Who says sports cars need to be intimidating or impractical? The F355, a watershed model for Ferrari, proves today - just as it did at launch back in 1994 - that a mid-engined Maranello product could be equally adept at Monza or the Col de Turini as it is commuting through London or popping to Sainsbury’s for a pint of milk. Fusing crisp styling with ergonomically designed appointments, the F355 package was equally focused on performance and usability: on the one hand, you have the F129 3.5-litre V8, serving up a raucous 375bhp, mated to a chassis that boasts fully independent and electronically controlled suspension. On the other, you have a friendly transmission and comfortably assisted steering, decent visibility and a usable amount of interior space.

So it’s a focused and rapid machine with a fabulous powertrain, but this is also very much the suburban Ferrari, more than comfortable prowling the streets between adventures. And the example we have here is very impressive indeed. Supplied new by Auto-Kōnig in southern Germany, the car lived in mainland Europe until 2016, when it was first registered with the DVLA in April of that year. It shows just 37,000km on the clock from new, and this remarkably low kilometrage is evident in the car’s lovely condition inside and out.

But while it’s usage has been sporadic, its servicing has been absolutely on-point – we can see from all the stamps in the service book that it’s always been correctly looked after by specialists, and the F355 has had an incredible £25,000+ spent on it in the last couple of years with the renowned specialist Bob Houghton Ltd: in late-2021 it had a cambelt service along with a full check-over and overhaul amounting to £12,200.

Then, in 2022, the owner was planning a European road trip with a group of other Ferrari owners and, wanting full reliability, he took it back to Bob Houghton with instructions to go through the whole car again – so it received another very thorough going-over amounting to a further £12,800. Naturally it completed the lengthy road trip without issue and, as you can imagine, it’s driving like an absolute dream today.   

The first thing that strikes you about the F355’s interior is how spacious and usable it is. Naturally we’re not talking about SUV proportions, but anyone over six-foot who’s sat in, say, a 328 and found their head grazing the roof will be pleasantly surprised by how accommodating this little Tardis is.

This car is in lovely condition inside, testament to its extremely low kilometrage (37,000 equates to a mileage of around 23,000), and the condition of the cabin bears this out. The black leather seats wear a little gentle patination, but they’re in very good order with plenty of support. What’s particularly noticeable is that a decent chunk of money has been spent on ‘Sticky No More’ – anyone who knows Ferraris of this era will know that the interior panels and switch surrounds tend to get gummy and sticky with age, but that’s all been sorted with this car and it presents extremely well.

The doorcards are tidy and the carpets are equally good, with a solid and complete Targa roof panel that attaches and detaches freely. All of the dials are working, as is all of the switchgear. Overall the interior is in very good condition indeed, and it’s all tidy and original inside the front boot too (where we find the correct targa top bag).

There’s also a telephone fitted in the driver’s footwell. We didn’t test this, but it’s a great retro accessory!

Rosso Corsa is a glorious choice for the F355, and the paintwork really gleams with no evidence of fading. The panels are all nice and straight with even shutlines, with no signs of dents or dings aside from a minor ripple in the rear bumper to the left of the number plate. All of the light lenses are in good condition, the badges are present and correct (with additional Scuderia shields fitted), and the window glass is good. The pop-up headlights raise and lower correctly.

The car wears 18” five-spoke wheels, which are in lovely condition with almost no kerbing (just a couple of very minor marks) and fitted with quality Michelin Pilot Sport tyres with plenty of tread.

The F129 V8 is an iconic and addictively tractable thing. Ferrari’s first ever 5-valve production engine, it offers a scintillating 375bhp and makes an utterly fabulous noise. The engine has always been correctly maintained with regular belt services, and it runs beautifully – the motor fires up instantly, idles evenly, and pulls very keenly through the rev range.

Having had a huge amount of money spent on it in recent years, everything is working as it should; not only has the cambelt been done, but everything from the brakes and the steering to the clutch and flywheel has been attended to. As such, and just as you’d expect, it’s a wonderful car to drive.

For many an enthusiast, the F355 is the perfect example of what a road-going Ferrari should be.

It’s got all of the classic touchpoints of a mid-engined V8 Ferrari, but there’s none of the histrionics you might find with, say, a 348 or 328 – this model was designed with usability in mind, so that eager and brutal powertrain is backed up by a cosseting ride, a comfy interior, and day-to-day reliability. A jack of all trades, but a master of all too.

And if an F355 is in your crosshairs, then this is the one you want: the spec is spot-on, the kilometrage is very low, this history is robust, and the condition is delightful. Furthermore, with its intriguing pan-European history, you’ll never be short of a bar-room anecdote.
 
It’s often said that a Ferrari isn’t just a car, it’s a lifestyle – but in the case of the F355, it’s one that will nearly slot itself into your lifestyle. The effervescent sports car you can enjoy every day.

This item is sold on an ‘As is Where is’ basis. The condition of this item is the opinion of the seller and may differ from your own opinion. Photos and listing descriptions are for guidance purposes only*.** Car & Classic do not warrant listing accuracy. Full inspection is recommended. Viewings are at the seller’s discretion. Buyer is responsible for delivery and collection of any item purchased.*

UK-registered cars and motorbikes on Car & Classic are run through an online HPI check. On the HPI report, this vehicle shows no insurance database markers for damage or theft. It is currently not covered by a finance agreement.