Essentially a modernized 348 with better styling and quite a few changes under the skin, the F355 entered production in May 1994 for the 1995 model year with a 3.5-liter V8 that sounds like nothing else thanks to five valves per cylinder. A member of the Dino engine family, this 90-degree powerplant comes into its own with the help of a less restrictive exhaust.
Take, for instance, the lovely F355 in the featured clip. Finished in Rosso Corsa over black for the cockpit, this Fezza had its bone-stock system replaced by a Kline Innovation exhaust with equal-length headers with 41-mm primaries and 57-mm secondaries. The factory catalysts have also been replaced with HJS HDPE units to open up the sound quite significantly.
The valved exhaust is best enjoyed with the valve open. With the silencer bypassed, this mode allows the discharge to merge into the Y pipe, blending the exhaust gases 180 degrees out of phase for a higher-pitched sound. F355 owners with more sensible neighbors can always keep the valve closed.
Available in 304L stainless steel or Inconel 625 superalloy, this aftermarket exhaust is quite costly. How expensive, you ask? Well, let’s just say the headers alone cost between $3,978 (304L SS) and $6,316 (Inconel 625).
As for the F355, the FPC V8-engined super sports car has gone up in value in the past couple of years. A 1995 model in fair condition is roughly $65,000 nowadays while an excellent F355 may be priced at well over $100,000.
A total of 11,273 units of the F355 were manufactured over five years, and every single one of them is a hassle to maintain. Every five years or 30,000 miles (50,000 kilometers), the flat-plane crankshaft V8 has to be dropped for a cam belt replacement, new fluids and spark plugs, as well as filters.
The Pininfarina-styled Prancing Horse is also known for engine header and valve guide problems, and the loathsome F1 transmission can experience wallet-draining issues as well. But still, every dollar spent on maintenance is rewarded with an excellent driving experience and heavenly V8 sounds.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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