355 Live

1995 – 1999 · ~3,717 built

Ferrari 355 Spider

The first true Ferrari convertible since the Daytona — power roof, full open-air theatre.

Silver Ferrari F355 Spider with red interior, top down

Live market · 355live data

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

Full insights →
For sale now
31

0.8% of ~3,717 built

For-sale median
$125,826

Avg $129,918

Sold (12 mo)
24

recorded transactions

Sold median
$92,178

Avg $98,765

Specifications

Engine
Tipo F129B — 90° V8, mid-mounted, longitudinal
Displacement
3,495 cc (3.5 L)
Valvetrain
DOHC, five valves per cylinder (40 valves total)
Power
375 PS (380 hp / 276 kW) @ 8,250 rpm
Torque
363 Nm (268 lb-ft) @ 6,000 rpm
Redline
8,500 rpm
Transmission
6-speed manual (gated) or 6-speed F1 (from 1997)
Drivetrain
Rear-wheel drive, limited-slip differential
Dry weight
1,450 kg (3,197 lb)
Weight distribution
42% front / 58% rear
0 – 60 mph
4.7 seconds
Top speed
295 km/h (183 mph)
L × W × H
4,250 × 1,900 × 1,170 mm
Wheelbase
2,450 mm (96.5 in)
Fuel capacity
82 L (21.7 US gal)
Boot space
~150 L front compartment
Chassis
Tubular steel spaceframe with reinforced sills, aluminium panels
Suspension
Independent double wishbones, electronically adjustable dampers (sport/comfort)
Brakes
Vented discs all round — 300 mm front / 310 mm rear, ABS
Wheels
18" five-spoke Speedline
Tyres
225/40 ZR18 front, 265/40 ZR18 rear
Price new
~$143,000 USD (1996, US market)

Owners Perspective

What it's like to live with

The Spider trades a measurable amount of chassis purity for the most theatrical Ferrari V8 experience of the era. With the roof down and the engine over 6,000 rpm, you stop caring about scuttle shake. It is also the 355 most likely to be used regularly — easier to live with in the sun, easier to enjoy at sane speeds.

What owners love

  • Top down, V8 unfiltered. There is no rear glass between you and the engine — the noise is unrepeatable.
  • The roof mechanism is fully electric and stows under a hard tonneau. From the outside the roof-down car looks intentional, not like a coupé with the roof off.
  • It is the most usable 355 for warm climates and convertible-prone owners. Many Spiders are the daily-driver of the line-up.
  • The Serie Fiorano (1999, Spider only) is the unicorn — uprated FHP suspension, special trim, ~100 cars. Distinct from the regular FHP option.
  • Wind management with the windows up is genuinely good. You can have a conversation at motorway speed.

What owners live with

  • The reinforced sills add weight — the Spider is the heaviest road 355 by ~100 kg over the Berlinetta. You feel it in direction changes.
  • The hood mechanism is complex. Microswitches, hydraulic rams, and the tonneau motor all fail eventually. A fully working roof on a 25-year-old car is a real selling point.
  • Hood fabric and rear plastic window are wear items. Replacement is expensive and the fitting is specialist work.
  • Same engine-bay headaches as every 355: variator, headers, manifold studs, sticky plastics.
  • On a stiff chassis benchmark the Spider gives up the most of the three. It is the boulevard 355, not the canyon 355.

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. 01Cycle the roof through a full open-and-close at least three times during inspection. Listen for the tonneau motor and watch for hesitation.
  2. 02Check the rear window for crazing and the hood seams for leaks. Look at the carpet behind the seats for water staining.
  3. 03Inspect the sill reinforcement areas for accident repair — the Spider is structurally different there.
  4. 04All the engine-bay inspection points apply equally. The Spider is not magically immune to header or variator issues.
  5. 05If the car is described as Serie Fiorano, verify with the build sheet and FCA records. The premium over a regular FHP Spider is significant.

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