Estimated Price: £200,000 - £250,000

Few cars capture Ferrari at its analogue best quite like the F355. Introduced in 1994 as the replacement for the 348, it represented a substantial technical leap forward whilst encapsulating everything enthusiasts associate with a mid-engined Ferrari. Its Tipo F129B 3.5-litre V8 was nothing short of a masterpiece, with five valves per cylinder, an 8,500rpm redline and 380bhp produced at a heady 8,250rpm. This screaming engine was mated to a 6-speed gated manual gearbox, exclusively driving the rear wheels with performance being suitably impressive. 0-62mph is covered in just 4.7 seconds with a top speed exceeding 180mph.

The GTS added another ingredient to an already compelling recipe, its removable Targa roof offering open-air motoring whilst retaining much of the Berlinetta's elegant profile. Add the open metal gate of the manual gearbox and the F355 GTS has understandably become one of the most desirable mid-engined Ferrari's ever made.

This particular example has a story quite unlike any other. In 1996, at the conclusion of a road test for his Unleashed on Cars VHS special, Jeremy Clarkson stepped out of an F355 and declared it “the greatest car in the world; ever”. Having become rather taken with Ferrari's latest V8 offering, he decided that he not only wanted one of his own, but needed one, and P199 YPL is that car.

P199 YPL was ordered new through Maranello Sales at their Tower Gate showroom in Egham and delivered to Clarkson in August 1996, with the original Warranty Card confirming him as the first owner. As Clarkson later recounted in Clarkson's Car Years, the specification process became something of a public event. Having initially agonised over colour and declared that everyone ordered red, so he should order one in Green, he eventually did exactly what everyone else did and ordered it in red.

The result was this Rosso Corsa GTS with Crema leather and Rosso carpets, but importantly, Clarkson specified the extremely rare factory carbon-backed sports seats. They are finished in Crema with red inserts, an option so seldom seen on an F355, and one which makes an already desirable specification even more formidable.

The Ferrari became a familiar part of Clarkson's motoring life and, unlike many celebrity owned cars, its connection to him is incredibly well documented. It regularly appeared in his Sunday Times columns and was used in May 1999 when he retook, and failed, his driving test for the newspaper. He covered around 6,000 miles during his ownership before eventually giving the car away as a Sunday Times reader prize. Remarkably, it remains the only Ferrari Clarkson has ever owned.

Following a relatively small number of subsequent custodians, the F355 joined its previous owner’s collection in February 2013, and during that ownership it was entrusted to respected Ferrari specialist John Pogson and Italia Autosport for its maintenance. More recently, in May 2025, some £9,345 was invested in a comprehensive service and cambelt replacement, attention to the steering rack, paint correction and detailing. Further significant expenditure occurred in 2026 on reconditioning the interior and ceramic coating the paint following further correction and machine polishing. To date, it has covered only c.15,200 miles from new and safe to say it presents exceptionally well. Importantly the car retains its matching numbers 3.5-litre V8 and remains in its original colour combination.

The history accompanying the car is immense, with a substantial history file containing invoices and paperwork documenting servicing and maintenance. Included are the original order correspondence from Maranello Sales detailing Clarkson's chosen specification, the Warranty Card recording him as the first owner, owner's guides and their folio, tool kit and car cover.

Celebrity ownership can sometimes be little more than an interesting footnote, but P199 YPL is totally different. Clarkson's ownership is central to the car's history, documented in period and intertwined with his rise to becoming arguably the most famous face in the motoring world. This was not a Ferrari that happened to have his name on the V5, it is the F355 he famously fell for, ordered, drove, wrote about and put in front of millions of viewers and readers.

Even without that provenance, a Rosso Corsa F355 GTS with a gated 6-speed manual gearbox, rare factory sports seats and just 15,200 miles would be an extremely special car. With the provenance, this must surely be the most famous F355 in the world.