DRIVEN: Ferrari F355 restomod by Evoluto | Henry Catchpole - The Driver's Seat

TL;DR

Henry Catchpole drives the Evoluto 355 restomod through Scotland, finding a brilliantly engineered but philosophically complex reimagining of a beloved Ferrari.

Key Points

• 1.Evoluto is a serious engineering outfit, not a boutique styling house. Part of Driven Automotive Group (McDerma Group), with engineers from defense, aerospace, motorsport, and OEM backgrounds, headquartered in Coventry with advanced carbon fiber manufacturing capability.
• 2.The F129 V8 engine is retained and enhanced, not replaced. Still 3.5L with five-valve heads, now producing 414bhp and 295lb-ft — about 10% more than a factory 355 — via ported heads, new cams, Motec electronics, and a strengthened quill shaft for reliability.
• 3.The chassis transformation is the most significant engineering achievement. Carbon fiber is bonded into bulkhead, sills, and suspension mountings, increasing torsional stiffness by 23%, enabling 77mm wider front track, 66mm wider rear track, 25mm lower ride height, and three-way adjustable R53 dampers.
• 4.The steering is the dynamic highlight of the car. Reduced from 3.25 turns lock-to-lock to just 2.0, with hydraulic power assistance delivering constant feedback and weight — Catchpole calls it 'absolutely perfect' and better than the original 355.
• 5.The interior strips all original plastics and replaces them with bespoke materials. Highlights include a thin-rimmed steering wheel, machined billet aluminum switchgear, carbon-topped gearknob on the original Ferrari gate, and no screens whatsoever; trim can be fully customised per customer.
• 6.Ian Callum designed the carbon fiber bodywork, drawing on the 288 GTO's visual language. Vents above new LED pop-up headlights, three strakes on the haunches, and a raised tail flip echo Ferrari's iconic mid-80s supercar; the car also weighs 100kg less than a standard 355.
• 7.The price and philosophical question are the car's biggest challenges. Starting at £600,000 / $800,000 plus a donor car, Catchpole concludes the driving experience is brilliant but warns that owning one doesn't feel like truly owning a Ferrari — the Evoluto name lacks the mythology of Enzo and Maranello.