What is a 348 GTS!

revised chassis , 320 hp ..better handling , and better finish

 

348 tb & ts ("t" = transverse gearbox)
Tipo F119 D

3.4 L V8 | 3405cc | bore & stoke 85mm x 75mm | 300bhp @ 7200rpm | compression 10.4:1 | Bosch Motronic M2.5

bhp increased by 20 on:

348 GTB, GTS, GT Competizione
Tipo F119 H

primarily because of upgraded Motronic:

3.4 L V8 | 3405 cc | bore & stroke 85mm × 75mm | 320bhp @ 7200 rpm | compression 10.4:1 | Bosch Motronic M2.7

 

The GTS/GTBs were not sold in the US. Your dealer is giving you incorrect information.
The 94 TS/TBs are factory challenge cars.

 

Armen -

Check out the details on QV500...

http://www.qv500.com/ferrari348p3.htm

 

Hey Armen

I'm not 100% for sure on this but, I think that the GTB/GTS 348 got all of the upgrades that were on the spiders. They had a stiffer body, the 355 subframe, the 2.7 motronic that was in the spyders, spiders exhaust, the widers offset rims, the battery being in the front wheel well, and I think that the top part of the intake plenum was a little bit taller than on the other 348's. I also think that they didn't have the stupid mad mouse automatic seatbelts, I think?

 

The 348 ts/tb were the earlier model years of the 348 ('90-'92). In '93, the 348 GTS/GTB were introduced, along with the all new Spider. All three versions shared the new 2.7 ignition and some mild revisions to the exterior, most notably the lower body skirt was painted the same color as the body. The 348 tb/ts has a black lower skirt (although many owners have since had them repainted to match the body).

The 348 GTS is a solid car. By the way, I think that even though they were introduced in '93, I believe these cars started with '94 model years, so the car you're looking at is one of the first. Much improved over the earlier 348's.

 

Oh, I almost forgot - The 348 GTS DOES have the annoying automatic seatbelts, but you can basically ignore these and just use the backup buckle.

 

Where is everyone getting their information (especially the 320bhp)?

Ferrari used Motronic 2.5 on 89-mid '90 348s (and Mondial t's subsequently) and went to Motronic 2.7 on mid-90's cars and later. And rather than the 300bhp the Motronic 2.5 was supposed to make, it only made ~ 295bhp. Motronic 2.7 made the claimed 300bhp, and got around some other issues notably hot starting.

Ferrari 348 Speciale claimed a 312bhp (via a free flow exhaust) + the 348 Spyder gearing.

According to "Ferrari - The Original V8" here's the information on the GTS/GTB (paraphrased):

"At the Frankfurt Salon, the tb and ts badges were replaced with the GTB and GTS badges. The only visual difference being the loss of the matt black finish for the front spoiler, the body sides below the doors, and the lower rear valance, all now being finished in the body color. Also, the Cavallino Rampante was chromed on both the front and rear grills. There were no chassis, engine, or interior differences between the ts/tb and GTS/GTB models."

"Additionally, the GTB/GTS continued in production until the F355 berlinetta and GTS were introduced at the 1994 Geneva Auto Salon. The 348 Spyder continued until the 355 spyder was introduced it in April of 1995."

Lastly...

"...the exact specification for changing from Bosch MoTronic M2.5 to M2.7 was at chassis numbers 86406 (tb) and 86407 (ts) (occured in October of 1990)."

The GTS/GTB was produced for only one year, '93-'94. As a side note, 348 models in '92 received some chassis and spring updates which carried over into the GTB/GTS models, but the GTB/GTS were no different than those 348s other than what has been listed.

 

I guess that's the best answer to the original question! "Original Ferrari V8" by Keith Bluemel is where my information came from also, but Jet-X did a much nicer job of paraphrasing. I didn't have the book handy and had to go off of my memory.

If you really want to appreciate the differences between the cars, that's the book to get - it has great color photos and detailed write-ups for the different versions including chassis numbers. It's a great aid in identifying cars on the street or in the showroom.

 

What the book "Original Ferrari V8" failed to mention is that the 94 GTB/GTSs were never sold in the US. For MY 94, factory challenge models (in TS and TB forms) were offered in the US. While similar to the GTB/GTS counterparts, The factory challenge models have predrilled holes for the roll cage, harness mounting points, some with front and rear tow hooks (like mine), plus a couple other additions.

 

I also got my info from the "Original V8". However, looking on the internet I have noticed that not all of the intake plenums are the same. There are some that have taller runners on the intake plenum, as well as a taller cover on the top if the plenum. On the top of the plenum there are raised lines that run the length of the plenum cover, with a cavallino on either side of the throttle body inlet. On the taller plenums, only two of the raised lines run the length of the cover. The taller plenum is to increase the velocity of the air coming into the intake. The increased velocity of the air entering the engine allows it to make a little bit more power. Also the single exhaust frees up the back pressure alowing more air to to flow out the exhaust. So that is were you get the 320 hp rating from Ferrari. But it really all depends on how well the car was tuned. Anyway, it is very evident that the plenums are not the same. I haven't seen the outside of the cars, that I have seen the pictures of the plenums, so I can say for sure exactly what car the picture was taken from. But I do know for a fact that there are taller plenums in some of the 348. I am just assuming that they are on the GTS/B's, because I have never seen them on any other 348.

I thought that they got rid of the stupid automatic seatbelts towards the end of production of the 348. Also I thought that it wasn't manditory for the european cars to have the automatic belts? So if no cars were made for the US why would they have the automatic seat belts?

 

Actually I own a 348 GTS that is registered 26 April 1995. Chassis no 99115. It has the taller intake plenums and all the other stuff you mentioned. The GTB and GTS share the F119 H -engine with the Spider, that is the 320 BHP engine. The tb and ts versions did not have that engine.

 

My 1994 348 GTS:

colour coded lower panels
F119H engine with tall plenum
standard offset rear wheels - decreased offset (wider) rear wheels only a US speciality!
no wild mouse
battery in front wheel well
spider type exhaust
chrome horsies
dealer mumbled something about it having 355 driveshafts

incidentally, the id plate on the steering column retained the designation ts.

 

94 GTS
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My 348 in Sweden
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Did you get it?

 

GTS/GTB/Spider Engines have a taller plenum chamber
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Beautiful Simon

 

Thanks! I am planning on bying new wheels though.. Found a nice set at ebay for 725 US$! See the picture.. Would'nt those look great on a red 348?

/simon
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Be very careful, these wheels are 1 pc. Chinese made that I've heard many negative things about. The seller was also a previous sponsor on here that was shady and called out and laughed out of the community for lying to us.

 

Oops, that sounds bad.. I'll have a second thought about it all. The wheels sure sound extremely cheap so I guess that they can't be too good. Thanks for the warning!

 

There is some incorrect info mixed around in some of the posts here so I thought I would take the time change some of the thoughts. The GTB and GTS didn't start being produced until late 1993 so really they are 1994 cars. There is no difference in body structure or engine frame than earlier cars, I can't find any different part numbers to show a difference. The spider models had some mods to the struture but those weren't carried over to the others. The taller manifold(shown in a picture above) was on the Euro cars only, H engines (the US cars 93SS, 94GTB/GTS challenge cars and Spyders did not have this manifold). It was good for the 8 hp increase and along with the new muffler (1st used on the SS) gave 320 hp on the Euro cars. The SS and '94 US challenge cars(GTB/GTS) and US Spiders '94 and '95 came with the new muffler and had 312 hp (G engines). There was no difference in the ECUs from euro cars to US cars. They may have different contol chips but I can't find any info on that, all I can find is different cam timing for non cat cars vs. cat equiped cars. All later 348s in the US have the tracter belt system and only US spec cars. If you were a low production manufacturer you had a choice for US cars either air bags or passive restraint, Ferrari didn't change this for US cars until the 355 by then it was manditory. The Euro spec cars had regular seat belt system. Even the Canadian cars came with the regular seat belt system,I have a picture of a 348SS from canada with std. seat belts. Also the US, Candian and Aus cars were the only countries to use the 3rd brake light concept so there are 2 different engine hoods for 348s. Regards, Vern

 

Hey Vern,
One slight correction. The US cars never used GTB/GTS designation. My '94 is labeld as a tb. The GTS/GTB were on euro cars only.

Richard

 

I was more referring to the specs of the car not the lettering on the back, sorry for not being more clear. Its interesting that the parts book doesn't show it that way(tb) and there is a pic of a US spec car in the '94 brochure that shows the GTS script. Richard isn't your script combined with the word challenge on your car, I'm not near any pics here at work to tell? Ferrari is always interesting in keeping us guessing. Regards, Vern