Getting 23 Miles a Gallon: Is the 1999 Ferrari F355 Spider Base Better than Last Year?
The 1999 F355 Spider is an important vehicle to Ferrari for the convertible market segment. The Base is a member of a series of one trim levels for the F355 Spider which include Base. The two-door car with its rear-wheel drive is positioned to aggressively fill this niche for Ferrari. There is strong competition from vehicles from Lexus.
The F355 Spider Base is equipped with a Ferrari 3.5 liter eight-cylinder engine that utilizes 40 valves. The engine is mated to a Ferrari 6-speed Transaxle. This configuration has proven to be a successful design for Ferrari.
The fuel system for the 1999 F355 Spider is a traditional Bosch ME-2.7, running on gasoline fuel. The fuel is controlled by an electronic system and is a fuel-injected MFI design. The capacity of the fuel tank is 12 gallons.
The front brakes are disc while the rear brakes are disc. Steering is handled through a power-steering rack-style configuration. The F355 Spider uses power-assisted brakes, with 4-Wheel ABS support. Load balancing is provided by coil front springs and coil in the rear.
The F355 Spider is inches long, inches wide, and inches high. It has a wheelbase of inches. It is able to seat several adults comfortably.
Pricing is a vital consideration when shopping for a car. The Ferrari F355 Spider lists at an industry-high price when new. The dealer cost on the car was an industry-high price. This price was average compared to the industry average price for a 2-door convertible.
The 1999 F355 Spider gets 23 miles/gallon on the highway and only 17 in the city. This is below average for a convertible car.
In 1998 and 1999 the F355 Spider Base was availble in the exterior colors of several colors.
The standard warranty period for the F355 Spider is 60* months, or 50,000* miles, whichever comes first. There is also a warranty on the powertrain for 36* months or 50,000* miles respectively. This is standard in the convertible market.
The 1998 model began the promise of the Ferrari F355 Spider. The 1999 expanded on this success and has proven to be a strong seller in most markets. Even with strong competition from other manufacturers Ferrari hopes that the F355 Spider Base will continue to be a profitable vehicle.