Page 122 - Wayne Carini's Guide to Affordable Classics

TOP: The F355 evolved the longitudinal V8 design and increased reliability and performance.
MIDDLE: The hardtop F355 remained the entry-level model, with the Targa and Spyder as upgrades.
ABOVE: The F355 Spider was popular from the outset and remains a mainstay of Ferrari culture in America. It’s fast, flashy, and by Ferrari standards it’s reasonably affordable.
120Wayne CariniAffordable Classics
performance features in addition to the roll structure and racing seats. Ferrari even sealed the engines, shock absorbers, and the mandatory manual transmissions to prevent drivers from modifying any component.
The Ferrari Challenge racing series held events around the world each year, often appearing as a support race at large professional racing events with big crowds. Ferrari Challenge racing was just the thing for the aspiring professional sports car racer to gain experience, or for the gentleman racer to indulge in a little Walter Mitty fantasy. The series has carried on through the 360, 430, 458, and 488 generations to the present day. From a collector’s perspective, Ferrari Challenge models are special versions of the 348 and F355 that trade at far higher prices than road-going models.
THE DRIVE
When the 348 was launched in 1989, the motoring press went wild for it. Normally sober critics gushed over the performance and handling of the new design. The 348 did the 0-60 dash in about 6 seconds, which was great for the era, and covered a quarter-mile in 14.5 seconds. That’s hardly going to set the world on fire today, however. To those experienced with modern sports cars, the 348 will seem quaint. But honestly, if you really care about 0-60 or drag strip performance, save some money and just buy a modern American pony car. What you’re buying, and getting, with a 348 is the Ferrari experience.
Unfortunately, this is where Montezemolo’s curse comes into play. The 348 hails from the era of problems, and a less-than-perfect example can be a never-ending source of repair bills. Consider that the V8 engine in this Ferrari uses a single, very long, cam timing belt for both banks of cylinders and every part in that system is expensive to replace. It’s revealing that Ferrari abandoned that design with the F355 and never used it again. The 348 is renowned