What is your all time favorite mid V8 Ferrari?

100% true. Part of the driving force in 328 value and popularity is former modern V8 owners realized the new cars are not as fun. Horsepower and technology does not make a car fun. When we bought our 328 the 430 was still in production. We considered a 360 and decided against it.

 

This is great thread! Thinking more, I think this is a good qualifier, as I enjoy my V12 for grand touring, but do prefer the higher strung V8s for shorter trips.

To me, really between the t and the F355.
Gated, mid V8, open top, least isolation, and best sound (just my humble opinion.)

 

Decisions , Decisions. Its always nice to have options, especially when it comes to Ferrari. Yesterday on the i5 north leaving Oceanside I saw , I believe a 458 Spider in white. I sometimes have to look at the rear to make sure it is not a 488. This car was somehow different looking, with these kind of shark fins.

I cant remember if they were in front or in the rear. THIS CAR WAS SO AWESOME LOOKING , that the thought of having it instead of my 328 came across my mind. Maybe you fellows can tell me if it was some sort of special 458 that I dont know about. Both my eyes and mouth were watering over seeing this Ferrari. I have not tried to Google photos of 458 s .I just thought to post up about it.

Big G

 

Did it look like this with the shark fins on the side?
https://www.topgear.com/sites/default/files/images/news-article/2020/12/852b297e8beb673f1df9aca63547adeb/addarmor-458-speciale-prototype-driver-side-view.jpg

 

my thoughts exactly

 

I believe so, but it was a spider. It was for sure a 458 . I dont ever remember seeing any 458 with shark gill cut outs on the side.

G

 

its a speciale

 

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Now that’s a pic! Something about a yellow 355 with challenge grills, can’t take my eyes off it, perfection.

 

Never drove one, likely never will. But if I win the lotto, first car I would buy.

 

Mine is and always will be a nice clean bone stock, yellow/black glass 308

 

I like the 348 better than the 355. I haven't owned either but one of each spent time in my garage at the same time. I reached for the 348 keys way more.

 

Whatever version, it’s got to be a challenge.

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The F355 was the first v8 Ferrari I ever saw. I'm an early millennial so my elementary school days were the Countach/Testarossa posters, but that's a different subject.

355 challenge was the best arcade game ever too, so that car stuck with me.

I was in high school when the 360 came out and that car was a "wow" moment, especially seeing one with the black challenge grill.

I was just graduating college when the F430 came out, and i'll never forget that episode of Top Gear or seeing it person. While I ultimately gravitated toward "nicer and newer" and bought an F430 as my first car, the F355 is still the dream.

 

With folks mentioning 288GTO/3x8s, sharing my Ferrari journey that led to my fav V8:

80s - 288GTO - first jaw-drop Ferrari though I was already a 930/934/935 fanboy
90s - 250 GTO/TdF/SWB/LM and P3/4 in vintage race events. Berger/Alesi/Schumi era F1. 348/355 Challenge racing. Start of my career involvement in motorsports including Ferrari program. Peak Ferrari fandom.
00s - 328 - first F car followed by Euro 308 then another 328 (yes, I like 328s). Also got dream car 930; big turbo lag disappointment
10s - finally got my 355 Challenge. And going strong. Tried more modern turbo cars; still a no for me. I’d give an F40 GTE a go if given an opportunity.

Personal preference in car driving/racing hobby: normally-aspirated engine, stick, dual street/race (harkens to 50s/60 era race cars), mid- or rear-engined race cars. Top Ferrari choices: 355 Challenge (V8) and 330 P3/4 (V12).

 

Pista

 

I see what you did...

 

Fchat has spoken.


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Honestly… the 328 is terrific to drive and easy to own. No digital dash, no sticky plastics, no obsolete F1 gearbox, no driver aids, no complicated top mechanism. The design is iconic — the 288 GTO and F40 borrow from it, but that’s not bad company.

It’s a sweet spot, between classic but high maintenance and difficult to drive Ferraris and the modern stuff that goes fast for anyone but can fail catastrophically.



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Well said. The 328 has a higher fun factor than modern cars. The 1980s produced many of these “perfect blends” of usable and visceral. My current fun car is a Porsche 964, for precisely the reason you give: it’s simple, compact, and imparts a sense of mechanical integrity. There’s no comfort or sport or snow mode: It’s always in “strap in take no prisoners” mode.


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Sorry, I don't mean to rain on anyone's parade, but a 328 is big and slow. A same year 911 is better.

 

Sorry, but no.

I owned a '86 Mondial 3.2 (same engine as 328) and an '87 Porsche 3.2 at the same time. I almost never drove the Porsche. The Mondial 3.2 was faster, and 100 times more visceral, and also even a better daily driver (and semi-modern Italian A/C beats air-cooled German A/C, if only barely ). The 328 is lighter than the Mondial 3.2.

Also, there's this: https://zeperfs.com/en/duel143-3462.htm

And this: https://fastestlaps.com/comparisons/1bif0s7nfap3

Finally, even if the Porsche was faster, we wouldn't care. The 328 and Mondial 3.2 are a lot more fun to drive and a lot more engaging.

Everybody is different. Some people might like the Carrera 3.2 better than the 328 because they have different priorities and preferences (but I think it would be a minority among those who have owned both)

 

I think it has as much to do with the era as the marque. I enjoyed my 328, but the 911/964 is a similar recipe: Small, loud, engaging. The 964 actually has decent air conditioning.

Tough call…


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