Styled by a design team led by Pininfarina’s Leonardo Fioravanti, and created under the direction of Enzo Ferrari in what became one of his final acts, the Ferrari 348 made its debut in 1989 at the Frankfurt Auto Show.
Three years into production, Ferrari introduced the hardcore 348 Serie Speciale, limited to just 100 examples for the U.S. market. Expectedly, this model received a higher-output version of the 3.4-liter V8 engine, which produced 312 horsepower and fed into a free-flow exhaust system.
Inside, the occupants are treated to highly desirable and optional F40-style carbon/Kevlar performance bucket seats upholstered in Connolly leather. Finally, the door cards received simplified upper elements, and a plaque affixed to the passenger’s door post notes each of the 100 examples’ serial numbers.
The example on offer, serial number 45, is one of just 35 Serie Speciale coupes made over the course of the two-year production run. Further increasing the desirability of this already-rare automobile, this is the only 348 Serie Speciale finished in Blu Sera over a tan leather interior. Originally registered in Houston, TX, it now presents with just 19,855 miles on the odometer at the time of cataloging. The vehicle is accompanied by its owner’s books and a toolkit in its leather case.
(Introductory description courtesy of RM Sotheby’s.)
