355 - Anyone know how many F355 came with the trifecta of carbon seats, FHP and rollbar? | FerrariChat
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355 Anyone know how many F355 came with the trifecta of carbon seats, FHP and rollbar?

Discussion in '348/355' started by FerrariIcona, Dec 5, 2023.

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  1. FerrariIcona

    FerrariIcona Formula Junior
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    #1 FerrariIcona, Dec 5, 2023
    I saw a F355 B with factory carbon fiber seats, the FHP and a great looking leather covered factory rollbar. I've never seen one of these before.

    Is there a way to find out how many cars came with these three seemingly most desirable options available for the F355?

    I suspect the rollbar was not approved for the U.S. market at all. Were the carbon fiber seats? Was the FHP ever offered in the U.S.?

    Anyone know how much these options cost back in the day?
     
  2. ShineKen

    ShineKen F1 World Champ
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    #2 ShineKen, Dec 5, 2023
    My guess… 20-30 cars worldwide.

    No FHP cars in U.S outside of Serie Fioranos.

    Carbon seat was available as an option in the U.S, but rarely ordered for whatever reason.

    Roll bar not approved for U.S, but somehow was able to be spec’d through Dubai and brought here. The few that were ordered, did not have carbon seats.
     
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  3. FerrariIcona

    FerrariIcona Formula Junior
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    #3 FerrariIcona, Dec 5, 2023
    Wow. That is a small number. Your knowledge of these cars continues to impress!
     
  4. Philipnz

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    #4 Philipnz, Dec 6, 2023
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  5. bobzdar

    bobzdar F1 Veteran

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    #5 bobzdar, Dec 6, 2023
    Is that verified? I thought they couldn't be delivered with FHP alignment due to the ride height, same as the Fioranos, but haven't seen anything saying they couldn't be ordered, though I don't know that I've ever seen one. Seems like Ferrari would/does milk the US cash cow over all others if they can...
     
  6. ShineKen

    ShineKen F1 World Champ
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    #6 ShineKen, Dec 6, 2023
    Verified. Last sentence.

    *Serie Fioranos was a last min thing and almost all are second half 1999 production, which is after the release of this document.



    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
  7. FerrariIcona

    FerrariIcona Formula Junior
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    #7 FerrariIcona, Dec 6, 2023
    I really like how Ferrari so seamlessly integrated that roll bar particularly with its leather covering. Shame it was such a rarely chosen option. As an aside, I read a review of that intake system and on the OBD2 cars it actually resulted in less hp on the dyno (OBD1 cars use a different intake and did see a boost in HP)
     
  8. bobzdar

    bobzdar F1 Veteran

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    #8 bobzdar, Dec 6, 2023
    That says the geometry setting is not available, not that the package/parts are not available (everything below Geometry Setting heading). Serie Fiorano I believe got the standard geometry but the FHP parts. Likely because take rate was low and Ferrari wanted to move the parts. They did the same thing with the 348 SS cars to use up parts.
     
  9. SpecJunkie

    SpecJunkie Karting

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    #9 SpecJunkie, Dec 6, 2023
    Philip, was your car always a NZ delivered car, or a UK car that was exported out there? Fab spec!
     
  10. ShineKen

    ShineKen F1 World Champ
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    #10 ShineKen, Dec 6, 2023
    Maybe taking the wording too literal. There are no known FHP cars delivered to USA, Australia, and Canada. If it was available, no one actually ordered it. While in UK, Europe, and Japan you can find enough of them.
     
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  11. ShineKen

    ShineKen F1 World Champ
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    #11 ShineKen, Dec 6, 2023
    Also, Serie Fiorano cars sit lower than standard Spiders from the factory.
     
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  12. bobzdar

    bobzdar F1 Veteran

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    #12 bobzdar, Dec 6, 2023
    I mean, if the FHP was not available in the US, Canada or Australia, why not just say "package not available in the US Canada or Australia". They specifically called out that the geometry settings were not available, not the FHP package. Doesn't mean anyone ordered one, but that doesn't tell me it wasn't available....
     
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  13. ShineKen

    ShineKen F1 World Champ
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    #13 ShineKen, Dec 6, 2023
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  14. ShineKen

    ShineKen F1 World Champ
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    #14 ShineKen, Dec 6, 2023
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  15. ShineKen

    ShineKen F1 World Champ
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    #15 ShineKen, Dec 6, 2023
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  16. ShineKen

    ShineKen F1 World Champ
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    #16 ShineKen, Dec 6, 2023
  17. Philipnz

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    #17 Philipnz, Dec 6, 2023
    Was UK delivered in 1998 and imported to NZ in 2002 so spent 4 years in the UK
     
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  18. FerrariIcona

    FerrariIcona Formula Junior
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    #18 FerrariIcona, Dec 6, 2023
    This is great stuff! Thank you for sharing!!!!!

    I think the world is clueless about the value of the Fiorano Spiders and the FHP cars as well. Interesting to read how the Fiorano was announced / unveiled alongside the then new 360 thus explaining why there was no real fanfare for the F355 given the new and radically different 360s unveiling at the same event.
     
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  19. ShineKen

    ShineKen F1 World Champ
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    #19 ShineKen, Dec 6, 2023
    A big reason why few 355’s were ordered “all out” in 1999.
     
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  20. ShineKen

    ShineKen F1 World Champ
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    #20 ShineKen, Dec 7, 2023
    Although the option was available for Spiders, you’d be hard pressed to find one with FHP outside of Serie Fioranos. I’ve only seen 2 in Japan and one in Europe. UK reports to have a total of 5. Meanwhile, there’s probably 100 or in GTB/S form.

    Makes you wonder if Ferrari made the Serie Fiorano to forcibly even out the distribution of FHP.
     
  21. FerrariIcona

    FerrariIcona Formula Junior
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    #21 FerrariIcona, Dec 7, 2023
    Could be! Either way I am glad they did as the Fiorano Spiders got not only the FHP, but also they also got the recessed fender shields, carbon fiber center consoler, carbon fiber triple gauge /radio surround as well as either carbon fiber paddle shifts or an aluminum and carbon fiber trick shift knob. From my driving the Fiorno Spiders (I've had 3) and the GTS and a 1997 F355CH, the Berlinetta was notably the stiffest but surprisingly I found the Spider chassis better than the GTS in terms of less cowl shake while the Fiorano Spider was the most fun of the group to drive.

    Would love to fit carbon seats and the rollbar to the Fiorano spider!
     
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  22. FerrariIcona

    FerrariIcona Formula Junior
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    #22 FerrariIcona, Dec 7, 2023
    It would be fair to say the Spider Fiorano was the first in the series that would go on to include the 360 Stradale, 430 Scuderia, 458 Speciale, etc. Really crazy how the Fiorano is so much unknown in the Ferrari world. Only around 100 (100 numbered) Fiorano Spiders and yet 1,288 360 Stradales, ~2,000 430 Scuderias, 1,309 458 Speciale Berlinettas were produced while 499 458 Speciale Spiders were produced and I've read around 3,500 488 Pista and 1,000 488 Pista Spiders were produced. In this context, the F355 Spider Fiorano is a unicorn! (There are more Pista than there were F355 gated manual spiders ever made.)

    I suspect this will be a bit like the Dino. It took a number of decades for the Dino values to take off but then when the world woke up they went from $30k-$60k to half a million to nearly a million (e.g., $853k on BAT). I suspect the F355 FHP and particularly the numbered Fiorano Spiders will become highly sought after in the future.
     
  23. ShineKen

    ShineKen F1 World Champ
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    #23 ShineKen, Dec 7, 2023
    I like the package they put together for the Serie Fioranos. I think it was a nice touch.
     
  24. ShineKen

    ShineKen F1 World Champ
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    #24 ShineKen, Dec 7, 2023
    @FerrariIcona so when are you completing your manual Serie Fiorano ;)?
     
  25. bobzdar

    bobzdar F1 Veteran

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    #25 bobzdar, Dec 7, 2023
    They have a FHP for most of the later cars (including v12s), I think the 355 was the first in that line. It's not the same as the specials imo, which got extensive lightening, engine work and aero that were not available as options separately. The first special was the 348gtc, they skipped it on the 355 for whatever reason, then resumed with the 360cs etc. Definitely a premium for Fiorano but not like the specials that had bespoke performance parts. The bespoke Fiorano parts were the CF f1 paddles and the badge.
     
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