One to Buy: Blu Tour de France 1997 Ferrari F355 Spider
Although the Ferrari 348 was easily the prettiest and most desirable junior supercar on offer during the late 1980s / early 1990s, Honda’s state-of-art NSX with its aluminium monocoque and free-revving V6 moved the goalposts in terms of what was possible from a handling and dynamics perspective.
Having been given a kick up the backside by their new Japanese rival, Ferrari responded in clinical fashion with a model that rightly came to be regarded as the definitive mid-size supercar of its generation: the F355.
Powered by an enlarged 3.5-litre V8 (now with five-valves per cylinder), peak output leapt from 320bhp to 375bhp. There was also a new six instead of five-seed gearbox (with quicker rod-driven actuation). Most noticeably though, the F355 was draped in a gorgeous Pininfarina body that ranked among the prettiest Ferrari designs of all time.
After the fixed-head F355 GTB and targa-topped GTS were launched at Geneva in March 1994, a drop-head Spider was unveiled at the Monaco Grand Prix in May 1995.
Set to go under the hammer at RM Sotheby’s Dubai sale on March 9th is a superbly configured Spider delivered in June 1997. Configured in arguably the most desirable colour scheme for one of these cars, Blu Tour de France with a matching hood and Tan upholstery, chassis ‘109296’ was also ordered with a matching set of Schedoni luggage. Having been retained by its first owner until July 2013, the car’s second custodian initially kept it in Europe before subsequently exporting it to Dubai where it has resided ever since.
Today, chassis ‘109296’ (a six-speed manual that pre-dated the arrival of Ferrari’s F1 transmission by a few months) has covered a little over 61,000km. In November 2023 it won a Platinum Award at the Cavallino Classic Middle East concours in Abu Dhabi.
Reprinted below is RM Sotheby’s description:
Estimate: $140,000 - $160,000
Chassis No.: ZFFXR48B000109296
Presented in attractive Blu Tour de France over a tan leather interior
Powered by a 3.5-litre V-8 engine paired with a six-speed manual gearbox
Benefits from over AED 31,500-worth of servicing and mechanical maintenance since acquired by the consignor in July 2021
Won the coveted Platinum Award at the Cavallino Classic Middle East in November 2023
Offered with a pair of fitted Schedoni luggage pieces, Ferrari manuals in a leather folio, and a toolkit
In 1994, Ferrari began production of its new flagship V-8 berlinetta, the F355. One year later, the Maranello marque revealed a convertible version of its stylish sports car, the F355 Spider. Ferrari enthused that the drop-top car retained the engaging driving dynamics while adding the thrill of open-air motoring, investing some 1,800 hours of wind tunnel testing to ensure that the newly integrated soft-top roof compromised none of the F355’s sleek profile. As a first for Ferrari, the F355 Spider’s semi-automated convertible roof was powered electronically.
The 3.5-litre Tipo F129B V-8 of the F355 Spider—positioned in a rear-mid engine layout—introduced a five-valve cylinder head configuration and was virtually unaltered from the powertrain’s placement in the F355 Berlinetta. Both models had a claimed output of 380 horsepower, capable of accelerating to 100 km/h from a standstill in just 4.7 seconds, and with a top speed of 295 km/h. The earliest examples of the F355 Spider were built with the coveted six-speed manual gearbox, as is equipped in the example offered here.
Built to European specifications, this F355 Spider was imported by Ferrari (Suisse) S.A. in June 1997. Finished in Blu Tour de France over a tan leather interior, the Ferrari is configured with a blue soft-top hood and tan tonneau cover. The car’s first owner is believed to have retained the Ferrari until July 2013, when it was acquired by its next owner, who exported the F355 to Dubai after initially keeping the car in Europe. In July 2021, the Ferrari was acquired at auction by its consigning owner, who kept the car in the Middle East.
In July 2017, Netherlands-based Ferrari specialist Forza Service performed a major engine refurbishment, which included replacing the clutch, pressure bearing, timing belt, camshaft oil seals and O-rings, various hoses, and gas struts for the boot.
In November of 2020, Alex Renner Motors Garage of Dubai mounted new tyres, balanced and aligned the wheels, and replaced the roof crossbar elastic, timing belt, pulley crankshaft and camshaft seals, transmission oil sump gaskets, right radiator fan, battery, starter motor, oil filter, air filter, and fuel filter.
In the ownership of the consignor, the Ferrari has returned to Alex Renner for AED 31,547-worth of servicing and maintenance, most recently in October 2023 for work that included replacement of the transmission mounts. Invoices are available to view in the accompanying history file. In November 2023, the Ferrari was selected to appear at the third edition of the Cavallino Classic Middle East in Abu Dhabi, where it won the coveted Platinum Award. The car’s odometer read 61,455 kilometres at the time of cataloguing.
Perpetually elegant and stylish, this Ferrari F355 Spider is accompanied by Ferrari manuals in a leather folio, service invoices, a tonneau cover, toolkit, and a rare fitted two-piece Schedoni luggage set.
