The heritage of race-bred Ferraris is evident everywhere you look on the F355 Berlinetta. Take the wheels—they’re magnesium alloy, an incredibly lightweight material that reduces unsprung weight for better handling. The chassis is a steel monocoque with a tubular steel rear subframe, and the body is composed of lightweight steel and aluminum—with a full-body undertray for superior aerodynamic properties. And then there’s the engine: a 3.5-liter V8 fitted with a DOHC, 4-valve head. Titanium connecting rods save reciprocal mass, and the five valve head allows the mid-mounted motor to breathe freely, allowing for an incredible 109 horsepower per liter specific output without the aid of forced induction. Clearly, performance is superlative, with the F355 able to reach nearly 200 mph—and it is a significantly better driver than the once top-flight Ferrari 512 TR. In another difference between the F355 and the 512 TR, the Pininfarina-designed body is considerably more restrained, adopting a smoother look and doing without the distinctive side intake strakes of the Testarossa line. One of the most successful Ferraris in terms of sales and reception, the F355 still stacks up well with modern cars of similar performance from a driving perspective, and is surely destined to be a collectible, desirable car in the future. Incidentally, “berlinetta” refers to the closed version of the car, and means “little sedan” in several languages.
