A 355 is still fast on the track and on twisty roads in comparison to other 12 years old production cars (550, 512): LAP TIMES PISTA DI FIORANO 1'18"90 360 N-GT 1'22"30 Enzo (2003) 1'22"40 360 Challenge 1'25"40 355 Challenge (1997?, wing, slicks, Nicola Larini) 1'26"50 355 Challenge (1995, no wing, streets) 1'27"00 F50 1'28"00 F50 (1995) 1'28"00 360 Challenge Stradale 1'29"60 F40 1'30"00 F40 (1987) 1'30"00 360 Modena 1'31"50 360 Modena 1'31"50 F40 (Gerhard Berger) 1'31"51 575M Maranello 1'32"53 550 Maranello 1'33"00 348 Challenge 1'33"00 575M Maranello 1'33"00 F355 F1 (1997) 1'34"00 F355 (1994) 1'34"00 550 Maranello (1997) 1'35"00 F512M (1995) 1'35"00 512TR (1992) 1'35"00 456GT 1'35"00 Maserati 4200GT 1'36"00 Testarossa (1984) 1'37"00 348TB (1989) 1'37"00 288GTO (?) 1'37"00 Porsche 959 (?) 1'40"00 456GT (1992) best, cinque
I dont know where you got them lap times. And you also havent mentioned the F430 in the list. So i assume its a old list. But,i have a Top Gear video here showing the 430 going around Fiorano and it was 3secs quicker then the 360. So lets say around the 1'27"00? But surely you would think that it would be also quicker than the 355CH?? 355CH has 380HP and weighs in at 1320KG. 430 has 490HP and weighs 1450KG? Very very close i suppose!
Uh, I'll have to side with TTG on this one. People may get confused with the immediate power you feel at low RPMs with a bigger displacement engine and bigger cars- 550 maranello, new corvette, even my 540, whatever...but the 355 is a higher revving v-8 engine that's about high speed HP. The combo of the sound, looks, mid-engine low slung handling, etc are what this experience is all about. It has more speed than I'd ever need, but it's certainly not the only reason to want the car. I drove a 348 spider that felt about the same speed-wise as my Porsche (1993 911) if not a tad slower (who can tell)...I was also in a 360 that was pretty damn fast. With the 355 being between the two, and probably closer to the 360 than 348 in acceleration, I'd say it's more than "fast enough" for a sports car- modern or several years old. You can get into plenty of trouble with half the horsepower If you want raw torque/speed, get a 550 or Z06. The 550 is sick- first Ferrari ride I ever had....I've never been in a Z06, but it must be quite a similar feel. To be honest, I know there's many people on this board that are sick- they need the most speed possible and the latest 10/10ths technology. Thank god for them, because the sick people like me can buy their beasts as they trade up to the next generation On a more serious note, for me personally the 355 has all the power I'd want. If I ever get to a ferrari and got a 360 coupe instead of a 355 spider, it would be just to get a newer/different design, not for any performance increase. To each his own though....when will spring be here so I can go driving instead of posting on here?
I've only had my 355 for a week and maybe I am getting older but this car feels plenty fast. Unlike my Vipers, the car does not pull like a freight train off the line. However, the driving experience is entirely different. My SRT - 10 has 9 years on my 355 and I feel like it needs every one of them. If you want to go fast in the 1/4 mile I would pick the Viper or Z06. The Ferrari is an event each time I start it up. There is no replacing it.
What is it about? Is it about the horrible steering feel? Much better in the 348 i might add. Is it about the around town driveability which requires you to downshift each and everytime you want to move because it is torqueless? Again around town, the 348 feels much quicker. Is it about the same old horribly reluctant transmission found in the 348? Is it about the shakes and rattles you feel everytime you hit a small bump? Is it about the interior, which feels as if it was put together to last about 2 days? The melting a/c vents, the bubbling center console, the deteriorating leather? And if you think I purchased a bad car, ill put you in touch with people who have seen it, who will tell you it was the nicest 9,000 mile 355 SPider they have ever seen. In my opinion, the 348 is a much better car than the 355. For 40K it has an excuse to be a POS, while the 355, being substantially more expensive, does not. And for anyone who thinks they are spinning the tires in their 355 on upshifts.... thanks for the laugh.
Allen, not to bash you or anything, but if your 355 couldn't spin its tires on up shifts there was most certainly a problem. Not really sure if it was the car or the driver, but something wasn't right. Also I havn't seen any of the "melting vents " or the "deteriorating leather" you had, and I've got 30k on my car. I guess it's all in the way it's maintained. By the way a believe the 355 has a better stearing feel than the AWD G car.
Not to bash you or anything, but ill bet you my 355 ran better than yours. Spinning tires on upshifts, requires a car to have torque. You are confusing wheel spin, for the jolt you feel in the car when shifted fast. The car is a dog. No ifs, ands or butts. As for its steering feel being better than a Gcar, only if you liken driving a Cadillac as the better experience between the two also. Here are some pics of my very well treated 355 I found. Dont mind the bird poop. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Couple more. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Awe cummon Allen your being to harsh on the car. If I remember correctly, wasn't it you that smoked a loud mouth Rustang owner with it? So you did have a little bit of fun with it. I will agree that if speed and spine crushing torque is what you are after, your money is better spent on a Z06 and a supercharger.
Allan, Your ranting is sounding much like a 16 year old. Is that how your trying to come across or are you a 16 year old? I see you haven't been on the site for long and your main concern is to try and boost your image. Good luck. Lambos are nice, but they certainly do not have the heritage, image, or racing experience that a Ferrari does. Grow up, sit down, and experience the truth.
Judging by your photo evidence, I suggest you learn to drive and then come back to try again. The reason why you are so bothered by acceleration is clearly because you need all the help you can get to disguise your own driving problems. No car is going to be good enough for you - or rather you are not good enough for any car. Now go away silly man.
If you guys arent familiar with Allan I believe hes been banned from F-chat before. He inhabits a number of messages boards in which his posts generally consist of: boasting, being annoying, knocking ferraris/other users opinions, and the occasionally non-biased well written post. His opinions are his to have for sure, but dont expect a non-biased opinion on F-cars from him. Or on Lambos (from a positive perspective) for that matter. In short, hes just Allan Lambo.
You can find more laptimes here on board by a quick search (fiorano 355 lap times). IMO a 430 discussion here is completly off topic cause this car is a decade younger. And you can get almost three F355 for the same money! Just relax and let the 430 be faster, even against a 355 Challenge on similar tires. No surprise, but who cares? A man has to know when he is going to loose. @GSpyder: Your opinion "the 348 is a much better car than the 355." is nothing I can follow. Yes, a 348 is "cheap" against the 355 - for reasons. The much better car is definitly the 355. cinque
Open mouth and insert foot, if YOU knew anything about SCCA racing, the downed cones point in the direction of the side of the cone you are to be on. In that run, i came in 2nd, beating everyone including a Z06 who runs consistently every month. This was only my 2nd time out. I lost to a modified STI, that was not even running street tires.
Yes, i am 16 years old, and yes, anytime youd like to compare the number of Ferraris you have owned, with the number I have owned, please let me know. Until that point, it is you sir, who needs to put down the crack pipe, lay off the crystal meth, and that hazy shade will hopefully uncloud your judgement.
In a few ways the 355 is better, but not better enough to justify the price difference. In the end, they both are crap.
The fact that you call autocross, gymkhana, or time trials racing speaks volumes. BTW, I got my first SCCA National Competition license in 1965 at Riverside raceway (it was Cal Club region then) I've done more SCCA races than I can count, always in a proper race car, not a modified passenger car.
Thank you for owning up to your true age, but aren't you a little young to be married. One bad decision (buying the Lambos) shouldn't follow the other. Cheers
I purchased my Ferrari for the racing heritage and image. Everytime I sit in my F car, I feel like it is just like the pits of Lemans.
