Although the F355 is a bit of a steal, there is no such thing as a cheap Ferrari. For starters, it costs about a third as much as a brand-new F8 Tributo.

While it does, in fact, provide only slightly more than half the power (380 horsepower vs. 720 horsepower), it most definitely isn't half the automobile. not even by half.

The 1994 launch of the F355 gave Ferrari the boost it needed. Its 348 predecessor was derivative, lacking in dynamic performance, and, in the opinion of many road testers, inferior to Honda's NSX, which costs considerably less.

Maranello had to step up its game, which it did with slimline style, aerodynamics inspired by F1, and a red-blooded V8.

The vehicle I'm in today is a 355 F1 Spider, which gets its name from the fact that it features Ferrari's revolutionary semi-automatic transmission and because it has a drop-top.

Shame the heavens have just recently opened over Blenheim Palace.

Owner David Bagley is not concerned, though. David is no stranger to exotic metal as one half of the crew behind Salon Privé, an elite vintage and supercar event held each summer at Blenheim.