Guide: Ferrari 348 GT Competizione
Background
Although the 348 had never been conceived with competition in mind, it actually went on to have quite a successful career in GT racing.
When Ferrari launched the 348 at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 1989, GT racing was pretty much non-existent outside of the IMSA GTO championship which garnered far less attention than their premier GTP series for out-and-out Sports Prototypes.
Around the rest of the world, the failure of Group B circuit racing and the widespread availability of Group C cars meant production-based GT machinery had not been seen in competition for many years.
That all changed when the World Sportscar Championship began to implode during the early 1990s; rising costs and a worldwide economic slump resulted in depleted fields and the re-birth of several comparatively inexpensive Grand Touring series.
Before long, Italy, Germany and Britain had all organised their own domestic GT championships.
The inaugural 1992 Italian GT Championship had seen the premier GT1 class dominated by lightly modified F40s. For 1993, Ferrari commissioned their motor sport partner, Michelotto in Padova, to devise a series of upgrades for the F40 dubbed the GT pack.
In addition, Michelotto also developed a racing version of the 348 that could challenge Porsche’s 911 Carrera RS and the Lotus Esprit Turbo in the junior GT2 category for 1993.
Driving an example of the new 348 GT Competizione Michelotto, Jolly Club’s Oscar Larrauri went on to secure GT2 class honours on eight occasions (in all but one of the races he contested).
To celebrate Larrauri’s Italian GT2 title and mark the end of 348 production, Ferrari decided to offer a limited run of 50 high performance specials based on the existing GTB platform.
Announced in December 1993, the 348 GT Competizione was the last and ultimate road-going iteration of the 348.
Deliveries began in spring 1994, but the new model was not legal for sale in North America on emissions grounds.
Chassis
Each 348 GT Competizione was equipped with special 18-inch diameter split-rim Speedline wheels shod with Pirelli P Zero tyres. These were an inch larger than the standard 348 wheels and half-an-inch wider up front (8-inches) and a full inch wider at the back (10-inches).
To accommodate the handsome new five-spoke wheels, the suspension geometry was given revised camber and castor angles.
Unlike Ferrari’s previous entry-level models, the 348 had ushered in a pressed steel monocoque assembly. It was the first road-going Ferrari to incorporate this type of unitary body shell and was designed from the outset to meet worldwide crash regulations.
At 2450mm, the wheelbase was 110mm longer than the 328 that it replaced.
Whereas its predecessors had used a transverse engine layout, the 348’s engine was longitudinally positioned and mated to a transverse gearbox. This arrangement enabled Ferrari to position the engine lower in the chassis. It also meant there was no longer any space for luggage at the back of the car.
However, by re-locating the water radiators down each flank and fitting a tyre compressor instead of a full size spare wheel, load capacity underneath the front lid was dramatically increased.
The 348’s engine and gearbox were mounted on a steel subframe which could be dropped out of the car for easy maintenance.
Suspension was independent all round via double wishbones, coil springs and gas-filled Bilstein dampers. Anti-roll bars were installed at either end.
Brakes were ventilated discs and the ABS was controlled by a Teves Mk2 system.
The 348 GT Competizione came with a standard 88-litre fuel tank located between the engine and passenger compartment.
Engine / Gearbox
In the engine bay was the same Tipo F119H engine used by the 348 Spider, GTB and GTS. However, for this latest application a custom free-flow exhaust was installed along with big bore manifolds.
The Tipo F119 H version of the original 3.4-litre V8 came with a higher compression ratio (up from 10.4:1 to 10.8:1), a bigger air intake plenum, new valve springs and new timing belts. There was also a more efficient exhaust system (replaced for the GT Competizione).
A peak power output of 320bhp at 7200rpm compared to 300bhp at 7200rpm for the earlier motor. As a result of its enhanced exhaust system, the 348 GT Competizione probably produced somewhere in the region of 330bhp to 340bhp although this was never officially confirmed by Ferrari.
The same 238lb-ft of torque was produced, albeit a little further up the rev range (now at 5000rpm instead of 4200rpm).
Otherwise, the all-alloy dual overhead camshaft 90° V8 with its four valve heads, Nikasil-coated cylinder liners and dry-sump lubrication was unchanged from prior iterations.
It displaced 3405cc thanks to a bore and stroke of 85mm and 75mm respectively.
Tipo F119 H motors ran the improved Bosch Motronic 2.7 engine management introduced mid way through production of the original 348.
Another update ushered in had been a taller fifth gear ratio.
Transmission was through a transversely mounted five-speed gearbox, twin-plate clutch and limited-slip differential.
Bodywork
The 348 GT Competizione came with number of racing-inspired exterior updates that saved weight and enhanced its appearance.
The door assemblies and bumpers were switched from fibreglass to carbon-Kevlar composite.
On each front fender enamel Scuderia Ferrari shields were fitted.
At the back of the car, a 348 GT Competizione script was added to the engine cover.
As per the 348 Spider, GTB and GTS, the GT Competizione came with body coloured instead of the matt black lower body sections that had been used originally. Similarly, it had the same chrome instead of black prancing horse emblem on the rear grille and a front grille with nine instead of five vertical vanes.
Apart from the aforementioned lightweight doors and bumpers, the GT Competizione’s body panels were steel except for the front lid and engine cover (which were aluminium as per the standard 348).
Radiators down each flank were fed by massive slatted air intakes. A dummy grille at the front of the car gave the 348 a strong family resemblance to other models in the Ferrari range.
Retractable headlights came with rectangular lenses.
The slatted theme continued on the engine cover and tail fascia. At the back, rectangular light assemblies were concealed behind a matt black grille similar to that of the Testarossa.
Interior
Undoubtedly the most significant changes were made inside. Ferrari equipped the 348 GT Competizione with a racey, lightweight interior that dramatically enhanced the driving experience.
F40-style single-piece carbon-Kevlar racing seats were upholstered in red fabric. They were mounted on simplified runners and offered fore / aft adjustment only.
Instead of conventional seatbelts, four-point Sabelt harnesses were plumbed in.
Thinner footwell carpet to a new pattern was required to mate with the new seats.
Carbon-Kevlar sill panel covers were also installed and the ECU covers behind the seats were fashioned from the same material.
Each car came with a custom leather-rimmed steering wheel inscribed with 348 GT Competizione script and each car’s production number. Most also got a natural aluminium instead of black gear knob.
Inside, the GT Competizione used the same subtly redesigned door panels and drilled aluminium clutch and brake pedals that had been introduced on the Spider, GTB and GTS.
As usual, Connolly hide covered the door panels, instrument binnacle, lower dash, centre console, transmission tunnel and upper rear bulkhead.
The upper dash was black vinyl, the headliner was cloth and the rest of the cockpit was carpeted.
The main instrument binnacle housed a 300kmh or 200mph speedo and a 10,000rpm rev counter. In between were smaller gauges for oil pressure and water temperature stacked one above the other. Additional read outs for oil temperature and fuel were located on the centre console.
Instrumentation was orange on black.
Despite its lightened specification, the 348 GT Competizione still came with a normal array of comfort equipment to include air-conditioning, electric windows, electric mirrors and a high-end audio system.
Options
No options were offered and customers had to make do with one colour scheme: Rosso Corsa with Rosso seats and Nero carpet.
Weight / Performance
At 1280kg, the 348 GT Competizione weighed 90kg less than a standard 348 GTB.
Thanks to its lightened specification and free-flow exhaust system, performance figures were a slight improvement on the regular GTB, but handling was much-improved.
Top speed went from 174mph to 177mph.
The 0-62mph time dropped from 5.4 to 5.3 seconds.
End of Production
Production of the 348 GT Competizione took place between the spring and summer of 1994.
50 cars were built, eleven of which were right-hand drive.
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Ferrari - https://www.ferrari.com & Supercar Nostalgi
