1996 Ferrari F355 Spider

•Finished in Giallo Modena and Nero with a desirable 6-speed manual gearbox•UK-supplied, right-hand drive showing just 12,200 miles•Offered with a UKV5c and fresh MOT, books and tools•Will have a Ferrari main dealer cambelt service prior to sale

The Ferrari F355 is now considered a modern classic, so beautiful, so well-engineered and so well received that it marked the beginning of the end of the old-guard Ferraristi' philosophy that the only "real" Ferraris were ones with 12-cylinder engines. The F355 Berlinetta burst onto the world stage in the Spring of 1994, with the Targa GTS and Spider following in 1995. The new car shared almost exactly the same dimensions as its predecessor, the 348, yet it was virtually a new car, as its flowing coachwork indicated. Many hours of wind tunnel testing influenced the harmonious shape which incorporated an F1-style flat bottom with channelled airflow generating enough downforce to offset any lift.

The F355's name is derived from its 3.5-litre V8 engine and five valves per cylinder - as denoted by the Cinquevalvole' inscription on the rocker covers, and this longitudinally mounted power unit generates an impressive 374bhp at a spine-tingling 8250rpm. The con-rods are titanium alloy, the clutch is housed in magnesium alloy, and the Bilstein shock absorbers use electronic sensors to provide active damping. In 1994, the Ferrari F355 was a technological tour de force. Around Ferrari's 1.86 mile Fiorano test track, the F355 was two seconds a lap faster than the 12-cylinder, 512 TR and that level of performance, combined with its sensational shape, ensured its success on the world stage.

This particular example is a 1996 Ferrari F355 Spider supplied by Maranello Sales on 2nd August 1996 to its first owner, a Mr M. Cale of Harrow, Middlesex. Finished in Giallo Modena with a Nero interior, this striking car is fitted with the more desirable manual gearbox and was specified from new with air conditioning, a stereo CD player, and black brake callipers.

The service book records six stamps from main dealers and marque specialists as follows:

•JCT 600 @ 3,982 miles - 20th February 1998•JCT 600 @ 5,604 miles - 26th September 2001•JCT600 @ 6,172 miles - 16th October 2002•JCT 600 @ 7,084 miles - 10th October 2004•Nick Cartwright @ 7,725 miles - 22nd December 2005•Shiltech @ 10,515 miles - 15th September 2008

Its previous owner took the Ferrari to the Channel Islands in 2014 where it enjoyed many hours of Guernsey sunshine, however, it has since returned to the mainland and prior to the sale will have been fully UK registered, gaining a UK V5c, along with receiving a full cambelt service at a Ferrari Main Dealer and a fresh MOT. Supplied with its original handbooks in their leather wallet and its toolkit, this highly sought-after, 6-speed manual F355 Spider is now showing an incredibly low 12,200 miles and is undoubtedly one of the finest 355s currently on the market.