348 Zagato Conversion

That was one styling treatment that truly did not work!

 

The Zagato 348 may be ugly but i suspect Ferrari took note of its glass coverd engine lid for its 360 9 years later.
Do we know if this was the first example of a glass cover over the engine bay on a road ferrari??
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The last TR race car (1961?) had a partial glass cover (over the intake trumpets).

There was some Koenig TRs with a glass cover as well - must be predating the 348.

 

+1 .........

 

I did say road cars thats a race car.
But you are right about the Koenig road Testarossa, i forgot about that.

 

Gosh a somewhat older thread. My 2 cents, I always thought that the F40 was the first road car with a glass engine cover, and the 40th anniversary 1987 intro of the F40 predates the 1989 348 series. But then given the ultra light weight of the car it would probably be polycarbonate. OK I didn't do my homework, just winging it here. And yeah, that Zagato is B-F'n Ugly. I hope it gave PF a good example of what not to do before it embarked on the 355.

 

+ 1 million

 

Very cool list! I spoke to Paul Koot some years ago about this project. At first they had plans for a limited run of about 20-25 cars, but somehow this wasn't financially viable so it stayed with just a few examples.

 

I have to agree

 

There is a silver one for sale!!!!

http://www.finecars.cc/en/detail/car/101537/index.html

Xander

 

The glass lid is interesting. The rest is automotive vandalism.

 

The silver car for sale has a much more appealing front end. I think in silver it looks quite nice, not so sure about the yellow example.

 

I agree. Still, 125,000 Euros?? Yeech.

Not TOO bad, but the rear end treatment is a little too Lotus-y for me.

 

i agree

 

Ah! I had not made the Lotus connection but I completely agree! Nice observation.

 

Let me clarify -- I have no problem with Lotuses. Well, not all of them.

I do have a problem with Ferraris looking like Lotuses, though.

 

I've never been a fan of the "double bubble" thing.

 

Nor do I. I had considered buying an Exige, but the 348 kept drawing me back. A good friend of mine owns a 1984 Turbo Esprit and a 1991 M100 Elan. Both are very cool cars. I have driven a Turbo Esprit and when that turbo spools up . . . oh my!

 

I don't car for the styling, though the engine lid isn't bad.

Anyway here are the pics from the link.
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Id buy the engine cover lid It's the bees knees..

 

i like the double hump roof!

 

Agreed! Very fun cars. Still want an Exige or even just a plain jane Elise for an autocross car.

 

Also I suspect this car had influence on the 355 design.

 

Engine lid and GTO slats are interesting on the silver car. Don't really care for the black out on the engine lid though.