Ferrari F355

Ferrari F355 Berlinetta

The Ferrari F355 was presented at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1994 to the public for the first time. He was the successor to the Ferrari 348 and was built until 1999, the appearance of the Ferrari 360 Modena. He set in terms of drivability, performance and build quality a major step forward compared to the 348 GTB / GTS dar. The difference successor Ferrari 360 Modena, however, is low in technical terms; therefore resemble, for example, the performance of the two generations.

Klaus Westrup, editor of car magazine " auto motor und sport", praised the F355 for the very high performance of the direct output of the engine, the handling of the sports car and the very good seating position. In contrast, the limited space, the poor low-speed comfort, partly loud engine noise and the relatively uncomfortable entry were criticized.

Development / History

The F355 was not a simple update of its predecessor 348, but a new in many parts of the car. He replied with numerous innovations and his performance the Ferrari brand so to speak, in the modern era. Stuck all Ferraris far always something like about compromise, this car was a true paragon in terms of build quality and reliability in comparison. The brakes and the clutch can keep up with the qualities of balanced chassis and engine and ergonomics is also true for tall drivers; this was an absolute novelty at Ferrari.

With the advent of the F355 could be the manufacturer finally afford to compare the qualities of the new driving machine with Autotest confident with the competition, which was previously not always been the case. Because the F355 offered over its predecessor 348 is not only a significant technological leap in the form of, for example, five valves per cylinder, electronically adjustable suspension and later the optional F1 transmission, but also the high performance and a balanced level of performance made the mid-engined two-seater from " entry-level Ferrari " at an attractive full-fledged sports car. This meant that the sales figures rose among others, the F355, as the "little" Ferrari was an equally high-quality sports car like the big twelve-cylinder models now.

Specifications

Body

Two-seater mid-engine coupé or cabriolet ( F355 Spider ), steel chassis, aluminum body, length × width × height (mm) 4250 × 1900 × 1170, wheelbase 2450 mm, tank capacity 82 liters Curb weight 1350 kg (measured value with a full tank 1444 kg ), power to weight ratio 4.8 kg / kW, cw- value 0.33

Motor

Water-cooled 90 -degree eight-cylinder V-engine, four overhead camshafts, five valves per cylinder, bucket tappets with hydraulic valve clearance compensation, Bore × Stroke (mm) 85.0 × 77.0, displacement 3495 cc, output 280 kW ( 380 hp ) at 8250/min, maximum torque 363 Nm at 6000 rpm, power output per liter 80.1 kW / l, maximum speed 8500 rpm

Power transmission

Rear-wheel drive, mechanical manual six -speed transmission, optional from 1998: F1 transmission, differential lock 40 %, translations: I. 3.07, II 2.16, III. 1.61, IV 1.27, 1.03 V., VI. 0.84 axle ratio 3.75:1

From the spring of 1998, the F355 was the first production vehicle in the world optionally ordered for a fee with a steering wheel paddle shifters.

Landing gear

Independent suspension all round, front coil springs, shock absorbers, double wishbones and stabilizer; rear coil springs, shock absorbers, double wishbone and stabilizer; Brakes: disc brakes all round, internally ventilated diameter front / rear ( mm) 305/300, ABS, Tires: 225/40 ZR 18 front and 265/ 40 ZR 18 at the rear to 7.5 and 10 × 18-inch magnesium wheels

The chassis is equipped with Bilstein shock absorbers and has an automatic hydraulic leveling system. It can be connected to a switch in the center console from the driver seat switch electrically from a rather soft " comfort" level on the harder "sport" damping. The comfort level has grown most driving situations, as sensors for vertical acceleration and vehicle speed, with increasing speed, the shock characteristics and readjust electronically.

The chassis of the F355 is tuned relatively hard, so the setup is tuned to the sporting use of the vehicle. In a sport auto Supertest the suspension setting resulted in a clearly positive result: " The Ferrari is still on the road. He allows neither flashy body roll when cornering, yet he reveals restless tumbling on roadways second order. Even at maximum speed, the Ferrari does not show the slightest bad habit, in the form of restless straight. " This conclusion may all the more be attributed to the suspension tuning than the F355 clad in spite of its underbody and other aerodynamic aids at 200 km / h already 42 kg lift on the rear axle produced. For his achievements in the slalom disciplines as well as in the performances at the Hockenheimring and on the Nürburgring- Nordschleife, the vehicle was praised: " excellent stability, very high maximum lateral acceleration, a direct response to steering commands, exemplary neutrality. Is at odds with the statement: " In the wet, the jagged reactions around the vertical axis require a quick hand ... should drift in a F355 at best professionals on a closed course. "

Performance

0-100 km / h: 4.9 s ( measured value)
0-200 km / h: 16.5 s ( measured value)
Maximum speed: 297 km / h (measured value)
Braking distance from 100 km / h ( warm): 37,5 m ( 10.7 m / s ² )
Consumption: about 13.7 l/100 km
36 m slalom: 118 km / h
Max. Lateral acceleration: 1.3 g
Lap Nürburgring Nordschleife: 8:13 min
Small lap time Hockenheimring: 1:15:3 min

The powerful V8 engine and the driving characteristics enabled the testers of the F355 on the track and when accelerating the attainment of times that are not far from his successor Ferrari 360, but significantly lower than those of his predecessor Ferrari 348.

Acceleration to 200 km / h, almost the same with the 360, the lap time at Hockenheim also. This is partly also because the F355 is about 20 kg lighter than its successor. However, the curb weights are factory and can vary depending on the equipment. With the optional lightweight sports seats, the former test car weighed about 1440 kg.

Production figures

Produced a total of F355: 11,273

Of them with 6-speed manual: 8649, which divided up as follows:
F355 Berlinetta: 3,938
F355 GTS: 2,048
F355 Spider: 2,663

With F1 circuit: 2,624 ( standalone models, other names )

355 F1 Berlinetta: 1,044
355 GTS F1: 529
355 Spider F1: 1,051, including 104 as a special model 355 F1 Spider Fiorano, (100 U.S. versions) 1999 unveiled in Geneva next to the 360 Modena

Motorsport versions (not included in above-mentioned 11,273 total production street legal )

F355 Challenge: 72
F355 Competizione: only a few specimens known from 1995 to 1996
About 100 F355 Berlinetta street legal were converted to F355 Challenge. The work for this purpose provided a parts package.

Price ( 1995): 220,000 DM
Price 355 F1 ( 1998 ): 250,000 DM

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