| Author | Message | ||
| Dennis (Bighead)
Junior Member Username: Bighead Post Number: 160 Registered: 2-2003 |
Willis is right. With the introduction of the F355 in 1994 (1995 MY), Ferrari publicly adopted a new naming scheme -- all model names thenceforth shall be preceded with the letter "F" to denote "Ferrari", continuing the tradition started by the F40 (for the 40th anniversary). Hence the 1995 F355 and the 1995 F512M, as well as the F50. This was immediately AFTER the 456 was released. For whatever reason, Ferrari soon realized this was fairly redundant (or stupid), and quietly changed their naming convention yet again with the introduction of the 550 Maranello (instead opting to add a geographic name to the numerical designation). Still, the F355 was still the F355. When the F1 transmission came out, however, Ferrari decided that F355 F1 didn't look correct, so the badging on the car was changed to "355 F1 Berlinetta/GTS/Spider". Though many (if not all) magazines still named the car the F355 F1. It is much simpler with Porsche; just call EVERYTHING a 911. :-) vty, --Dennis | ||
| Al LaPeter (Lapeter)
Junior Member Username: Lapeter Post Number: 117 Registered: 6-2002 |
F1 didn't come out until 1998 and the F355 came out in 1995. | ||
| James Angle (Jimangle)
Junior Member Username: Jimangle Post Number: 53 Registered: 9-2002 |
I may be wrong, but isn't it because of the f-1 transmission? | ||
| John A Sanders, PhD (Sandersja)
New member Username: Sandersja Post Number: 6 Registered: 1-2003 |
I had always though that people just used "355" as a shorthand convenience. However, after looking at the docs that came with the car, I concluded (perhaps erroneously) that either "F355" and "355" can be correct. The distinction looks like F1 cars were "355", while 6-speed ones are "F355". Perhaps "F355 F1" sounds bad enough in Italian that they dropped the first "F". | ||
| James J. McGee (Dr_ferrari)
Junior Member Username: Dr_ferrari Post Number: 122 Registered: 7-2002 |
I agree with dave, I believe its mostly marketing, in most cases the name refers to the engine size (ie.. 512 = 5L 12 Cylinder , 328 = 3.2L 8 Cylinder) odd ones being the 355 = 3.5L 5 Valve engine 360 = 3.6L. the 360 could have easily been 365 but as mitch pointed out, It would confuse with the eailer 365 GTB/GTC. Actually All Ferrari`s have a designated Factory Model number based on the engine/chassis. (ie... the 355 is actually a F129. Best regards, Jim | ||
| Ron R (Ronr)
Junior Member Username: Ronr Post Number: 192 Registered: 10-2002 |
Is the 360 still a 5-valve engine? | ||
| Jason Williams (Pristines4)
Member Username: Pristines4 Post Number: 461 Registered: 12-2002 |
Isn't the 360 a 3.6 liter engine? Perhaps that's got something to do with the name? | ||
| Steve Magnusson (91tr)
Intermediate Member Username: 91tr Post Number: 1939 Registered: 1-2001 |
These guys named a car "testarossa" and you're looking for perfect logic and order in their naming decisions? | ||
| Dave328GTB (Hardtop)
Member Username: Hardtop Post Number: 617 Registered: 1-2002 |
I figure it's all marketing. "F-three five five" sounds racy and no doubt they wanted to emphasis the new 5 valve heads. Also, since the shape and layout is the same as 348's they probably wanted to differentiate the car from 348's. Beginning with the 550, they seem to want names for the cars now. Maybe it's because Acura went from names to numbers???? Dave | ||
| Mitch Alsup (Mitch_alsup)
Member Username: Mitch_alsup Post Number: 825 Registered: 4-2002 |
308: 3.0 litre V8 328: 3.2 litre V8 348: 3.4 litre V8 355: 3.5 litre 5 valve 360: 3.6 litre ????? I thought it was a little strange when Ferrari named the F355 instead of F358, then though it was a little stranger to name the 360 instead of 365 or 368. Perhaps the 360 was named to avoid confusing the 365 GTB/GTCs of long ago. | ||
| Willis Huang (Willis360)
Intermediate Member Username: Willis360 Post Number: 1369 Registered: 8-2001 |
But we're lazy here on FerrarChat, so we just refer to any F355 as "355".  | ||
| Willis Huang (Willis360)
Intermediate Member Username: Willis360 Post Number: 1367 Registered: 8-2001 |
Naming system changed. Changed again when the 360 came out. Notice there is no such car as a "F360"? | ||
| Eugene Angelo (Eangelo)
New member Username: Eangelo Post Number: 30 Registered: 8-2001 |
Why does Ferrari not classify the 348 as an F348? |