Ferrari 328 GTB and GTS

The Ferrari 328 GTB and GTS were introduced in the late 1985 early 1986 years. Depending upon who you talk with this model is sometimes considered the last of the 308 series and sometimes a unique model of its own.

The major change from the 308 to the 328 was an increase in engine size from 3.0 to 3.2 which was the reason for the model name change. This increase gave the car 270 bph at 7,000 rpm. Like the earlier 308s the engine was mounted cross wise in a mid engine position.

From the outside the front and rear bumpers were now painted the same as the body color, rather than black as on the 308s. Initial tires were 205/55 front and 225/50 rears. This was identical to late model 308s for the American market. One unique problem with this tire arrangement was that the front spare tire compartment would only accommodate the 205/55 front tire. So if you had a flat in the rear, your spare tire was the wrong size. If you insisted in using it, your next problem was that you could not close the hood on the 225/50 rear tire as it was just too large to fit the cavity.

Top speed was claimed 158mph just as the QV before it. However, it was slightly faster in 0 to 60 mph by 2 tenths of a second. You could feel the extra horsepower and torque while driving the 328, even though the acceleration numbers did not suggest it.

In addition to the change in paint on the bumpers there were dozens and dozens of minor changes to the car. Towards the end of the run, ABS was introduced. One way of telling was the change in the wheels; however some late 328s had the later wheels but not ABS.

1,348 GTBs were produced and 6,068 GTSs from 1985 until 1989. The open top car was much more popular as can be seen from the production numbers. On the open market they also bring about $5,000 more for a used car. The interesting thing though is that the closed GTB was a little better handling, because of its extra stiffness. The downside was the GTB was also much warmer inside as the open top model allowed some of the heat from the radiator pipes to escapee.

The 328 was the last model Ferrari to use the cross engine location in the mid engine position. Its successor, the 348 had the engine switch to a longitudinal design. It has always been a slight controversy as to which engine position was better. One fact is true however, major engine work on the 308 and 328 series can be done with the engine remaining in the car. Later Ferrari cars had to have the engine removed.

Ferrari 288 GTO

Ferrari 288 GTO

Ferrari 288 GTO

Ferrari 288 GTO

Ferrari 288 GTO

Ferrari 288 GTO

The 288GTO, along with its arch-rival the Porsche 959, is a supercar milestone. For most of the ’70s and early ’80s ultimate road car power and performance figures had remained on a plateau. Brake horsepower in the mid/late 300s, 160-175mph and 0-60 in the low ‘fives’ were the benchmark. Then in 1982 the FIA introduced Group B, for 200-off race and rally machines, and the world went homologation-crazy. A new dawn was breaking and when Maranello’s protagonist finally appeared at the 1984 Geneva Show, the overblown ‘Testosterossa’, latest and lardiest in a series of imperious, range-topping 12-cylinder berlinettas, found its thunder nicked by this upstart V8 underling.

With 400bhp on tap (thanks to the emergent art of turbocharging), 60mph took under five seconds and 190-plus was a reality. These were magic figures 20 years ago, a quantum leap forward that continued exponentially as GTO begat F40, and F40 begat F50, and F50 begat Enzo, and…well, who knows? So what makes the iconic GTO special – and justifies its £185k value – even in the cosy, claustrophobic confines of Middle England?

Giorgetto Giugiaro once generously described Leonardo Fioravanti’s 308GTB as “the most perfect car I’ve ever seen” and the 288, if anything, improves on it, with its swollen arches and 110mm-longer wheelbase (to accommodate a longitudinal rather than transverse engine, for easier pit-lane servicing). Unlike the all-steel 308, the GTO’s bodywork is an exotic cocktail of GRP, Kevlar, Nomex, aluminium and steel, saving 140kg. The most beautiful of all Ferraris? It makes a good case for itself. Aside from the ravishing basic shape, detailing is superb. Look, for example, at the three inclined vents behind the rear wheelarches (a homage to the car’s legendary 250GTO forebear) – functional, simple, inspired. As is the interior. Like many low-slung exotics, a dignified, pain-free entry requires a sort of corkscrew action to ensure clearing both sills and roof. Inside, there’s lots of black velvety fabric trim, creating a purposeful, minimalist ambience that’s also light and airy, thanks to the generous fenestration. You sit a bit low in relation to the classic three-spoke wheel – no airbags here – but the leather seats are supportive and comfy (initially at least – after an hour or two my buttocks weren’t so sure).

The twin-turbo V8 is based on the 268C engine developed by Ferrari from the 308 for the Lancia LC2 Group C car, its 2,855cc capacity chosen to provide a nominal four litres under the FIA’s equivalency rule for turbo engines (multiply by 1.4).

Ferrari Mondial 8 Coupe

Ferrari Mondial 8 Coupe

Ferrari Mondial 8 Coupe

Ferrari Mondial 8 Coupe

Ferrari Mondial 8 Coupe

Ferrari 308 GT4 "Dino"

308 GT4 "Dino"

308 GT4 "Dino"

308 GT4 "Dino"
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308 GT4 "Dino"

308 GT4 "Dino"

The 308 GT4 Dino was a radical departure for Ferrari, employing the design house Bertone as opposed to Pininfarina to produce a striking modern cutting edge shape to replace the 246 Dino.

Bertone were responsible for classic designs such as the Lamborghini Miura, the Alfa Romeo GT Junior and rally legend Lancia Stratos. The car is a two plus two so it is practical if you’ve got small kids or need to take some (small) mates out for a pose. In classic red, the Ferrari 308 GT4 Dino is a real show stopper and was bought from a classic car hire company who were updating their stock.
SPECIFICATIONS

• The Dino brand of mid-engined, rear-drive sports cars was produced by Ferrari from 1968 to 1976
• The car was an attempt by Ferrari to produce a relatively low cost sports car by using components from other vehicles
• The Dino brand was reserved for cars with engines with fewer than 12 cylinders. This meant that the Ferrari name was kept for the V12 and flat 12 models
• The Dino is named in honour of Enzo Ferrari’s son, Alfredo ‘Dino’ Ferrari. He and engineer Vittorio Jano influenced his father’s decision to produce a line of V6 and V8-engined racing cars in the 1950s. Dino died of muscular dystrophy on June 30, 1956 at the age of only 24
• Initially branded as a ‘Dino’ model, the 308 GT4 was produced from 1973 to April 1980. It was Ferrari's first V8 production automobile
• The 308 GT4 featured the Dino badge until May 1976. At that point, it began to display the Ferrari ‘Prancing Horse’ badge on the steering wheel, bonnet and wheels
• The 308 has a wedge shaped, angular design, which makes it look very different from the 206/246 (from which it was derived). It was styled by Italian automobile company Bertone
• The 308 GT4 V8 has a 90 degree, dual overhead camshaft, a 2927cc motor with four Weber carburetors, V-8 block and heads made of aluminum alloy, and weighs in at 2535 pounds

Ferrari 246 GT "Dino"

Ferrari 246 GT "Dino"

Ferrari 246 GT "Dino"

Ferrari 246 GT "Dino"

Ferrari 246 GT "Dino"

Ferrari introduced the 275 GTB, its first car with independent rear suspension. But however significant the 275 GTB was, most spectators were drawn to the dramatic Dino 206S Speciale show car, a mid-engined concept featuring a mock 2-liter V6 engine. The show car was created as a tribute to the late Alfredino "Dino" Ferrari, and as such had no Ferrari emblems on it whatsoever.

The Turin Auto show of 1966 featured a working prototype of the Dino called the Dino Berlinetta GT. Powered by a transversely mounted V6, the 206 Dino GT was not only Ferrari's first mid-engined production car, but was also a new Ferrari-based Dino brand. The 180-hp, 1,986-cc engine powering the Dino was largely built by Fiat. Even with Dino badges and a Fiat-built engine, the 206 GT's lineage was clearly Ferrari, thanks to the Pininfarina bodywork and the performance.

In 1969, the V6 was enlarged to 2,418-cc, the output increased to 195 horsepower, and the car was renamed the 246 GT. While Ferraris have always been about free revving high performance engines, the Dino 246 GTs have quick, responsive handling that immediately separates them from earlier front-engined Ferraris, and marks the shift that led directly to the present generation of Ferrari road cars. Historically significant, the Dino was the only production car that featured the dynamic advantages of a mid-mounted engine without the angular wedge shape designs that would characterize Ferraris from the mid-'70s well into the '90s.

The 1972 Ferrari 246 Dino GT presented here is a superb, highly original example finished in Fly Yellow with a black leather interior. Very well preserved and cared for by its previous owners, this Dino has documentation of ownership dating back to the mid-1970s, showing it as a Southern California car, and having last been offered publicly for sale at a Ferrari dealership in 1985.