1983 Ferrari 308 GTS Quattrovalvole - Toybox

By: Guy Allen, Photography by: Lorbek

Date: 17.02.2022

There was a time when this was the approachable Italian masterpiece

At a time when Ferrari auction prices routinely soar into multi-million territiory, it’s easy to lose sight of the fact that you can get a respectable prancing horse for far less.

While the near-200k price tag on this car is hardly spare change, it kind of lives up to what the factory always intended, which was to have a sexy alternative to the upber-exotic models that still had style and a compelling turn of speed.

Ferrari’s Berlinetta Boxer with its 12-pot poweprlant ruled the corporate roost for much of the time the 308 was offered. In reality the latter, with its mid-mounted V8, would prove to be a far easier proposition to live with. Maintenance is far more simple and the mechanical package has shown to be pretty robust.

As for performance, we’re talking a 250-plus horsepower engine, mid-mounted, with a five-speed manual, limited-slip differential, and around 1250kg to push around.

That gave it a 0-100km/h sprint of around 6.7sec and a top speed claim of 260km/h. Fast enough.

Because of the weight placement, decent suspension and low-slung shape, it was of course a seriously good handling package. That was something pretty much all the reviews of the day agreed on.

By the time this car was produced, the 308 in its various guises had been in the market for several years. That meant it had undergone numerous changes, not least of which was a switch from fibreglass to steel bodies. And it picked up fuel injection, providing slicker throttle response.

This example at Lorbek in Melbourne ticks quite a few boxes, particularly for the first-time Ferrari owner. It claims less than 42,000km and has already undergone an extensive restoration – so someone else may have already done the hard yards with this one. Plus, it has always been a right-hand-drive market car. See lorbek.com.au

1993 Ferrari 308 GTS Quattrovalvole

BODY: 2-door targa coupe
ENGINE: 2.9-litre V8
POWER & TORQUE: 188kW @ 7700rpm, 283Nm @ 5000rpm
PERFORMANCE: 0-100km/h 6.7 seconds
TOP SPEED: 260 km/h
TRANSMISSION: Five-speed, manual
SUSPENSION: Double wishbones, coil springs, telescopic dampers
BRAKES: Vented discs

From Unique Cars #461, Jan 2022

Unique Cars magazine Value Guides

Sell your car for free right here