; the latter featured a targa-style removeable roof panel that could be stored behind the seats. In 1997 came the addition of the revolutionary Formula 1-derived semi-automatic gearbox – a world first for a road car that used a ‘paddle shift’ electro-hydraulic operating system for the otherwise conventional six-speed gearbox.

When former racing driver Paul Frère tested an F355 for Road & Track magazine, he revelled in its high-revving engine and well-balanced chassis. After covering part of the old Mille Miglia course, he said that ‘driving fast over the familiar but difficult route was sheer pleasure’.

In total, more than 11,000 F355s were built, and it is now recognised as the point at which Ferrari refined its mid-engined V8 concept away from the classic era and towards a new generation of cars that continued with the 360, 430 and beyond.