Hi, I'm in the market for a late 348, if possible a Spider, otherwise a TS or GTS. I like my cars old-school / analogue, and DON'T want power steering. I thought no 348's had power steering, but now I've found conflicting information that the GTB / GTS and Spiders all DID have power steering... Two questions: 1) Is it true that the 348 Spider has power steering? 2) Is it the same overlight system as the 355? Thanks.
No 348's had power steering, unless they used to be an MR2 in a former life The 348 is the last of the analogue Ferrari's. You feel everything in the steering. Have a read http://www.evo.co.uk/ferrari/458/12164/ferrari-458-italia-meets-308-348-f355-360-and-f430
OK, the 348 Spider ad I saw with power steering must a mistake, and a blog article about the 348 Spider having power steering as part of its updates too. Yes, I know that Evo article well thanks ; just wondered if the 348 Spider had power steering. I know the TB and TS don't.
You can install electric power assist in 348 steering. Some shops here can perform that and it works really well.
"You can install electric power assist in 348 steering. Some shops here can perform that and it works really well." A mod for those who just don't 'get it'
But the 348 doesn't really require power steering. Yes the steering is a bit heavy when the car is completely stationary, but it's not impossibly heavy and you soon get used to it. Once free of a parking space and on the move, the steering lightens up immediately and is perfectly weighted with the car at speed (as noted in all of the test drives I've ever read about the 348, both "back in the day" and now). I've got quite skinny arms but the steering on My 348 hasn't been any real issue to Me (Especially not to the degree that I feel the car needs power steering).
The single best feature of the 348 over the 355 is its lack of power steering. Amazed that some owners wreck their steering by making it electrically assisted - truly even worse than the dead-feel 355 steering.
There was recently a 348 for sale in Europe, that claimed to have the only "factory fitted power assisted steering" on a 348. Apparently the owner got Ferrari to do it when he bought it. 348's are special because they are manual, you only other choices are a Lotus or a 4C if you want that special feel from the steering wheel.
I struggle to believe that Ferrari would have gone to all the effort to make a one-off power steering system for a single, "lowly" 348 TBH! A Testarossa/512 TR maybe - but not a 348. Any buyer should demand written proof from Ferrari themselves to prove it, otherwise it should be assumed to be an aftermarket setup!
doubt it would have been that much of an effort....the 328s/Mondials of that time had power assist didn't they?
If you pay Ferrari enough money, they will do anything you want. No p/steering in the 328, but the Mondial T had it. I also believe it would not have been hard to rob parts from the Mondial to fit into the 348 to have factory p/steering. Very interesting, would love to see the car that had it factory fitted if indeed this is the case.
Does it come with documentation to prove that the power steering was factory fitted by Ferrari themselves? For the money Ferrari would have asked to carry out this modification though, I would have thought the customer would have been in the market for a Testarossa. I suppose the original buyer may have had a disability and so required power steering - That would make some sense, otherwise, a 348 owner needing power steering would have to be some kind of wuss! As I say, I've got about as skinny arms as you can get, and from stationary, the steering can be a bit of a battle, but not to the degree that I'd even consider the car needing power steering!
