Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft and one of the richest people in the world, has a current net worth of about $131 billion. Such a business mogul must have a spectacular car collection, right? True story, Bill Gates has spent a part of his fortune making a stunning collection for himself.

So, with enough money to afford any car he wants, what did Bill Gates choose? Well, much to everyone's surprise, his car collection is rather modest, though we can't say it's anywhere near boring, as it turns out this successful business tycoon just adores Porches.

Along with the famous Porsche 911, Bill Gates also enjoys driving the Porsche 959 Sports and the Porsche Taycan. Reportedly, these are his favorite cruise cars, and not without reason. All the Porsche models in his garage practically scream extravagance and high performance.

Nonetheless, there's also one rear gem in Bill Gates' collection — and no, we're not speaking about his daily commuter Ford Focus or one of his private jets. Rather, Bill Gates owns a wonderful Italian supercar called the Ferrari 348. Today, we'll explore this incredible car in more detail.

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Awesome Bill Gates' Car: The Essential History Of The Ferrari 348

The 1989 Ferrari 348 TB front view.
Via: Carpixel

After almost 15 years of pure success with the series 328 (a notable successor of the 308), Ferrari decided to introduce a new model in 1989. Although not many changes were made to the exterior, the shiny new Ferrari 348 experienced quite a few tweaks in terms of specs. But we'll get to that part in more detail later on.

The Ferrari 348 arrived in 1989, and it remained in production till 1995. It had several impressive body styles, including the Berlinetta (sports coupe on Italian), Targa (a coupe with a removable rigid roof), and the Spider (a convertible with a fully removable soft roof). Throughout the years, a few special editions were produced. The Ferrari 348 Serie Speciale, for example, was only made for the US market.

The 1989 Ferrari 348 TS side view.
Via: Carpixel

As for the nameplate, the "348" represents the 3.4-liter V8 engine. The other letters were added for the transverse (T) gearbox mounted at the rear of the engine and according to the body style. Hence, the 348 TB stands for the Trasversale Berlinetta, the 348 TS for the Trasversale Spider, the 348 for the Grand Turismo Spider, and so on.

Generally speaking, the Ferrari 348 was a successful model, although it didn't receive the best reviews back in the day. Many testers initially found the 348 underwhelming, as it seemed the car lacked the expected driving experience.

Nevertheless, the prominent Italian brand addressed these issues over the years, constantly updating the 348 to make it more appealing to the public. As a result, the Ferrari 348 is probably much more sought-after today than it was in its first couple of years of production.

What Does The Ferrari 348 Pack Under The Hood?

A closer look at the hood of the 1989 Ferrari 348 TS.
Via: Carpixel

As earlier mentioned, the Ferrari 348 featured an updated 3.4-liter V8 engine, as opposed to the 3.2-liter V8 fitted in the previous 328 models (hence, the name). The revised V8 could produce 300 horsepower and rev to around 8,000 RPM. That further changed in 1993, when the Ferrari 348 gained 20 more horsepower.

The 1992 Ferrari 348 Serie Speciale built for the US market in only 100 units could even produce an output of 312 horsepower, and it can accelerate from rest to 60 mph in 5.3 seconds — quite fast for the '90s. Therefore, while the 348 models have the same engine, they didn't offer the same specs over the years.

Furthermore, Ferrari also made sure to address issues raised by critics concerning the sport car's performance and handling. Seeing Bill Gates spin his 348 into the sand might suggest that the Ferrari team succeeded in its updates.

RELATED: Here's What The 1989 Ferrari 348 Costs Today

A Little More Details On The Ferrari 348's Bodywork And Its Interior

A rear view of the 1989 Ferrari 348 TS.
Via: Carpixel

From 1989 to 1995, Ferrari produced just under 9,000 units of the 348. While the engine production was overseen by Enzo Ferrari, which was probably his last arrangement within the company, the styling was overlooked by Leonardo Fioravanti. The designer was responsible for many of Ferrari's achievements, starting with the sharp-looking Daytona and the 288 GTO.

So, Fioravanti was behind the low-profile, sleek, and thin 348. Unfortunately, not many were delighted with this achievement. Unlike the praises for the Daytona or the 288 GTO, the 348 was widely tagged as uninspiring. Many were also dissatisfied with the somewhat dull interior, which probably had some impact on the pricing. It turns out the Ferrari 348 is much less expensive than other sports cars from this brand, sometimes even from its predecessor, the 328.

However, all the talk about the underwhelming styling has changed slightly in the last couple of years, as more people began to look at the Ferrari 348 as underrated. Did Bill Gates' purchase have something to do with it? It's hard to say.