The spiders built by Ferrari have always been a perfect expression of their sporting heritage. It was this very heritage that inspired Pininfarina stylists as they set about designing the spider to clothe the refined 348 series chassis. The result was a car that offered the same impressive performance as the berlinetta, with a remarkably flex-free chassis, as well as the possibility of true top-down motoring.
Revealed in 1993, the 348 Spider represented the first fully open Ferrari in over 20 years. It came to replace the Mondial Cabriolet.
1993 - 1995 Ferrari 348 Spider
- Make: Array
- Model: 1993 - 1995 Ferrari 348 Spider
- [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array
Like the 348 GTB and GTS, the Spider model was powered by a 3,4 liter V8 engine, with a bore and stroke of 85mm x 75mm, with spark plugs between the camshafts, fitted with a Bosch Motronic M2.7 combined fuel injection and ignition system.
Power was transmitted from the flywheel to the rear wheels through the clutch, gears, final drive and constant velocity joints. The new transmission was mounted across the rear of the engine in the style of pre-turbo Formula 1 racing Ferraris. The clutch sat at the rear of the drivetrain. The new configuration sited the entire drivetrain four inches lower in the chassis than had the previous model.
The engine delivered a total of 320 hp at 7200 rpm and a peak torque of 324 Nm at 5000 rpm. With a dry weight of 1370 kg, the 348 Spider sprinted from 0 to 60 mph in 5,4 seconds and could hit a top speed of more than 173 mph.