1994 Ferrari 348 Spider With 598 Original Miles!

Enzo Ferrari was a complex individual who believed that his company’s road car division existed primarily to fund his beloved racing team. He was hands-on in his approach, and even as his health declined in his final months, he remained involved in developing the car that would eventually become known as the 348. Our featured classic is a 1993 Ferrari 348 Spider, and to describe it as special would be an understatement. It is an amazing survivor with a genuine 598 miles showing on its odometer. Naturally, its condition is flawless, and it will be fascinating to discover whether most of our readers believe its new owner will preserve this classic or drive it as its creators intended. I must say a big thank you to Barn Finder Araknid78 for spotting the Ferrari listed here at Kruse Auctions in Auburn, Indiana. This amazing survivor is set to cross the auction block on September 5th, and even if you aren’t planning to bid, monitoring the bidding could be entertaining.

Designed by Leonardo Fioravanti at Pininfarina, the Ferrari 348 was unveiled in 1989. It carried styling cues reminiscent of the Testarossa, including the straked side vents and the rectangular taillights. The company performed a minor facelift in 1993, introducing the Spider as its first Convertible model since discontinuing the Daytona Spider in 1973. The seller provides no history, so it is unclear why this classic has accumulated such a low odometer reading. Many people prefer these classics in Rosso Corsa, but this car’s Blu Scuro helps it to stand out. The company produced only 1,090 examples of the Spider, and it is believed that fewer than 5% were in any of the five available Blue shades. That makes it an exceptionally rare vehicle, and its condition is consistent with the mileage claim, with no visible cosmetic shortcomings. The paint shines deeply, the trim looks exceptional, and the beautiful 17″ wheels are perfect.

I have watched several documentaries tracing the production of Ferrari engines, and the attention to detail is jaw-dropping. The company utilizes a unique, secret aluminum alloy to cast the engine block, cylinder heads, and other ancillary components. Each is cast in a sand mold and X-rayed before heading to the machine shop to detect casting anomalies that might compromise future reliability. If the component doesn’t pass muster, it is sent back to the furnace and melted. The 348 features a longitudinally mid-mounted 3.4-liter V8, which sends its power to the road via a five-speed transverse manual transaxle. The V8 is an impressive beast, producing 315hp and 239 ft/lbs of torque. The company quoted a ¼-mile ET of 13.5 seconds in that year’s Sales Brochure, and a top speed of 174mph. The lack of seller information extends to this car’s mechanical condition. It is unclear whether it has been maintained appropriately or is a turnkey proposition. Those would be crucial questions to ask the seller before bidding on this classic.

I appreciate modern exotics, and the technology that has brought features like semi-automatic transmissions with paddle shift to road cars. However, I’ve always felt that Italian classics of that type should feature a gated shifter, and this Ferrari ticks that box. The factory described the interior trim shade as “Crema,” and when combined with the Blue exterior, it looks stunning. As with the exterior, there is nothing inside this 348 deserving of criticism. The hand-stitched leather upholstery is wear-free, looking supple and inviting. The dash is spotless, the wheel and carpet are excellent, and there are no aftermarket additions.

It is easy to underestimate Enzo Ferrari and the power that he wielded. When the governing body announced new post-turbo Formula One engine regulations set to take effect in 1989, Ferrari opposed the requirement that all engines be V8s. That would have left his beloved V12 in the cold, and that was unacceptable. He threatened to walk away from F1, and commissioned an IndyCar prototype. The vehicle that was unveiled in 1986 was virtually race-ready. Formula One knew that losing Ferrari would be a body blow, and bent to Enzo’s will. The company’s last production car released before his passing was the F40, and such was his influence that the 348, released in 1989, remained true to the great man’s vision and design parameters. Our featured 348 Spider is genuinely special, and I suspect that the bidding could be intense. I would be surprised if it didn’t top $100,000, because there probably isn’t another example on the planet with such a low odometer reading. It will be fascinating to gauge your feedback and to discover whether any Barn Finds readers can successfully guess the sale price. So, it’s over to you.