355 Live

1995 – 1999 · ~108 factory + dealer-converted cars built

Ferrari 355 Challenge

Ferrari's factory race series 355 — stripped, caged, and intended for the circuit.

Ferrari F355 Challenge race car in red livery on track

Live market · 355live data

Sold figures are last 12 months. For-sale figures are right now.

Full insights →
For sale now
1

0.9% of ~108 built

For-sale median
$158,750

Avg $158,750

Sold (12 mo)
3

recorded transactions

Sold median
$90,000

Avg $110,417

Specifications

Engine
Tipo F129B — 90° V8, unchanged from road car
Displacement
3,495 cc (3.5 L)
Valvetrain
DOHC, five valves per cylinder
Power
375 PS (380 hp) — factory-sealed, no power increase
Torque
363 Nm (268 lb-ft)
Redline
8,500 rpm
Transmission
6-speed manual, gated, with Challenge gear ratios on later kits
Drivetrain
Rear-wheel drive, limited-slip differential
Dry weight
~1,250 kg (2,756 lb) with full Challenge kit
Weight distribution
42% front / 58% rear
0 – 60 mph
Not officially quoted — comparable to road car, faster on track
Top speed
Gear-limited, ~280 km/h depending on circuit
L × W × H
4,250 × 1,900 × 1,170 mm
Wheelbase
2,450 mm (96.5 in)
Fuel capacity
82 L road tank or FIA fuel cell on full race cars
Boot space
Deleted — battery and fire system live in the front compartment
Chassis
Standard 355 spaceframe with bolt-in roll cage
Suspension
Stiffer springs, race dampers, lower ride height, adjustable anti-roll bars
Brakes
Larger Brembo race calipers, slotted/grooved discs, race pads
Wheels
18" Speedline magnesium centre-lock or five-spoke (kit dependent)
Tyres
Pirelli P Zero Corsa (period-correct) — slick or treaded
Price new
Conversion kit ~$30,000 USD over a donor Berlinetta

Owners Perspective

What it's like to live with

The Challenge is what the road 355 wants to be when you stop caring about insulation, carpet, and a passenger. It is loud, it is hot, it is uncompromising, and on a track it is the most rewarding 355 there is. As a road car it makes no sense; as a circuit machine with history, it is one of the great '90s racing Ferraris.

What owners love

  • Factory motorsport history. A genuine Challenge car raced in a one-make series sanctioned by Ferrari — the provenance is the value.
  • The stripped interior, exposed fuel cell plumbing, and Lexan rear screen turn it into a totally different car than the road Berlinetta.
  • Same engine, lighter weight, race brakes — the fastest 355 you can drive on a circuit, full stop.
  • Eligible for historic and modern club race series, plus track-day groups that don't accept later cars.
  • A well-documented Challenge with FIA papers and period race history is a genuine collector item.

What owners live with

  • Not road-legal in most jurisdictions without significant work. Many Challenge cars have been converted back, partially or fully — provenance documentation matters.
  • Race fuel cells have a service life. A car sitting on an out-of-date cell is a five-figure problem before you turn a wheel.
  • Cage installation can mask chassis damage. A pre-purchase inspection is non-negotiable on any Challenge.
  • Parts supply for the dedicated race kit (uprights, brakes, dampers) is specialist and expensive.
  • Price discovery is hard. There is no straight comparable for a documented Challenge — the market is small and trades happen privately.

Build variants timeline

What changed, year by year

The 1994 – 1999 production run, in order. Three-spoke to airbag wheel, Motronic 2.7 to 5.2, the F1 gearbox, the Spider, the Serie Fiorano — when each spec arrived.

Read the timeline →

Transmissions

Manual, F1 & conversions

Gated 6-speed manual, F1 paddle-shift automated manual, and the increasingly common F1-to-manual conversion. Different cars to live with, different cars to value.

Read the transmission guide →

Buying tips

  1. 01Demand the build sheet, the original Challenge kit invoice, and any FIA / FCA papers. No paperwork = a converted road car, not a Challenge.
  2. 02Verify the chassis number against the official Ferrari Challenge production list.
  3. 03Inspect the cage welds and the chassis around the cage mounting points for repair.
  4. 04Check the fuel cell expiry date and ask when the rosette / bag was last replaced.
  5. 05Ask whether the car has been crashed and re-shelled — common in this generation, and it materially affects value.

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