Seems like most of the 96... numbers I've seen have been '94 512TRs, maybe some Euro 348 GTB or Ss, hope that helps.
If you know the entire VIN number, the 10th character gives you the model year: P = 1993 R = 1994 S = 1995 T = 1996
Is that for a 348? Mine is 98399 and it's a '94 MY with build date 10/93. So if it's a 348 it's a '93. I think at least US models for '94 348 started with 97XXX.
The OP was referencing a 348 I beleive, no 355's were labeled as 93MY. Some were built in 93 but referenced as 1994 MY cars. Never trust Ferrari's VIN chronological number sequence.
I assume you're referring to 348's specifically here, because the F355 wasn't launched until 3/94 at Geneva.
Any details on it? Specs? Where it might have sold? If 98157 is truly the first production 355, we should solidify its place in 355 history. @Matthias Urban has 98345 as the first in his records.
Outside of 98157, which would be a Sept 93 build date car, I’ve pinpointed the first 5 production 355’s ever made. 98345 - Oct 93 build 98501 - Nov 93 build 98673 - Feb 94 build (challenge) U.S 98674 - Feb 94 build (challenge) U.S 98684 - Feb 94 build (challenge) Euro Outside of that we don’t start seeing 355 production until high 99xxx’s. Few in May… but beginning of some real 355 production in June 94, which is right after launch. So a few were made in 93. My guess is they had to build a few of them to test them out months ahead of the May 94 launch. Most would then be converted to challenge cars so less of a concern.
Late May 94 was the official launch btw. Initially scheduled for Geneva but they changed their minds and launched at the Museum instead. Also drove media around Fiorano the same evening. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Would those 5 VIN's technically be considered pre-production then? Ferrari says on their own site that they launched the car at Geneva. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ typical https://www.ferrari.com/en-EN/magazine/articles/f355-berlinetta-the-best-in-the-world
I have no evidence the first 2 were eventually converted to challenge cars. There’s no record of them in challenge events. The earliest vin challenge cars (converted) are 98673 & 98674 (purple wrapped? But originally yellow, then later unveiled as yellow in 1999). 98674 raced as car # 2. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Hi Ken, instead of the detour via Eric, whom I always like to include in communications about the 355 because it is simply our car, we can of course also exchange ideas here. Introducing myself: I compiled the "Ferrari Serial Numbers Manual" and run F-Register.com as an "electronic successor" and now have 99.987% coverage as of last month. I always try to ensure that all data is 100% correct, but that still needs some work. In fact, 98345 is the first official F355, a car with an EU VIN. The Factory has no or only rarely "development vehicles" in its database officially, which means that one has to tap other sources, which would have been easier in the past - just remember Hilary Raab, who laid the basis for the "Ferrari Serial Numbers Manual", by putting together a predecessor. Hilary says he sat in the Factory and transcribed the data there - manually- a lot of work, but also a dream for data collectors. In any case, my sources say that there were previously 11 Protos and Esperienze cars - of course difficult to verify because they were officially listed as "not assigned" or Vehicle Not Found: 1 Challenge, 1 Spider, 6 GTS and 3 Berlinettas. 99902 is actually the first US spec. Berlinetta, but there were 147 Europeans before that - using the F-Register we can now break down how many cars there were and how they are distributed across the individual types and markets. From the next update, the subscriber can also do this online because all the data will then be available are uploaded. Of course, things are a little more difficult with the Challenge cars because there would only be definitive documentation at the Factory -as we all assume- as to what was a Factory Challenge Car and what was equipped with a kit. Any answer, communication and reply - happily provided at any time Matthias
I can confirm Giallo FER 102 Glasurit on 98345. 98501 is a confirmed Japanese-spec 348 GTB livered in Rosso Corsa on VIN ZFFUA35JPN0098501.
So this is the correct sequence? 98345 - Oct 93 build Giallo/Nero 98673 - Feb 94 build (challenge) U.S. Silver/Nero 98674 - Feb 94 build (challenge) U.S. Giallo/Nero 98684 - Feb 94 build (challenge) Euro. Rosso/Nero
