The Ferrari F355 is a modern classic, so beautiful, so well-engineered and so well received that it marked the beginning of the end of the old-guard ‘Ferraristi' philosophy that the only "real" Ferraris were ones with 12-cylinder engines.
The Ferrari F355 Berlinetta and Targa GTS burst onto the world stage in the spring of 1994. It had almost exactly the same dimensions as its predecessor the 348, yet it was virtually a new car, as its stunning coachwork indicated. Many hours of wind tunnel testing influenced the harmonious shape which incorporated an F1 style flat bottom with an air flow channel that generated enough down-force to offset any lift.
The F355 Spider (most of us like Italian convertibles to be called Spyder, however, Ferrari have always insisted on Spider) debuted in 1995, its Pininfarina-penned lines honed by even more hours in the wind tunnel. To make up for the lack of a roof and the associated loss of torsional rigidity, the 355's structure was cleverly strengthened without making the Spider any heavier than the Berlinetta.
Pininfarina are very experienced in designing convertible roofs for other manufacturers and their efforts here have resulted in a blend of elegant style and aerodynamic performance. For the first time in a Ferrari, the semi-automatic soft-top was powered electronically. Initially, the Spider was fitted with the 6-speed manual transmission, prior to being offered with. the F1 transmission, however, over time, it's become accepted that the manual box is that much more satisfying to use.
