1996 FERRARI F355 SPIDER - LHD

This 1996 Ferrari F355 Spider is an exciting and well-documented ‘90s supercar, combining evocative performance with a popular colour scheme. Its engine is a 3.5-litre naturally aspirated V8 producing 375bhp, allied to a six-speed manual transmission. The car has the earlier Bosch Motronic 2.7 engine management system, with dual mass air flow meters, which is said to deliver more responsive performance. The odometer shows 30,966 miles, though the correct mileage is detailed below.

This left-hand drive example was originally delivered to Germany in July 1996 before reaching UK shores in late 1998, where the km/h speedometer was swapped for a mph variant, documented in the history. The original km/h odometer will be included in the sale, showing 16,267km (10,108 miles), giving a total figure of 41,074 miles from new. The car is understood to have had five owners from new, and the current vendor has cherished and maintained the Ferrari for the last 16 years.

Resplendent in the ‘poster car’ hue of Rosso Corsa, this Ferrari has an impressive shine to the paint finish. The vendor notes that the front bumper was resprayed four years ago to remove any stone chips, though a couple are apparent on the bonnet, with minor gravel marks to the lower arches on both rear wheels. The car is also fitted with a sports exhaust and de-cat to unlock even more noise from the sonorous V8.

The black soft top fits tautly to the frame when raised, and folds away neatly when flat. The vendor reports no problems with the roof, which is in good order. Two small wear marks exist on the canvas. An F355 Challenge rear mesh grille has been fitted to improve ventilation and give the car a more purposeful appearance, though the factory-fit panel also comes with the car. The original five-spoke alloy wheels are in excellent order with replacement centre caps, and are secured by upgraded Hill Engineering wheel bolts.

Moving inside, the Spider features a welcoming combination of cosmetic upgrades and factory features. A Momo flat-bottomed Alcantara steering wheel has been fitted, while the Nero leather seats are in good condition with no rips or tears in the upholstery. The original steering wheel is included in the sale. Its ventilation control panel and window switches appear to be very tidy, and free of the common stickiness that can affect these cars. Carbon sill kick plates complete the appearance.

This F355 has been regularly maintained throughout its life, as the summary below shows. The car is currently in storage under a valid SORN, and as such the most recent service was carried out by marque specialist Foskers in May 2017 with 30,501 miles on the odometer (40,609 miles from new). This was a cambelt and auxiliary belt replacement service, also incorporating renewal of the engine oil and filters, as well as new wiper blades and a new battery. The car has since covered less than 500 miles.

Prior to this, the F355 underwent annual oil change services on 27 May 2016 and 5 September 2014. It was also during the 2016 service when the front bumper respray was carried out. A detailed service history follows at the bottom of this advert.

The most recent MOT test was on 30 November 2018 at 30,921 miles (41,029 miles from new). This, like every UK MOT the car has faced since 2006, resulted in a clean pass with no advisories. As the current MOT has expired, the seller will arrange for the car to have a fresh 12-month certificate ready for the next owner. A brand new set of Pirelli P Zero tyres on the front and rear have just been fitted.

Accompanying the car are all of its original Ferrari handbooks, stamped service history and a raft of historical invoices. The original leather-bound Ferrari tool kit is also present with bulbs, towing hook, screwdrivers, pliers, socket sets and original Ferrari tyre inflator canister. Furthermore, the appropriate registration ‘K9 FER’ is also included.

This Ferrari F355 Spider combines a howling naturally-aspirated V8 with an engaging analogue driving experience and performance to match. It is evidently a well-maintained supercar, and would make an exciting introduction to convertible Ferrari ownership, and a worthy addition to any collection of modern classics.

Summary of maintenance and service history

• 01/07/1996: PDI, Ferrari Autohaus Germany
• 05/11/1997: Yearly service, Ferrari Germany @ 10,288km
• 07/12/1998: Yearly service, Nick Cartwright, Replace km/h odometer with MPH
• 12/04/1999: Cambelt service, Nick Cartwright
• 26/02/2002: Cambelt service, Nick Cartwright @ 4493mi
• 26/02/2002: Service and N/S headlight fault repaired. New fuel lines and air conditioning pipes installed, Nick Cartwright @ 4493mi
• 24/03/2003: Service, reface front and rear brake discs, new fluids. Replace spark plugs and fit cat bypass pipes, Nick Cartwright @ 5,117mi
• 10/06/2003: Fit sports exhaust, replace spark plugs, Nick Cartwright @ 5,635mi
• 11/07/2003: New clutch fitted, Nick Cartwright @7,011mi
• 16/04/2004: Cambelt and full service carried out. Coolant change and air-con recharged. Nick Cartwright @ 8,045mi
• 30/04/2005: Cambelt and full service carried out, KHPC / The Ferrari Centre @ 12,097mi
• 12/05/2006: Annual service, reface front and rear brake discs, KHPC / The Ferrari Centre @ 13,706mi
• 21/07/2006: Replace split gaiters, KHPC / The Ferrari Centre @ 14,698mi
• 12/05/2007: Annual service, adjust headlamp pod and replace bulbs, 17,068mi
• 27/06/2008: Cambelt and full service, water pump rebuild and manifold repair, The Ferrari Centre @ 19,487mi
• 20/06/2009: Annual service, new front discs and pads, The Ferrari Centre @ 22,164mi 12/05/2010: Annual service, new battery, rebuilt rear shock absorbers, Waxoyl treatment, Ferrari Centre @ 23,610mi
• 14/08/2010: New cooling fans and fuel pump wiring, The Ferrari Centre @ 23,920mi
• 19/07/2011: Cambelt and full service, Waxoyl treatment and replacement driveshaft gaiters, The Ferrari Centre @ 25,301mi
• 19/05/2012: Annual service, replacement of header tank hoses, coolant and pressure-testing, The Ferrari Centre @ 25,989mi
• 19/07/2013: Annual service, replacement of brake fluid and rear brake hoses, Foskers @ 27,506mi
• 05/09/2014: Annual service and MOT, Foskers @ 28,856mi
• 27/05/2016: Annual service and front bumper respray, Foskers @ 29,330mi
• 26/05/2017: Cambelt and full service, new battery and wiper blades, Foskers @ 30,501mi

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