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Ferrari 348 TB and TS sports car

The Ferrari 348: a close look at the performance of this classic sports car, technical data, characteristics, rival comparison, history, used prices

from classic to modern

CAR

The Ferrari 348 TB

The Ferrari 348 TB sports car, launched in 1989, was the replacement for the 328 and 308 series that were, for a period of fourteen years, among the best-selling sports cars produced by Ferrari.

The 348 was offered as a TB Berlinetta coupe and a Targa-style TS variant, where the “T” referred to the fact that the gearbox was positioned transversely.

According to the nomenclature of its predecessors, the “34” in the car’s name referred to the capacity of the engine, while the “8” indicated the number of cylinders.

The 348 TB represented the first model to be announced since the death of the Ferrari founder in 1988.

The body style was by Pininfarina and exhibited a clear similarity to the Ferrari Testarossa, especially in relation to the rectangular-shaped side air intakes and taillights.

It used a monocoque chassis to which the engine subframe was bolted to facilitate removal of the engine during maintenance. Both were made of steel, as were the body panels.

On earlier front radiator models, the coolant hoses ran under the cab. Now with the 348, both the oil and coolant radiators were moved sideways, making it easier to keep the cab cool.

Consequently, the radiator grille at the front now served no useful purpose other than to preserve the traditional image of the front section of the car.

Parts of the suspension were designed so that the ride height could be adjusted to the prevailing conditions.

The interior was well-appointed and included air conditioning, leather seats with adjustable headrests, power windows, and heated exterior mirrors.

It had ventilated, vacuum-assisted disc brakes throughout and connected to ABS, as well as two Bosch Motronic 2.5 engine control units.

In later models, the battery was moved to the left front wing to produce better weight distribution.

When production ended in 1995, a total of 2,895 drives had been built out of the 348 TB.

The Ferrari 348 TS

Along with the 348 TB in 1989 the sporty 348 TS was presented, with a Targa roof, in which the specification of both was identical.

In 1995, when production ended, 4,230 units of the 348 TS were built.

THE MOTOR

Both variants were powered by a mid-engine, dual overhead camshaft V8 unit, with four valves per cylinder, previously fitted to the 288 GTO.

It was placed longitudinally, with a transverse gearbox, which produced a very balanced and stable layout.

It was equipped with a Bosch Motronic unit, which controlled both the fuel injection and the ignition system, a five-bearing crankshaft and a compression ratio of 10.4: 1.

The 348 TB developed 300 bhp at 7000 rpm (with the redline at 7500 rpm) and 229 ft / lbs of torque at 4000 rpm.

Equipped with a fully synchronized five-speed manual gearbox, it produced a top speed of 171 mph and a 0-60 mph time of 6.0 seconds.

It used dry sump lubrication to eliminate oil starvation when driving or cornering sharply.

THE COMPETITION

The immediate competition for the Ferrari 348 consisted of: Porsche 964 Carrera, TVR Griffith and Lotus Esprit Sport 300. Ferrari Performance:

SPORTS CARS FOR SALE

On the second-hand market, a Ferrari 348 TB sports car in excellent condition sold at auction for almost $ 75,000.

On the other hand, a Ferrari 348 TS in good condition would cost $ 50,000, while a showroom example would cost $ 85,000.

More classic Ferrari cars.

This marks the end of my Ferrari 348 TB and TS sports car review