Ferrari 348...

[Sam]

Anyone had one?

I know they’re supposed to be a low point in the mid-engine Ferrari timeline, but I can’t help but get all nostalgic over the styling and first gear is in the right place.

Are they only unloved because of silly received wisdom that will in time be proved wrong, like the 964?

Imagine running one (LHD, of course) down to some European town or other, parking up on the square and having a 4 hour dinner, ogling the car while the the sun drops down and the street lights come up, then firing it up and blasting back to the house in the country you’ve rented for the weekend.

I’ve even planned an outfit.

[jwhillracer]

I’ve even planned an outfit.

There you go, you're a Ferrari driver already!

JW

[Ian Gunney]

don't have any experience of a 348 but my brother has had a manual 355 for the past 11 years and it's been great. I always fancied one of the 348 competizione cars...

[inaglasshouse]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=P2r_Vb_uY84

[sng45]

I've had manual 328 / 355 / 360 Modena and Spider - never owned a 348 but I did have the unfortunate experience of driving one at a track day type event some years ago, I seem to remember the gear change was fairly awful, as I recall it has some sort of cable arrangement which wasn't particularly good ( certainly not on a par with the ones I'd owned)

To be fair I didn't drive the 348 for very long, they may be better when you get used to them ( but I doubt it ) - I'd rather have my Elise !

[911hillclimber]

Good road test video, shame he is always gunning it through the gears.

The way a car does a relaxed drive says far more on today's roads imho.

Harsh ride, iffy box (or change) makes that dreamy trip to France a bit flawed? Small luggage space heavy town steering...
Looks good, but better ways to spend the cash, like an NXS

[dean1057]

How about the earlier model the 308, always takes me back to the Magnum PI days.
You'd have to grow tache if you bought it though.
https://www.beverlyhillscarclub.com/198 ... -11076.htm

[dragonfly]

Back in the late 90s I delivered a bunch of LHD sports cars from Germany for a local trader here. Most were 964s, but a few 348 too.
While all 964s felt virtually identical to drive and bulletproof, the 348s varied wildly which we put down to build quality. Each time we flew over with a 348 and something else to pick up, he’d laugh and say “guess which one you’re getting”....

Having said that, I remember one of the later 348 Spiders was absolutely glorious

[Sam]

First point: how did the bloke with the beard get invited along for that vid? His main insight seemed to be that Ferrari were good because they put the wipers under the scuttle and Porsche didn’t.

Otherwise I think all the feedback is what I knew - it won’t be as nice to drive as a Porsche or a Lotus, because nothing is, and it won’t be as well engineered as a Honda. But the 348 is my Magnum 308 - the late 80s/early 90s was when I was growing up watching American films and TV and the 348 is so very much of that time.

[Mike]

Raid the piggy bank and check down the back of the sofa, then get a 355.

[gridgway]

I was a custodian of a 355 for a while. Its owner was stopped for going too fast on the M4 and then fell over as he got out of the car having had a bevvy or two.

To the 355, I didn't really enjoy it as it could go everywhere very fast, but didn't offer much tactility or fun. Or perhaps I didn't drive it enough to gel with it.

And as for that road test video, what utter shite. Mind you I enjoyed his downshifts with a big blip of the throttle and then the actual gearchange happening about 30 seconds later.

Graham

[kitesurfer2]

I owned a LHD 348 b a few years ago. I enjoyed owning it and it never missed a beat.
On the limit it always felt a bit nervous at the rear, but overall very nice.
They do sometimes suffer from rust where the rear wings join the buttresses, second syncro needs a bit of warming up.
Avoid the light crema interiors.

[mycar]

NSX here... and would pay to see you fit a pushbike in the back.

https://www.uksportsandprestige.co.uk/v ... 5e58a6ac73

[stuarts]

I have a LHD 348tb at the moment (though I am having to sell due to a new business commitment).

It's my 3rd Ferrari and by far the best, it's a way better drive than a 308/328, with 300bhp and a fantastic sound through a Tubi, the steering is so much nicer than the over-assisted 355 and later cars.
A latter car with the front mounted battery and revised electrics & rear suspension is a very competent car and doesn't deserve the reputation as a bad handling car - most of those are on crap tyres (with wrong pressures) and shagged out dampers & bushes.

[Sam]

Go on...