FERRARI 348 Spider Models/Series Timeline, Specifications & Photos

Ferrari introduced a two-seater roadster after two decades of absence on that niche market: it was the 1993 348 Spider, a sports-car that brought more smiles per miles than any other Ferrari from those times.

The Italian carmaker introduced the Daytona in 1973, and it was a blast for anyone could own one. After that, the prancing-horse brand focused on more performance vehicles and built them as a coupe or, at most, with a removable roof system (targa). But that was ended in 1993 when, along with the facelift for the 348 model, Ferrari introduced the rag-top version as well.

Ferrari engineers had a tough job of building the convertible version for the 348 since the car was a mid-engine vehicle. Its canvas-top was manually operated but required a minimum effort, and a cloth tonneau covered it for a sleeker look. With the top covered, the car's shape was very similar to the coupe version. On the bodywork, the carmaker installed body-colored lower plastic panels that enhanced the car's aerodynamic.

Inside, the two-seat roadster featured a new interior and instrument cluster. Its orange-on-black dials were easy to read. The steering wheel column was adjustable on height and featured a longer travel than on the non-facelifted 348 model. On the center console, the carmaker installed the gear-stick on the metallic gate-pattern. The black center stack featured the controls for the climate control system and a hidden compartment at the top for a stereo.

Under the hood, Ferrari installed the same 3.4-liter V-8 engine as on the non-facelifted version but added some modifications that increased the power up to 320 hp from 300 hp.