Photo: Collecting Cars
Regardless of your taste in music, I bet you enjoyed Jamiroquai's "Cosmic Girl" video. Yes, I'm talking about the clip revolving around a Ferrari F355, an F40, and a Lamborghini Diablo chasing each other on twisty roads. How can you not love a guy that's a great singer and a passionate supercar collector at the same time, right? Well, if you're a fan of Jay Kay and his musical antics, here's your chance to own one of his Ferraris.
Just listed on auction website Collecting Cars, this 1994 Ferrari F355 Challenge was originally imported to the U.K. by Jay Kay. And it seems that it was also used as a camera car for music video filming. The mounts that are still visible in the floor pan stand as proof. There's no official confirmation, but this car might just be the one chasing the Ferraris and the Diablo in "Cosmic Girl."
Jay Kay sold this car a few years ago (not surprisingly since he already owns many other Ferraris) and it's since been owned by Ferrari Owners Club president Nigel Chiltern-Hunt and Ferrari racing instructor Tristan Simpson. And no, it hasn't been retired as a garage queen. This track-prepped classic has been raced in various series, including the Pirelli Ferrari Formula Classic, the Pirelli Ferrari Open, and the AMOC Intermarque Championship.
This means that it has been involved in a few light crashes too, which resulted in some panels being replaced over the years. There are stone chips on the front bumper, front hood, and along the side sills, while the center console shows some scuffs. The seat, on the other hand, has been re-trimmed and is now in pristine condition.
The car was most recently serviced in late 2020 when it got new fluids and filters. The engine was rebuilt back in 2018, while the rear clutch bearing and the drive belts were changed in 2019. The odometer now shows 16,250 miles (26,152 km), almost half of which were added on the race track.
Even though it shows a few battle scars, this F355 Challenge is perhaps the finest track-ready car that Ferrari built in the mid-1990s. Fitted with a 3.5-liter V8 engine rated at 375 horsepower, the Challenge needs only 4.5 seconds to hit 60 mph (97 kph), on its way to a top speed of 183 mph (295 kph).
The F355 Challenge hits the auction block a year after Jay Kay's milder F355 GTS changed hands for £93,000 (about $126,960). But this beefed-up, black-painted Ferrari will definitely fetch more than that. Bidding is at £75,000 (around $102,370) with almost a week to go, so it's safe to assume that it will go for more than £150,000 ($204,740).
Jay Kay sold this car a few years ago (not surprisingly since he already owns many other Ferraris) and it's since been owned by Ferrari Owners Club president Nigel Chiltern-Hunt and Ferrari racing instructor Tristan Simpson. And no, it hasn't been retired as a garage queen. This track-prepped classic has been raced in various series, including the Pirelli Ferrari Formula Classic, the Pirelli Ferrari Open, and the AMOC Intermarque Championship.
This means that it has been involved in a few light crashes too, which resulted in some panels being replaced over the years. There are stone chips on the front bumper, front hood, and along the side sills, while the center console shows some scuffs. The seat, on the other hand, has been re-trimmed and is now in pristine condition.
The car was most recently serviced in late 2020 when it got new fluids and filters. The engine was rebuilt back in 2018, while the rear clutch bearing and the drive belts were changed in 2019. The odometer now shows 16,250 miles (26,152 km), almost half of which were added on the race track.
Even though it shows a few battle scars, this F355 Challenge is perhaps the finest track-ready car that Ferrari built in the mid-1990s. Fitted with a 3.5-liter V8 engine rated at 375 horsepower, the Challenge needs only 4.5 seconds to hit 60 mph (97 kph), on its way to a top speed of 183 mph (295 kph).
The F355 Challenge hits the auction block a year after Jay Kay's milder F355 GTS changed hands for £93,000 (about $126,960). But this beefed-up, black-painted Ferrari will definitely fetch more than that. Bidding is at £75,000 (around $102,370) with almost a week to go, so it's safe to assume that it will go for more than £150,000 ($204,740).
Google News