Ferrari has established itself as the gold standard in super cars. Whether your interests lie in their beautiful design (or Pininfarina's rather), awesome performance, or the glamour of ownership we can all agree that this manufacturer knows how to get it right. That being said, these super cars are continuing to depreciate, making them accessible to the layman and ready for your next trip to soccer practice. Below is a list of three modern Ferrari's for the price of a new Lexus SUV--$65K and under. *Vehicles descend by number of cylinders*
550 Maranello (1996-2001)
This is one of the most handsome modern Ferrari's to this day. Pairing a wonderful, 485hp V12 with a traditional 6-speed manual gearbox, this grand touring coupe offers both mind-bending power and comfort on long journeys. The later 575M brought minor improvements and updated cosmetics, while also marking the first F1 automated manual gearbox offering in a V12 Ferrari. Look for one in Tour de France Blue with the optional quilted leather luggage deck--a great place to keep your briefcase full of cash when heading to the service desk.
456 GTA/M (1992-2003)
For the understated and conservative, the 456 is the answer. Replacing the questionable 412 as the companies 2+2 offering, the 456 was the only model offered at the time with a traditional automatic transmission--this in conjunction with early cars in the mid to high $40k range made it a real contender for the recent feature "Two Doors and Two Pedals: Top 5 Sports Cars Under $50K," however the cost of ownership put it in at #6 on that list. The verdict: one hiccup with these cars is they appear to share their wheel offering with the Fiat MiTo--swap on some 550/575 wheels before hitting 188mph with a family of four.
355 (1994-1999)
The 355 marked Ferrari's first real step into the modern drivers realm. After working out the kinks of the 348, the 355 gained power, refinement, driveability, and was simply stunning. Available in Berlinetta (coupe), GTS (targa), and later Spider (Convertible) forms the 355 has something for everyone. Manual and F1 transmissions were available--an offering that eventually died-off during the tenure of its successor, the 360 Modena. My suggestion: get one in Oxblood Red with a 6-speed manual and have a standing appointment at Guido's Foreign Cars.
2 comments:
The 355 has always been a poster car for me. The sound and the looks are just perfect 90's Italian spectacle. But if I was trying to buy a "budget" Ferrari for under $65K then I think the 550 is the clear choice here. Known as one of the most reliable of the modern Ferraris, those beautiful headlights and a good old fashion V12 Grand Touring Ferrari. The $6,000 "major service" on the 355 that has to be performed every few years requires the entire motor to be pulled from the car to be completed. It is something that a lot of people overlook I think in relation to the low buying price. The crazy thing is 360's are starting to fall into the $70,000 range and though, in my opinion, the 355 is better looking the 360 is much easier to maintain.
The 355 is definitely the '90s poster child and I agree that the 550 is definitely the buy on this list--for me, it is the most handsome modern Ferrari and will continue to age well. I tried to avoid the "bottom feeders" but 360's are starting to leak into the high sixties. In terms of maintenance,I have heard some 360 F1 trans. horror stories.
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