Ferrari F355: Supercar’s Quintessence

4 June 2022 Redazione News, Supercars Lounge

Words Carlo Brema / Photos Ferrari media

Talking about a Ferrari without falling into the usual clichés is a mission that is not to be taken for granted, let alone if the subject here is the F355, the car that to be honest is defined as the purest supercar ever produced. To make the replacement for the unfortunate 348 so iconic is a substantially identical layout, with a short and low body and a rear that houses an engine that is finally more performing than before. Whether it is red or any other color, it doesn’t matter, the F355 embodies the quintessence of a sports car, but not only for a look that in 1994 rounded and softened the lines of the bodywork, making the cockpit more refined as well introducing solutions that they would soon become indispensable in the segment, but above all for the exceptional drivability offered by a mechanical package of absolute reference.

As the name suggests, the engine is a 3.5-liter with 5 valves per cylinder. It is a naturally aspirated V8 located in mid-rear position and which produces 380 horsepower at 8,250 rpm, grounding them on the rear axle courtesy of a 6-speed manual gearbox. If the peak of power is a significant figure, especially considering that we are talking about almost thirty years ago, the key point of the argument is however the delivery of the engine itself, with a torque curve that gradually rises with its revs and makes each gear ideal for writing strong emotions on asphalt. At around 1.5 tons of total weight (1,448 kg), the F355 is not only fast from point to point – 4.7 seconds for 0-100 kph and a top speed of 295 per hour – but it is extremely responsive and agile on the most dramatic bends-filled roads.

Pressed to the ground thanks to an aerodynamics that characterize the sides with that unmistakable double intake on the doors, the F355 maintains an elegance that for rivals is often of unattainable level. An example of this is the passenger compartment, which despite the fact that it still shows some plastic borrowed from the Turin warehouses of the FIAT group, focuses the attention on the soft leather seats and the gearbox with exposed grille. Until a few years ago, buying an F355 did not just mean bringing home the dream of every enthusiast, but acting in advance of prices that are rising both for the Berlinetta, both for the GTS, a Targa-type convertible, as well as the Spider produced until 2000.

It must be considered that maintenance costs and especially those of intervention in case of mechanical problems to the V8 are important, after all we are still talking about a Ferrari, but every sacrifice is repaid when sitting behind the wheel you will be able to enjoy one of the purest supercars ever produced. The F355 is the sum of all parts, an aesthetically wonderful car with an engine ready to sing the ideal symphony depending on how you want to exploit its power reserve, accompanying you in the most engaging kilometers of your life even when you choose to use it as comfortable grand tourer. The Ferrari F355 is the perfect car that needs no justifications, only celebrations.