The Ferrari F355 was an evolution and replacement for the 348 which out-performs any previous Ferrari with an 8-cylinder normally aspirated engine. Unusually the naming nomenclature did not follow previous Ferraris where the first numbers indicate the engine capacity and the last number of cylinders (328 = 3.2 litre with eight cylinders). The F355 has a 3.5 litre engine and used 5 valves per cylinder which Ferrari wished to publicise by making the last digit a 5.

Nothing can prepare you for the extraordinary power Ferrari has managed to squeeze from the 40-valve, 3.5-litre version of the 348’s venerable V8. It has transformed it: the F355 produces 380bhp at 8250rpm, howls all the way to 8800rpm and is the highest-revving supercar engine in production. Nor does it ready you for the outrageous specific output: with 109bhp per litre, the F355 is the most efficient normally aspirated engine in the world, easily eclipsing the McLaren F1’s mighty 6.1-litre V12 (103bhp per litre).More promising still is a Formula 1-style undertray, electronic damping control and a series of major revisions to the 348’s basic foursquare double wishbone geometry – enough on paper to give the F355 the handling to match. Autocar road test 1994

The combination of the beautiful Pininfarina designed body (last of the pop up headlights) and the advanced mechanics of the 355 (the F being dropped with the advent of the 355 F1 paddle shift) make this car widely regarded as one of the best Ferrari’s ever.

In fact many car enthusiasts, spokespersons and design groups around the world have declared the Ferrari (F)355 as one of the most desirable and best cars in the world. Jeremy Clarkson - host of the world famous "Top Gear" television show recently sited the Ferrari (F)355 as one of the best sports cars of the last 50 years.