While the Ferrari 348 is enjoying a long-overdue renaissance in the collector car world, there is one variant that has always stood apart from the rest. It is rare, it is historically significant, and it is the car that fundamentally changed how Ferrari viewed the North American market.
This is the story of the 348 Serie Speciale (SS)—a car born out of necessity, championed by a visionary executive, and executed through a unique collaboration between Italy and New Jersey. It wasn’t just a trim package; it was a statement of intent that saved the reputation of the 348 and created the blueprint for every V8 “special edition” Ferrari that followed.
The Problem
“Freddy, the 80s are over”
To understand why the Serie Speciale exists, you have to rewind to the early 1990s. The automotive landscape was shifting violently under Maranello’s feet. The roaring 80s “investment bubble”—where customers bought Ferraris only to flip them for profit weeks later—had burst dramatically, leaving showrooms quiet and values plummeting.
Simultaneously, Honda released the Acura NSX. It was reliable, ergonomic, and frankly, easier to drive fast than contemporary Ferraris. It forced the Italian marque to take a hard look in the mirror.
Perhaps the most stinging indictment of the 348 came from the top. In 1991, just after the World Cup in Italy, Luca di Montezemolo had just taken the helm of Ferrari.
Legend has it that while driving his personal yellow 348 in Rome, he was humiliated at a traffic light. When the light turned green, a black Volkswagen Golf GTI literally left the Ferrari in the dust for the first 40 meters. Montezemolo was furious. He reportedly called an immediate meeting, telling his engineers: “I am a customer of this car, and it makes a lot of noise but doesn’t move!” This embarrassment, combined with Niki Lauda’s public panning of the car’s “nervous” handling, set the stage for a radical intervention.
The Man
Enter Gian Luigi Buitoni, the President of Ferrari North America (FNA). Buitoni was not a traditional Maranello engineer; he was a luxury marketing genius who had previously worked with Bulgari.
Buitoni understood “dreamketing”—the art of selling a dream rather than a spec sheet. He recognized that US buyers wanted the raw, visceral excitement of racing packaged for the street. While Italy was slowly developing the 348 GTB/GTS for Europe, Buitoni knew his North American dealers couldn’t wait. He needed a “halo” car to re-enchant the market.
The Idea
A Transatlantic “Skunkworks” Project; basically.
Buitoni’s vision for the Serie Speciale was a “street-legal race car” that updated the 1980s “Testarossa” aesthetic penned by the 348’s original designer, Leonardo Fioravanti at Pininfarina. To make this dream a reality, Buitoni turned to Classic Coach Repair Inc. in Elizabeth, New Jersey.
Who is Classic Coach?
Founded in 1972 by Onofrio Triarsi, Classic Coach is far more than a body shop; it is the “Vatican” of Ferrari restoration and repair in the United States. Triarsi, an Italian immigrant with a deep passion for the Prancing Horse, built the facility into the first Ferrari-authorized body and aluminum shop in North America. Its prestige is such that it has historically served as the primary technical arm for FNA, handling everything from federalization to the preparation of the Ferrari Challenge race cars.
Classic Coach served as Buitoni’s unofficial “skunkworks.” Long before the SS was official, dealers were already sending 348s to Classic Coach to have the black lower cladding painted to match the body—a clear sign that the market was hungry for a refresh.
The Brief
Merging Jersey and Maranello
Buitoni’s genius was in bridging the two worlds. He took the aggressive “strake-less” and body-colored mock-ups developed at Classic Coach and combined them with what he knew the factory was secretly testing for the upcoming European 348 GTB and 348 Challenge race car.
His brief to Italy was specific: he wanted the “naked” rear of the mock-ups, the performance of the race cars, and the modern silhouette testing in Maranello. However, as with all true Ferraris, the final aesthetic authority rested in Italy. Pininfarina became the ultimate designer of the SS, taking Buitoni’s vision and refining it into a production-ready masterpiece. They meticulously integrated the front spoiler and modified the rear deck to ensure the “new look” met their rigorous aerodynamic and stylistic standards, officially penning the “Speciale” look that would change Ferrari’s design language forever.
The Car
When the 348 Serie Speciale debuted at the 1992 Los Angeles Auto Show, it represented a massive leap forward.
Production and Identification:
Exactly 100 units were initially produced (1992–1993). Every car is identified by a numbered plaque (1-100) located on the passenger side door frame (a-pillar). Inside, the cars feature unique “Serie Speciale” model badges on the passenger-side dashboard, marking their exclusivity.
The Specs
- Design: Refined by Pininfarina, featuring “naked” taillights, body-colored skirts, and a lip spoiler.
- Power: Bumped to 312 hp via revised ECU mapping and a free-flow exhaust.
- Gearing: In a direct response to Montezemolo’s “Golf incident,” the car received a shorter final drive ratio (25/29) from the Challenge program, ensuring no GTI would ever humiliate it at a light again.
- Chassis: A 50mm wider rear track finally fixed the handling jitters.
- Interior: Signature F40-style Carbon-Kevlar bucket seats were standard.
In addition to the original 100, there are 15 additional cars referred to as “continuation” cars, labeled 1-15 on their own unique plaques. These are extremely rare and represent the final evolution of the series. Notably, they did not come with the front spoilers or the Kevlar seats, offering a slightly more “civilized” rarified experience.
The Legacy
The success of the 348 Serie Speciale proved Buitoni right: the North American market didn’t want softer Ferraris; they wanted sharper ones.
The SS was the proving ground for design elements that would define the imminent Ferrari F355. The body-colored skirts and exposed taillights of the SS became the standard look for the highly successful 355, proving the design’s timeless appeal.
Furthermore, the Serie Speciale served as a crucial bridge to the final iteration of the 348 platform. When the stunning 348 Spider arrived in 1994, it wasn’t just a chopped-top TB. The Spider was essentially a Serie Speciale in open-top form, inheriting nearly all the hard-won upgrades initiated by Buitoni’s project, including the wider rear track, updated suspension geometry, and the more powerful engine management system. The SS proved these changes worked, paving the way for the Spider’s success.
More importantly, the Serie Speciale established a new paradigm for Ferrari. It was the first modern, planned, limited-edition V8 road car aimed at the most hardcore enthusiasts. It is the direct spiritual ancestor to the 360 Challenge Stradale, 430 Scuderia, and 458 Speciale.
Today, the 348 Serie Speciale is rightfully recognized as the “holy grail” of the 348 lineage representing a pivotal moment where Ferrari North America took control of its own destiny and created a modern classic.
The Registry
See our previous post where you’ll find a registry of every known Serie Speciale; help us keep it undated!
The Ferrari 348 Market 
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