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The F355 is a mid-engine V8 sports car built between 1994 and 1999 in three body styles — Berlinetta, GTS, and Spider. It replaced the 348 and was replaced by the 360 Modena.
The name is arithmetic. 3.5 liters, 5 valves per cylinder — the first Ferrari road car engine with that head design, and the reason it makes the power it does. The 360 Modena that followed dropped the valve count and named itself for displacement alone.
It is also the last Ferrari V8 built on a steel chassis. The 360 moved to aluminum, and the character of the cars moved with it.
The F355 was not a facelift. Ferrari changed the engine, the gearbox, the suspension, and the underbody, and the numbers moved accordingly.
| Category | Specification |
|---|---|
| Years | 1994–1999 |
| Engine | 3.5L 90° V8, 5 valves/cyl |
| Horsepower | 375 hp @ 8,250 rpm |
| Torque | 268 lb-ft @ 6,000 rpm |
| Transmission | 6-Speed Manual (F1 from 1997) |
| Redline | 8,500 rpm |
| 0–60 mph | ~4.6 sec |
| Top Speed | 183 mph |
| Dry Weight | ~2,976 lb |
The horsepower figure is the headline. The more telling one is 107 hp per liter — a specific output no naturally aspirated production car had reached before, and seventy-five more horsepower than the 348 made from an engine only 91cc smaller.
Ferrari’s internal code for the engine is F129B, and it runs three intake valves and two exhaust valves per cylinder. More valve area means more air, and more air at 8,250 rpm is where the 375 hp comes from.
Ferrari had used five-valve heads in Formula 1. The F355 was the first time the architecture reached a customer car, and it arrived with titanium connecting rods and a dry-sump oiling system.
The other half of the engineering story is underneath. The F355 has a fully flat floor and a rear diffuser, developed in the wind tunnel — the first Ferrari road car to generate downforce rather than lift.
The F355 sits on a fault line. It is the last Ferrari V8 sold primarily with a gated manual, and it is the car that introduced the technology that ended them.
Ferrari built the future and the past into the same model. Twenty-five years later, the market pays a premium for the past.
The F355 represents Ferrari’s transition into the modern era, featuring hydraulic steering, no traction control, a steel chassis, and a standard gated manual. Its successor, the 360, introduced an aluminum spaceframe and electronic traction control.
Although the F430 was the last Ferrari V8 offered with a manual transmission, the F355 stands apart for its more analog driving experience, before electronic driver aids became widespread.
Pininfarina styled the F355 under Lorenzo Ramaciotti’s direction, refining the 348’s proportions with cleaner lines and improved aerodynamics. The F355 replaced the 348’s Testarossa-style side strakes with flowing air intakes, while incorporating faired-in headlights, round taillights, and a functional rear diffuser.
The flat underbody helped achieve a 0.32 drag coefficient. Buyers could choose the Berlinetta coupe, GTS with its removable targa roof, or Spider with a fully powered soft top — Ferrari’s first fully automated convertible roof.
Ferrari built roughly 11,273 F355s across five model years — more than the 348 before it, and enough that the model still trades regularly rather than sitting in collections.
| Variant | Years | Production |
|---|---|---|
| Berlinetta | 1994–1999 | ~4,871 |
| GTS | 1994–1999 | ~2,577 |
| Spider | 1995–1999 | ~3,717 |
| Challenge | 1995–1999 | ~108 |
| Total | 1994–1999 | ~11,273 |
Registries differ at the margins depending on whether pre-production prototypes are counted. The three body-style figures are consistent across sources.
The 104 Serie Fiorano cars were Spiders built with a final-year option package, and they sit inside the 3,717 figure above.
The Serie Fiorano is the one collectors chase — a final-year 1999 run of 104 Spiders built to close out F355 production.
Ferrari planned 100 cars, all for the United States, and built four more outside that allocation — three for Europe and one for South Africa, none with the numbered plaque.
The transmission split is what the market watches. Of the 100 US cars, 74 took the F1 paddle-shift and 26 the six-speed manual. That combination — the rarest variant with the gearbox collectors now want — set the model’s public auction record in 2026.
The GTS takes a removable targa panel and stores it behind the seats. The Spider takes a powered soft top and gives up a little structural rigidity for it.
Berlinettas have historically led on value, GTS cars have closed most of the gap, and Spiders trade slightly behind both. The spread is narrower than it is on most Ferraris of the period.
A manual F355 Berlinetta typically trades between $130,000 and $275,000, with condition and vehicle options accounting for most of the range. F1 paddle-shift models drop the floor further, occasionally dipping below $100,000.
For years the F355 was the cheap way into a mid-engine Ferrari. That has ended. The gated manual is now the price driver, and the market has separated the two gearboxes decisively.
| Variant | Value |
|---|---|
| Berlinetta — Manual, Average | ~$185,000 |
| Berlinetta — Manual, Range | ~$130,000 – $275,000 |
| GTS — Manual, Average | ~$175,000 |
| Spider — Manual, Average | ~$155,000 |
| F1-Equipped Cars | Typically 20–30% below comparable manuals |
| Serie Fiorano | Consistent premium; few public sales |
$588,000
A 1999 F355 Spider Serie Fiorano, one of just 26 built with a six-speed manual, sold at Gooding & Company's Monterey auction in August 2026, surpassing the previous $495,000 record set earlier that year.
The standard F355 record stands at $355,355, achieved by a 1997 Rosso Corsa Berlinetta with 17,000 miles, a gated manual, and recent engine-out service. Manual F355s now command a 20–30% premium over comparable F1-equipped models.
If you own an F355 or another collector Ferrari, our specialists can value your car or discuss consignment.
The F355 is a well-supported car with a small number of expensive, well-documented weak points. None of them are mysteries, and all of them are priced into a good pre-purchase inspection.
Ferrari of Fort Lauderdale is a factory-authorized dealer with a dedicated vintage Ferrari service department and an on-site Ferrari Classiche program.
The F355 opened the high-revving naturally aspirated V8 era. The 458 Italia closed it — the last Ferrari V8 without a turbocharger, and the last with an engine that pulls to 9,000 rpm.
| Feature | F355 (1994–1999) | 458 Italia (2009–2015) |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 3.5L V8, 5 valves/cyl | 4.5L V8, naturally aspirated |
| Horsepower | 375 hp @ 8,250 rpm | 562 hp @ 9,000 rpm |
| Transmission | 6-Speed Manual / F1 | 7-Speed Dual-Clutch |
| Chassis | Steel | Aluminum |
| 0–60 mph | ~4.6 sec | ~3.0 sec |
| Manual Available | Yes | No |
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Fifteen years separate them and the engineering is unrecognizable, but the brief is identical: a mid-engine V8 that does its best work at the top of the tachometer. The 488 that followed added turbochargers and ended the argument.
Manual Ferrari F355 Berlinettas typically command around $130,000, with GTS models close behind and Spiders often priced slightly lower. F1-equipped examples generally sell for less than comparable six-speed manuals, although condition, mileage, and service history significantly affect value.
The six-speed gated manual is generally the preferred choice for driving engagement, mechanical simplicity, and collector demand. The F1 transmission offers a distinctive Ferrari experience at a typically lower purchase price, but its hydraulic system can require costly repairs.
Ferrari produced approximately 11,273 F355s, including 4,871 Berlinettas, 2,577 GTS models, 3,717 Spiders, and 108 Challenge racing cars. Production figures vary slightly between historical registries.
The Ferrari F355 major service includes replacing the engine’s timing belts, typically requiring engine removal. Often performed on a five-year interval, it is one of the car’s most significant maintenance expenses and an essential item to verify in its service history.
Yes. Introduced in 1997, the Ferrari F355 F1 became the first production road car equipped with a Formula 1-inspired electrohydraulic paddle-shift transmission.
The Ferrari 360 Modena replaced the F355 in 1999, introducing an aluminum space-frame chassis, a larger 3.6-liter V8, and updated technology while retaining the option of a six-speed manual or F1 transmission.
The F355 is widely regarded as one of Ferrari’s last truly analog V8 sports cars, combining hydraulic power steering, a steel chassis, and an available gated manual transmission without modern traction control. However, the later F430 was the last mid-engine Ferrari V8 offered with a traditional gated manual.
F355 refers to the engine’s 3.5-liter displacement and five valves per cylinder. Unlike most Ferrari model names, the F355 designation highlights its cylinder-head design.
The Ferrari F355 can be a rewarding first Ferrari for buyers prepared for its maintenance costs. Parts and specialist support are available, but service history and the condition of the timing belts, exhaust manifolds, and valve guides are especially important.
The F355 is the entry point to a line that runs to the 458.
Ferrari of Fort Lauderdale proudly represents Ferrari in Broward County, Greater South Florida, and across the United States.