1995 Ferrari F355 Berlinetta : The Last Great Analog Ferrari

My 1995 ABS on track makes the car shudder under braking in use.
So, in effect, the car teaches you not to use it.

 

Lol exactly.

It starts to become like arguing over what color is "best" or "the only color you should order the car in"

Sometimes you just gotta know when to walk away.


People walk away from me all the time when I talk about how great a lotus is.

Lol

 

Ha. Agreed that the difference between sport and comfort is subtle. I drove my car for a year before realizing that it was in sport mode by default. Now that I've finally figured out that the light on, switch down is comfort mode I do notice the difference. I usually leave it in comfort except the occasional track session or some spirited twisty driving.

I mostly notice the difference on rough pavement where comfort takes out a bit of the worst jarring sensations that otherwise would be readily felt.

 

I was considering a modified 996 GT3 and a stock 997GT3RS years ago before they shot up in values. I drove both back-to-back with my non-ps 355 Challenge. I didn’t buy the Porsches and the steering feedback (plus other driving experience factors such as engine characteristics) was pivotal in my decisions to not buy them. Both Porsche models were recognized for having good steering.

In my GT3-class air-cooled 911 race car, I have the ability to turn on/off its Cup car hydraulic steering via electric pump (not powered/driven by engine), I turn off ps when at track as it helps me get better feel of slip angle at limit.

IMHO and experiences to date, no ps (hydraulic or electric) can match the feedback of a manual. I can understand why Gordon Murray’s design of McLaren F1 and even with his latest GMAs (T.50 and T.33) all have manual steering.

To your point, weight (sub 2500 lb) does make it much more liveable/feasible. 355 Ch is <2900 lb; 911 is <2200 lb.

 

Keep in mind T.50 and T.33 are well below 2500 lbs.


I mentioned earlier, what is gained in feel you lose in agility. It’s a balancing act and it all boils down to what one prefers. I personally don’t prefer it heavier cars. Loved it in my Exige. I consider the 348 and 355 heavy cars in stock form.


Zygrene gave my Exige a perfect score of 10 in “Steering” and an 18 out of 20 in “Handling.” Highest I’ve seen him give is 19. My bushings were on their way out too. Gave the new owner a box of poly bushings. Not sure if he ever got around to installing them.

He’s only handed out a perfect 10 score for steering a handful of times out of 450+ cars he’s reviewed. He’s reviewed quite a bit of GT3’s, which do score high enough. If one watches enough Zygrene vids, you’ll realize quickly this guy raves on and on about how good the manual steering in his NSX is, yet no NSX ever achieved “10” on his grading scale. What’s holding it back? Weight imo.

Exige gets a 10 because, ultra light-weight, manual rack, quick steering ratio, small steering wheel diameter.



Having said that, Zygrene also gave a perfect 10 score in steering to the new Mclaren 750s, which has electro-hydraulic steering, where the power steering pump is electrically driven. The rest functions as hydraulic.


https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1QoqAWydVYdy-MARBWKOzGOPhF30SxPeiUwGa1tuV5BE/edit?usp=sharing


My former Exige is ranked #60.

 

Nice. I like Lotus’ manual steering, too. Spent considerable time in Elise Series 1 (Sport 190s) race cars and Evora (LF1) race car. Some vagueness (splitting hairs and could be tires) just off-center, but tons of feel beyond. And certainly agile.

Understood on 355 agility vs feel. Can be somewhat mitigated via wheel alignment (toe, rake, camber). Admittedly, -3 degrees camber helps quite a bit on effort and agility until front loads laterally through corner. At that point, let throttle pedal/right foot do the steering. Haha.

Back on topic, I do consider 355 to be among of the last of this side of analog driving experiences.

 

I have a Sport 190 with a built Civic Type-R B16 that dynos at 195. It’s a riot.

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That sounds like fun. What does it weigh?

 

Selling?

 

Just under 1700 lbs.

 

This one is a keeper

 

Love the VTEC engines .

I had put an intake and headers/exhaust on the stock Yamaha motor. New owner tuned and dyno’d at 190.

I felt the Yamaha engine was “ok.” Not bad, but not great. A bit above avg. I’ve driven cars with B16’s and B18’s and the VTEC engines feel tighter, crispier, and sound way better although you wouldn’t know from an on paper comparison. I suspect the same is going on with the 348 vs 355 engine. You know it when you drive it.

Had the Lotus’ been equipped with a Honda engine and transmission, it would be a damn near perfect car. Shifter needs improvement as well.

 

There was a company in the UK making an awesome S1 shifter, but they've been out of stock for a while. Still searching for something!