The Ferrari F355 GTS

Table of Contents:

Ferrari F355 GTS – Key Details

The Ultimate Guide to the Ferrari F355 GTS

F355 GTS – A BEST-OF-BOTH-WORLDS PROPOSITION

One year after the F355 Berlinetta made its first appearance on the street, Ferrari introduced us to the F355 GTS. A best-of-both-worlds proposition, the GTS offered the serenity and security of hardtop motoring, but with the option of removing the targa-like roof and storing it behind the seats for an authentic top-down experience. And… that’s it. Ferrari made no other changes to the F355’s styling or mechanical elements, so if you know the F355, now you know the F355 GTS. If not, keep reading to discover everything that makes the F355 special.

As in all F355s, a gorgeous V8 sits at the heart of things. To create its special high-strung character, Ferrari started with the 3.4-litre powerplant from the F348, then bored the engine 2mm and added a 5-valves-per-cylinder configuration. A host of smaller modifications were then added, resulting in a 3.5 litre, 380bhp V8 with an 8500-rpm redline. Even though it came with a substantial power increase over the F348’s engine, the thing that makes this engine so special is the electrifying sound it makes, much more evocative of a 1990s V12 F1 car than an ordinary road car.

Remarkably, the F355 was the first production road car to use an F1-style electrohydraulic transmission that can be shifted via paddles on the steering wheel. Unusually for automatic-style transmissions of that era, the F1 was capable of quicker shifts than even a highly skilled driver was able to pull off with the standard 6-speed manual. Electronically-adjustable dampers filter out road imperfections and quell body roll while still delivering plenty of feel to the driver’s hands.

Ferrari only made around 2500 F355 GTS models, with the last rolling off the line in 1998. Since then, Ferrari has not produced another targa-top vehicle, so the F355 may forever hold that special distinction. Aside from some below-average reliability, the F355 GTS is an amazingly appealing proposition, giving drivers the protection of a hardtop plus the exhilaration of listening to that glorious engine from an open cockpit.

Ferrari F355 GTS – Photo Gallery

Ferrari F355 GTS – Technical Specifications

Ferrari F355 GTS – Registry & Videos

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