The F355 was a supremely important car for Ferrari. Launched in 1994, it entered a sports car market in which Honda’s NSX had reframed everything a few years before, making the Italian old guard seem flaky in comparison; after all, the Honda was a high-performance mid-engined toy that you could actually use every day with impeccable reliability. It got the established sports car manufacturers thinking, and the F355 was Ferrari’s brilliant riposte.
The package was equally focused on performance and usability: on the one hand, we have the F129 3.5-litre V8, serving up a thoroughly entertaining 375bhp, mated to a chassis that boasts fully independent and electronically controlled suspension – and a generation of burgeoning enthusiasts had the movie Goldeneye to thank for the F355’s instant legend status. On the other hand, we have a friendly transmission and comfortably assisted steering, decent visibility and a usable amount of interior space. So just like the NSX, you could easily drive it anywhere and everywhere, whenever you fancied. And, of course, the Ferrari wins this particular fight with alacrity. Why? Because it’s a Ferrari. Look at it, listen to it, drink it in… this is how a performance car should be.
The History and Paperwork
V5
Original manuals in leather wallet
2022 – invoice for £18,846 - cambelt/major service, new radiators and cooling fans, washer pump, fuel flap solenoid, hazard light switch, headlamp motor, brake discs and pads, handbrake shoes, front and rear suspension springs, front actuator drive gear, steering rack gaiters, inner driveshaft gaiters, anti-roll bar links, alternator, passenger footwell fuse board, etc
2016 – invoice for £5,992 – cambelt service, clutch kit and release bearing kit, headlamp motor, etc
2015 – invoice for £2,456 – major service, front brake pads, handbrake shoes, brake hoses, anti-roll bar drop-links, etc
2013 – invoice for £2,364 – new clutch kit and release bearing kit, wheel bearing
2011 – invoice for £2,174 – cambelt service, engine mount
2009 – invoice for £1,110 – annual service, headlamp motor
The Interior
Nero hide
Sony stereo
Correct storage bag for Targa top
The F355 is in good order throughout the cabin, testament to its low mileage. The black leather seats are in great condition with no evident undue wear, and they tilt forward correctly to allow access to the rear stowage. Everything is in standard spec aside from the addition of a Sony CD head unit. The carpets are clean and complete, and the dash top has no marks or splits. Aficionados of this era of Ferrari will be aware of what the cabins in these cars are like, and as such will be unsurprised to see a little tackiness to the button surrounds on the centre console, and some wavy trim on the passenger-side dash pad – but overall this car presents as a decent example of the breed. The doorcards are tidy, there’s just a little wear to the rim of the steering wheel, and the Targa roof panel attaches and detaches freely. The front boot is equally tidy, and contains the storage bag for the Targa top.
The Exterior
Sought-after Argento Nürburgring colour
All-original spec
Some lacquer pealing on the targa top roof (drivers side) and also small signs of corrosion at the bottom of the flying buttress
Isn’t it refreshing to see an F355 that isn’t red or yellow? The Argento Nürburgring paint suits these elegant lines beautifully, and this is a car that presents itself very well in its crisp and sparkling shade. The panels are all nice and straight, and there’s no evidence of dents or dings. All of the light lenses are in good condition, aside from a crack to one of the front sidelights, and the window glass is good. The headlamp motors have been replaced and they both raise and lower as they should. The badges are present and correct, with optional Scuderia shields fitted.
The car has its original 18” five-spoke wheels, three of which are very tidy (one of the fronts would benefit from a refurb, and the nuts are a little corroded too); they wear Michelins on the front and Bridgestones on the rear.
The Mechanicals
Recent cambelt/major service
Brake discs and pads replaced
Suspension springs replaced
The vendor reports that the airbag light is on as the air bag ECU needs changing
A lot of money has been spent on getting the running gear of this Ferrari to be just where it should be (check the paperwork, you’ll see a bill for almost £19,000 in 2022, plus plenty more over the years for regular cambelt services and clutch renewals), and as such it drives beautifully. The F129 V8 is a supremely playful and enjoyable engine; Ferrari’s first ever cinquevalvole engine in a road car, it offers a heady 375bhp and makes some beguiling noises.
It fires up on the first turn of the key, idles evenly, and pulls keenly through the rev range. The large amount of recent expenditure wasn’t just confined to the engine either; the brakes have been replaced all round, along with new suspension springs, a host of gaiters and much more besides, to ensure that it goes, stops, rides and steers exactly as it ought to.
Summary
In many ways, the F355 acts as a sort of Ferrari greatest-hits; a jack of all trades, but a master of all too. It continues the classic styling of the extensive back-catalogue of mid-engined V8 Ferraris, carrying the flair of the 308, 328 and 348 and contemporising it in a body that still looks remarkably fresh today. And there’s no panic about histrionics or flaky usability, these high-end cars were built tough for regular use. It’s also extremely reassuring to see in the history file that so much care and attention (and money) has been spent over the years on the service jobs that these cars thrive on – regular cambelt services chief amongst it all. This is an honest example of a desirable car, and it’s sure to bring its new keeper no end of joy.
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