Changing the entire identity of a perfectly-penned Ferrari is something only another Italian design house could have the confidence to do. When famed Pininfarina designer Leonardo Fioravanti created the 348 during the tail end of the 1980s, his intentions were simple – create a stylish successor to the 328. His expertise paid dividends, and while the 348 may not have gained the same admiration as the later 355, it remains a wonderful example of Ferrari’s ability to thread the needle between historical influence and forward-thinking design.
Zagato, however, wasn’t quite as enamoured with the design of the Ferrari 348, and felt as though they could give it a more striking and modern edge. Interestingly, when the Zagato-bodied 348 tb Zagato Elaborazione was unveiled in 1991, three years after the original car’s launch, Zagato offered clients the opportunity to customise their cars, not a complete rebody. The Italian design house anticipated a production run of 22 cars, all of which would have retained the standard 348 running gear under the skin. In reality, a mere ten examples of the Elaborazione were made, each of which took on an slightly different identity to the 348.
Visually, there is so much to take in with the new look. One's eye is immediately drawn to Zagato’s trademark Double Bubble roof, while the sail panels that swept back towards the tail were given more rounded corner at the trailing edge of the three-quarter window. A trio of GTO-style cooling vents were carved out from the back of the rear fenders, as well as an all-new front bumper design that resembled Ferrari’s racers of the 1970s, now sporting a striking ‘Z’ in the center of the bumper. To the rear, the car features a new engine cover with a clear glass screen, adding to the drama of the new styling. To ensure sufficient cooling, a bank of vents was added on either side, as well as an electronic speed-sensitive spoiler that, when deployed, reveals a panel with Ferrari and Zagato graphics.
Wherever you look on this Zagato-bodied baby Ferrari, skilled craftsmanship is displayed. Sure, it may have lost some of the simplistic elegance of the original Pininfarina design, but Zagato’s redesign is inspired by many eras of Ferrari’s illustrious racing past, and with a mere ten examples in existence, this example truly is a must-own for any Ferrari connoisseur and is available for purchase through LBI Limited in the Classic Driver Market.
Photos by Motorcar Media Co
