1999 Ferrari F355 Spider 'Serie Fiorano'

Introduced at the 1994 Geneva Motor Show, the Ferrari F355 represented a defining moment for Maranello’s celebrated line of mid-engine V-8 sports cars. Building upon the foundation of the 348, the F355 benefited from extensive mechanical, aerodynamic, and chassis development, while its elegant Pininfarina-designed bodywork abandoned the angular Testarossa-inspired themes of its predecessor in favor of a more cohesive and timeless form.

At the heart of the F355 was a new 3.5-liter, five-valve-per-cylinder V-8 producing 375 hp, an extraordinary output for its displacement in the mid-1990s. Complementing the advanced engine were comprehensive chassis refinements, improved aerodynamics, and steering precision that transformed the driving experience. The motoring press responded with near-universal acclaim. In Car and Driver, longtime editor Csaba Csere wrote, “This 355 is easily the best eight-cylinder Ferrari I’ve ever driven,” concluding that Ferrari had finally produced “a V-8 Ferrari worthy of the prancing horse.”

Initially offered in Berlinetta and GTS form, the range expanded in 1995 with the introduction of the Spider, combining the F355’s celebrated dynamics with the visceral appeal of open-air motoring. Buyers could choose between Ferrari’s state-of-the-art F1 paddle-shift gearbox or the traditional gated six-speed manual transmission, the latter now regarded by many collectors as the purest and most engaging expression of the model.

For the F355’s final model year, Ferrari unveiled the ultimate evolution of the Spider: the limitedproduction “Serie Fiorano.” Named for Ferrari’s legendary test circuit and conceived as a fitting farewell before the arrival of the all-new 360 Modena, the Serie Fiorano incorporated competition-derived equipment inspired by the F355 Challenge program. These upgrades included the Fiorano Handling Package with stiffer springs, revised steering, a wider track, upgraded anti-roll bars, and drilled brake rotors fitted with racespecification pads. Cosmetic and interior enhancements included a Challenge-style rear grille, enameled Scuderia Ferrari shields, a suede-covered steering wheel, and distinctive carbon fiber trim.

Just 100 US-market F355 Spiders were completed in Serie Fiorano specification, with only 26 examples equipped with the coveted six-speed gated manual gearbox. As the most rare and focused Spider variant, the Serie Fiorano stands today as the ultimate expression of Ferrari’s landmark F355 – combining exclusivity in numbers, race-bred engineering, and a rewarding analog driving experience.

The Serie Fiorano F355 Spider presented here, no. 40 of 100, is an original US-specification car, finished in the elegant color scheme of Grigio Metallizzato (Metallic Gray) with blue leather upholstery and top. As recorded in the original warranty card, this car was sold new in August 1999 via Ferrari of San Francisco to its first owner, Thomas M. Rothwein, a software engineer based in San Jose, California. It remained in the Silicon Valley area until 2013, when it relocated to Virginia, then showing approximately 13,725 miles.

A fixture in a prominent Ferrari collection for the past decade, it has benefited from sparing use and regular maintenance, carried out by Ferrari of Washington and Fallon Automotive of Sterling, Virginia. At the time of cataloguing, the odometer displayed just over 14,130 miles – a figure consistent with the car’s documented ownership and service history.

Presented in superb condition throughout and accompanied by original books, tools, and accessories, this tastefully specified, six-speed manual Serie Fiorano Spider is among the most desirable and collectible Ferraris of the modern era.