Ferrari F355

Ferrari 355 Spider

They say the great Ferraris are heard before they are seen. The F355 Spider proves the point: its V8 climbs the rev range with a metallic howl that, roof down, becomes pure theatre, while the manual lever invites one more shift.

The name sums up the engineering: 3.5 litres and five valves per cylinder. The V8 delivers 380 PS at 8250 rpm through a six-speed manual gearbox to the rear wheels, a direct, analogue bond between driver and machine. This 1995 car shows 70,000 km.

The F355 arrived in May 1994 as a heavily revised 348, shaped by more than 1300 hours in the wind tunnel. The Spider followed in 1995, the first Ferrari with a power-operated soft top. With 11,273 built, the F355 became the most-produced Ferrari to that date.