Description
An original F355 Spider with barely 20, 000 kilometers and actually only one owner? Fairy tales exist!
Ferrari is now more successful than ever when it comes to sales numbers. Yet we sometimes hear that this takes away the exclusiveness a bit. Things were very different in the 1990s. Ferraris were not sold in droves and coming across one ‘in the wild’ was a rarity. One of the last models to which this applies is the F355, seen by many as the last of a generation.
The F355 is in many ways ‘the last’, for example it is the last model of the brand that was introduced with folding headlights and the typical line from the 80’s and 90’s, which the F355 inherited from the 348, are indicative of a period of time. The F355 is the first production car to come onto the market with a so-called F1 transmission. The same gearbox as the manual version, but with an electro-hydraulic system that operates the gearbox by means of ‘flippers’ behind the steering wheel. A clutch pedal is no longer necessary and your hands can remain on the steering wheel at all times. That transmission is also present in the beautiful F355 Spider that you see here.
This F355 Spider dates from 1999 and was first delivered in America. Delivered in the beautiful Nürburgring Silver color with matching brake calipers, this F355 is incredibly fresh to look at and its clean condition immediately radiates from it. A lust for the eye.
In fact, this F355 remained with its first owner until it disappeared into a private collection. The car was recently completely prepared (a few hundred kilometers ago) for almost € 12, 000, all of this of course accompanied by invoices. It will come as no surprise to you that the F355 is in completely new condition. The paintwork, the interior and therefore also the relatively virgin technology: rare beautiful, rare good.
The paintwork appears new, without damage or ‘age’ in the paint. All the sheet metal fits together perfectly and the doors open and close very easily if you can find the hidden door handle. The 18” wheels are in top condition and together they give the F355 an appearance worth passing through.
The interior is also in exceptional condition: the leather on the dashboard often comes loose, causing it to ripple, but it is completely intact in this car. The chairs also hardly show that they have been sat in, nor do they allow you to feel it with tight and close-fitting cheeks. The seating position is typical Ferrari of that time: slightly bent knees and the steering wheel a little further away than expected. What you won’t encounter is a sticky-feeling air conditioning panel or sticky window controls. You certainly won’t miss it. The Spider you see here is a top specimen in every respect.
Under the feather-light hood you will find a formidable 3. 5 liter eight-cylinder with 5 valves per cylinder. This also explains the name, where Ferrari deviated from the normal naming. The V8, with its 380 hp, is capable of great feats. You can reach 100 from a standstill in less than 5 seconds and the intermediate sprints are even more impressive. The latter not only because of the numbers, but especially because of the great howl of the eight-cylinder. When the red area appears on the tachometer, shifting via the steel gear pattern is a pleasure. The name ‘click-clack’ should be used here today.
The handling is exceptionally good, and it is not without reason that the F355 can be found in a large number of racing classes at that time. The road car has a chassis that has two modes: Comfort and Sport, anything but standard in the late 1990s. Everything on this F355 functions as it should.
About 300 kilometers ago, major (documented) maintenance was carried out on the F355 and the belts were also replaced. In addition, the spark plugs, tires and many other items were also replaced or maintained, such as the air conditioning. Driving the Ferrari we can only conclude that this must be one of the freshest and healthy F355s available.
In addition to being a fantastic classic in the making, this F355 is also not a bad choice in terms of investment. Yet with this Spider, nothing beats turning the key, bringing the V8 to life and enjoying it. What a pleasure!
