As far as I can understand there are effectively 3 series of 348's (not counting SS's, spider's or GTC's) The 1st was from 89 to mid 91, the 2nd through to end 92 when they also relocated the battery to the front of the car and introduced some minor suspension mods (the end of 91 also had alternator, Motronic 2.7, clutch and minor suspension mods), the 3rd included 93 and 94 models with the 119H engine, exhaust and further suspension tuning. Full list of changes http://www.my348.com/Ferrari348Enhancements.htm Please correct me or add other differences (performance and handling specifically, I know there have been other cosmetic changes re spoilers, skirts etc as per link above) My question is has anyone driven all three series and if they have, what notable differences to the driving experience did they experience and were they significant? The reason I ask is that I have been watching a series 1 and a series 3 perform this week at a track day and other events and not only was the series 3 noticable quicker (it does have a reported 20bhp increase afterall in addition to suspensions mods and weight redistribution), it also sounded completely different to the series 1 (change from 2 cans to one would do that I guess?).
Were these cars modified. If so, it would be hard to say why one was faster than the other. I would have to imagine that they would all be fairly close in performance if they are sorted out properly. 20HP is nice, but not a deal breaker. I live near the NJMP course and watch stock looking Porcshe Caymans run with, and sometimes pass, Porsche GT3's. Alot to do with the driver and what has been done to the cars. I am no expert by any means, that is for sure, but track cars can have alot of variables. I have driven a 93 348 and I own a 91. I could not really notice any difference on the street.
Not modified but yes 93 was a significantly better performer than the 90/91 model, sounded so much different also? Interesting that you didn't notice the difference
At my track (TWS: 2.9 mile configuration) and for F355 performance cars, something as simple as r-compound tires is worth at least 6 seconds a lap. This IS noticibly faster. Secondly, some drivers might be as much as 15 seconds a lap faster than another driver. This delta is noticible by anyone still breathing.
A 93 should have a single can muffler, while 89-92 would have a twin can muffler. Single cans flow better and are a bit louder. Also, if the 93 had test pipes (no cats) it would sound much better than a car with cats.
I am not sure about the single can for all 1993's. Surely that is the case for the SS cars as one of the distinguishiung feaures of the model. The Spiders also have it. Now I have never seen a 1994 model that wasn't either an SS II or a Challenge car so I cannot tell if a "base" 1994 348 had a single can muffler.
I was under the impression that all 1993 348 for the US market were SS. And all US 1994 348 were either an SS or a spider, and all US 1995 348 were spiders. Challenge cars are excluded from my statements; I don't know much about them. I've never seen a US model that doesn't comply with these statements. I've been wrong before. Please post a link if you know of a US "base" 348s for 1993-1995. I've owned my TB SS for 10 years and I'm always following the US market for these cars.
I do understand that Mitch, just a subjective evaluation watching both cars go through a number of events. That was why I asked if anyone had driven each of the variants Ok perhaps the switch happened during 92? Both cars are standard. Maybe there is also a difference between US and Euro/Oz cars where from 93 the base cars were known as GTB's and GTS's?
Pretty sure the assembly line changes for the battery relocation were made Nov 91. I'm guessing yours was registered in '92 but that probably means it was on the line before the changes were made hence it's actually a '91 car. To find out you'd need to check the chasis number rather than the registration doc. That applies for several of the comments above, ie when it was registered is largely irrelevant, you need to check when it was built.
It's risky making any kind of blanket statement about anything Italian. Seems there are always exceptions.
Again, you'll probably find that these cars were built in '92, or at least started to be built then. I'm not sure of the exact date of when the changeover to SS was but once that change was made, all cars after that chasis number heading for the states were 'SS'. When looking at the date you need to disregard the registration date and look at when the car was actually built. I've got a '93 registered TS (just, as was first registered in Feb '93) and a guy I know has a '92 TS, both UK spec. They're actually almost twins having come off the production line only a few chasis numbers apart. In fact his is younger than mine both having been built in '92 but his was built after mine. For whatever reason mine sat around for a while but his went straight to its new owner, possibly the order for mine was cancelled or Ferrari thought there would be huge demand and so started making cars with no customer waiting, no idea why but I'm told that this happened to huge numbers of 348s. Cars are generally called a '91 or '92 because this is when they were first registered but if you are talking what spec, you've got to totally disregard this date and go back to the chasis number to see when it was actually built.
I knew there were more than 100 built but didn't know there was a gap between the 2 runs. Did they go back to a more basic model? I thought they changed to the SS but as there was demand just kept building them, but to be honest I'm not sure.
Separate models http://ferrarichat.com/forum/showpost.php?p=140884706&postcount=53 http://ferrarichat.com/forum/showpost.php?p=140340682&postcount=20
Again, no expert but thought it went something like this. In '93 the SS came out in the states to answer some of the criticisms made about earlier cars. A very few SS models were made in RHD. At the end of '93 the UK cars (European as well I think) were updated to take into consideration those changes and a few other bits were adjusted. We called them GTB/GTS but in the states these last cars were refered to as SS series 2. Basically I thought an SS series 1 was prior to the GTB, the series 2 basically is a GTB. Again, just my understanding but am more than happy if someone with more knowledge can correct me.
As far as I can make out it's not quite that simple. Although SS's did address some of the 348's issues (notably the spoiler was a useful addition, as was the change in rear track) the changes were primarily cosmetic in an effort to shift cars due to the economic slowdown of the early 90's. They were not introduced with the express purpose of addressing criticisms of the 348, those changes were introduced systematically to all models as per the link in post #1. As per links above the SS was announced in 92 with a limited run of 100 cars and sold during 92/93. A second series of 15 cars was produced in 94 but details regarding an announcement are sketchy regarding these cars (other than they are based on changes produced to 348's post the introduction of the spider). At the end of 93 the GTB/GTS series of cars were released, but are quite different to the earlier SS models. These cars sported the updated 119H engine (as did the Spider) and the addition of "some" of the cosmetic enhancements first found on the earlier SS models in addition to the other more widespread changes that are referenced in post#1 many of which were introduced in order to address criticisms. There were relatively few GTB and GTS models produced and I don't think any went to the US, though I assume the 119H engines made the TB's and TS's from late 93 (though I recall someone here saying that only challenge cars and SS's were sold in 94 in the US?) when the spider was introduced. Re RHD SS's there were only 4 and they were purely cosmetic updates provided by Maranello Concessionaires in the UK
Morning, mate. You're right, with Ferrari it's never that simple. Regarding the changes to the SS I thought that's when the engine got a bit more air, ie more free flowing exhaust system. Higher plenum chamber and inlet manifold were introduced but I think this was to the GTB/GTS and to what you're refering to as the SS series 2 to give the car a bit more power again. Regarding the TS and TB getting the updated engine there was effectively a crossover from the TB to GTB and TS to GTS. Although a few would have perhaps come off the production line pretty close together the 348 got the updates and was rebadged GTB/GTS. No TBs or TSs were built after the intro of the GTB/GTS. Some were registered afterwards, none were built afterwards. The origional SS were therefore built along side the TS/TB the 'series 2' SS as you call them were built along side the GTB/GTS (and Spider). Again, disregard the registration date, it's when the cars were built that's important. In the UK it's simple. Production wise there were changes throughout but the cars were TB/TS to a point then more power as well as some further enhancements and were GTB/GTS/Spider. In the States its similar but the cars were TB/TS for a bit, changes made as they went along, then the SS came out (you'd need to check whether any TB/TS was sold along side, they were certainly built LHD along side but emissions rules in the states meant Euro spec cars couldn't be sold there) The SS series 2 seems to have appeared at the same time as the GTB/GTS/Spider so I'm guessing it's got the same power enhancements. The TB/TS had 300 BHP early SS had 312 BHP, later 320 but that's just through the internet which has on occassion been known to be wrong. Anyway, think we're both on the same lines, just about. I can vouch for the UK cars. TB/TS then GTB/GTS/Spider. The intricacies of SS series 1 vs series 2 vs GTB are a little outside my knowledge but if you say no GTB/GTS in the states then it stands to reason that the SS series 2 is basically one. 6 million dollar question, why do you want to know?
I know that's true of Europe and markets other than US, wasn't sure what happened in US re model nomeclature as per above. Heard it was just Challenge and SS but no GTB and GTS, sounds like not enough cars but maybe all the rest were spiders. US versions 312, Europe and other markets 320 is my understanding See post #1
