1990 Ferrari 348 TB

Highlights

• Iconic nineties Ferrari in fabulous condition
• Genuine 32,000km from new
• Immaculate inside and out
• Substantial history file
• Provided with 3 month Gold mechanical warranty

Overview

Replacing a legend is never an easy task, but that was the objective dealt out to the 348TB, which debuted in 1989 as the successor to the iconic 308/328 ‘Magnum’ Ferrari.

It was – and remains – a stunning car to look at; its styling a fusion of the F40 and Testarossa in many ways, but at the same time not as outrageous as either, despite its distinctive side strakes. After all, this was a Ferrari that was targeted at buyers of the Porsche 911, offered at a similar price level and claiming to offer almost as much sophistication, though the jury is still out on that latter point. Besides, who wants a Fezza that operates with Germanic precision, anyway? You don’t buy an Alfa Romeo when you’re looking at a Volkswagen Golf, do you, so why should the other half live any differently?

As for the name, the TB bit doesn’t come from an infectious lung disease. Instead, it stands for Transversale Berlinetta, a reference to the transversely mounted gearbox on the rear axle, which was a technological innovation inspired by the Ferrari Formula One team. Mounted beneath the striking steel monocoque sat a 3.4-litre 300bhp V8 engine. In today’s terms, where an electric hatchback delivers that kind of output, it sounds quite modest, but in the height of the yuppie heyday, it was an awe-inspiring figure, and one which delivered impressive power delivery and a soundtrack that just, well, yeah… the soundtrack. Nothing sounds quite like a Ferrari V8.

The 348 could dispatch 0-60mph in 5.2 seconds, topping out at 173mph. Not as quick as a Porsche 959, admittedly, but it had the measure of a contemporary 911. It handled well, too, with a slick double-wishbone suspension set-up front and rear and incredibly direct steering – not an easy car to drive by any measure, thanks to unassisted steering and that traditional Ferrari gearbox gate, but tremendously rewarding when driven at pace.

As for the styling, it was the work of Pininfarina’s Leonardo Fioravanti, who created a car that very quickly became a nineties icon – instantly recognisable, hugely desirable and with a look that has aged beautifully.

This one was registered in the UK in October 1990, when it was barely a year old, but appears to have spent most of its life split between Italy and England, a fact backed up by the service book that shows the car having been maintained in both countries. The current owner bought it in 2015 and has had the car maintained during that time by a specialist garage in Cambridge, where it has been cared for with no expense spared. If you want to get your hands on one of the true icons of Italian motoring, then it’s a truly fantastic example of the breed, in immaculate condition both inside and out, low mileage and impeccably maintained. Dare we say – a genuine, collector-quality car?

History and documentation

• UK V5C in the owner’s name
• MOT to August 2025
• Two keys
• Genuine low mileage
• Service book stamped at delivery mileage (1990), 9,120km (1993), 16,806km (1995), 24,235km (1997), 27,500km (2011), 28,997km (2015), 31,278km (2019 – inc. timing belts), 31,865km (2023 – inc. timing belts)
• A4-folder of catalogued invoices and receipts
• Most recent invoice for major service in 2023 is for £4,401, with barely any distance covered since
• Original handbook pack and leather wallet

Interior

• Gorgeous saddle brown leather upholstery, with matching lower dash rail
• Chrome-finished gear selector gate
• All switches and controls in excellent order with no visible damage or issue, though the seller tells us that the digital clock sometimes resets itself
• Immaculate black leather door cards and carpets
• Spotless luggage area
• Complete and original tan leather Ferrari tool bag

Exterior

• Iconic Rosso Corsa paintwork
• Absolutely gorgeous condition with no notable marks or imperfections
• Fantastic paint finish
• Underside appears to be in excellent condition, with no visible corrosion or damage
• Original factory alloy wheels in near-flawless condition
• Correct Pirelli P-Zero tyres with yellow P-Zero lettering
• Pop-up headlights with LHD beam deflectors
• All badges and trim present and correct, and in good condition

Mechanical

• 3.4-litre 32v V8
• Five-speed manual transmission
• 300 hp power output
• 0-60mph in 5.2 seconds
• 173 mph top speed
• New cambelt fitted in 2023, less than 1,000km ago
• Full service also completed in 2023, with new track rod end and full four-wheel alignment

Summary

There are some cars that are on the brink of a massive increase in value, and the Ferrari 348TB is very much tipped to be one of them. In terms of iconography, it’s certainly one of the most memorable cars of the 1990s, and with that era being very much in vogue at the moment, it looks like a car that’s surely going to enjoy an exponential increase in value over the next few years. If that’s why you want it, then this one is a sure-fire hit.

That said, it’s also a PHer’s dream, not least because many of us lusted after one when we were kids. If you still do (and why wouldn’t you?), then here is your chance to make that dream a reality regardless of its investment potential, because the truth is that you’re unlikely to find a better example of what remains one of the most usable Ferraris ever made. Now’s your chance…

To arrange a viewing, please request this in the Q&A section. You can click through to the seller's profile and use the 'Email Me' function to arrange a viewing privately. This seller is located in Cambridge.