Ferrari had big plans for the millennium, something to carry on the line that was originally drawn in the sand by the 308 and subsequently eagerly scrawled anew by the 328, 348 and 355. Ferrari’s new V8 offering would be no retro pastiche, no rehash of a timeworn structure, but something engineered from the ground up to be a creation to resonate through the ages. The 355’s replacement boasted a larger 3.6-litre V8, and it was markedly beefed up for global markets – longer, wider, taller, this was to be an everyday Ferrari. In a first for a production Ferrari road car, the 360 Modena featured a stiff, all-aluminium chassis and body, its lightness allowing the larger 360’s kerb weight to match the diminutive 355.

Scything the roof off, the 360 Spider heralded Pininfarina’s 70th anniversary, and unlike many convertible versions of focused sports cars, it didn’t actually represent all that much of a compromise. The hood design and its stowage were precision-engineered not to mess up the aero, and the Spider’s ultimate drag coefficient was an impressive 0.36 to the Modena’s 0.335, while its 180mph downforce figure was a still-meaty 170kg – and with no extra weight or loss in stiffness. A truly impressive all-rounder.

The car we have here is a fabulous example: it’s only had just one previous owner from new with the last owner owned it since 2005, and is finished in the super-desirable Tour de France Blue – only 26 UK-market 360 Spiders are believed to have been sold in this colour. Crucially, it’s also got the gated manual transmission. And with a substantial history file, a recently refreshed interior with reconnolised seats, and a mere 31,000 miles on the clock, this is surely one of the most desirable 360s on the market.
 

 

Posterity called, and the 360 Spider answered: this is a car designed for the ages – a perfectly proportioned sports car with elegance and style in abundance. Park it in front of a child and tell them it’s over twenty years old, and they simply won’t believe you.
 It’s not just about the design either – the overall condition is magnificently crisp and fresh, it’s clearly a car which has been well looked after over the years. The paint is delightful, testament to having been cared for and expensively corrected, and there are no scrapes, dings or scratches evident. The mirrors are un-grazed, the wheels have been refurbished and wear quality rubber with plenty of tread, and there are no faults in the window glass or engine lid. All of the correct light lenses, badges and trim pieces are present. It looks just as you’d want a 360 to look.

 Resplendent in freshly reconnolised hide, the cabin is a thoroughly pleasant place to be. The seats are supportive and in very good condition – it’s all as fresh as you’d expect from a car with so few miles. The carpets are good, and all of the interior plastics are in tidy condition. It all feels very solid too – when on the move there are no squeaks or rattles to distract you from the joy of the ride. The standard-fit Ferrari audio is in place, the dials work as they should, as do all the switches and buttons.

Inside the front boot, the carpets are in good order, and we also find the original leather Ferrari toolkit, complete with all of its spanners, bulbs, fuses and assorted tools.
 

The engine is the 360’s party piece. The Tipo F131 3.6-litre V8 is generally considered to be an engineering masterpiece, serving up a robust 400bhp in this guise, and we know from the history file that this F131 has always been fastidiously maintained. As such, it’s in very fine fettle today, behaving as eagerly and effervescently as a Ferrari V8 should. And the exhaust note is incredible!

In this car, the jewel-like V8 is mated to the desirable gated manual transmission, which adds a lot to its playful character. As with many a manual Ferrari, you have to wait for it to warm up before smooth shifts into second are served up, but your patience is rewarded with a fabulously tactile ’box. There are no apparent issues with the suspension, the steering or the brakes, this isn’t a car with a to-do list – this is a mechanically tip-top Ferrari that’s ready to go.
 

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