The Ferrari 308 GTS was first showcased at the Frankfurt Motor Show and was in production from 1977 to 1980. It was designed as a two-seater which evolved from its predecessor the Dino 246 GTS. It was the 328 GTB/GTS that would later succeed the 308. Under the hood, it came with a 2.9 Liter. Initially, the car was given an atmospheric engine which was later upgraded to the Quattrovalvole engine with Italy being its intended market. Featuring an all-metal body and a 2.9 Liter V8, this rear-wheel drive sports car would hold its own with the best of them in its time with that V8 producing 308 GTS horsepower and torque of 255 and 191 lb-ft respectively. It was designed as a two-seater which evolved from its predecessor the Dino 246 GTS. It was the 328 GTB/GTS that would later succeed the 308. The GTS had an all-metal construction which was a large contrast to the GTB which was built mainly of a glass reinforced plastic. Let’s dive into our Ferrari 308 GTS review and discover more about this amazing sports car including the 308 GTS price. So, if you are ready, let's dive straight in. But first, are you looking to buy a car online? Check out Exotic Car Trader’s listing to find your perfect ride.
A question that many Ferrari car fans often ask is where was the 308 GTS made. Like many of its earlier models, Ferrari built the 308 in their factory in Maranello, Italy with the main goal of serving the Italian market. It was Leonardo Fioravanti who was the brains behind the design of the 308 GTS. The car was first introduced in 1977 at the Frankfurt Motor Show and would see a 10-year production run to 1985. But there is no GTS without mentioning the GTB. It was styled by Pinin Farina and took over from the 2+2 Dino 308 GT4 and would also replace the 2-seater 246 Dino. But it wasn’t until the Frankfurt Motor Show of 1977 that the GTS model would be showcased. While it was based on the 308 GTB, it had a removable top with a Targa design. This first model still had a carburetor-fed engine but that was all to change with the introduction of new legislation that demanded more fuel-efficient cars. Consequently, the V8 would now have a direct injection system in 1980. This would later be upgraded to the Quattrovalvole engine in 1982 which featured four valves per cylinder thus its name. The goal was to increase performance and output which had gone down due to the inefficient fuel injection system. And how many units of the Ferrari 308 GTS were produced you might wonder? According to official figures Ferrari built 3219 of these. Let’s dive deeper into our Ferrari 308 GTS review and uncover why it remains one of Ferrari’s most iconic cars. If you are looking to sell your car, finding the right partner can help save you loads of hassle and stress and connect you quickly with potential car buyers. Exotic Car Trader is your car-selling partner and will be with you every step of the way.
When you hear the name, Ferrari, your mind will likely think of an overpowered, super-fast, top-performance vehicle. The 308 GTS however is not what you’d consider overpowered. But in a good way. Its performance feels like a perfect balance between engine output and chassis. The Ferrari 308 GTS started with a carburetor-fed V8 engine that used wet-sump lubrication and a single spark plug per cylinder. The engines were mated to a 5-speed transmission that featured a framed gated shifter and connected via a single plate clutch. European versions of the GTS could do 252 hp with the American versions doing 237hp. Both of these versions were still able to reach 60mph in slightly above 6 seconds. Even by today's standards, this is quite impressive. In 1980 new legislation forced Ferrari to introduce a fuel injection system which took away some of the engine horsepower and torque. Consequently, Ferrari would introduce the Quattrovalvole which would see the 308 GTS horsepower and torque figures go up again. It was named the Quattrovalvole because it had four valves in each cylinder. The new engine allowed a 308 GTS 0-60 of 5.7 seconds and featured the Bosch K-jet system which oddly enough was also quite reliable with an improved cold starting. With the carburetor engines, there was a need for regular adjusting to keep performance at its optimum. Still, they were more popular than their fuel injection counterparts due to their ease of maintenance and longer lifespan and reliability. The 308 GTS had a top speed of 255 km/h with a 308 GTS weight of 1286kgs.
Compared to its predecessor, there was an upgrade to the 308 GTS interior. There was also the upgraded center console with leather upholstery and newly designed bucket seats. The visibility was good both at the front and the rear. The seats came with leather upholstery as standard and offered even more support. There was also leather both in the upper as well as lower door panels not to mention that the door panels were new. The steering wheel now looked more modern compared to earlier versions. It featured a triple-spoke satin black with a triangular center. And things just didn’t end there. The Quottrovalve’s interior was also revised and many people consider it the best 308 GTS design in the line. On the instrument panel was the main tachometer which contained the fuel, water temperature as well as oil pressure gauges. Furthermore, there was a parallel setting of the oil temperature gauge and the clock which were housed in the supplementary panel situated between the door and the steering wheel.
The 308 GTS exterior design was dominated by straight lines and smooth gentle curves. While the design of the body was done by Pinin Farina, the construction of the body panels was done at the firm’s factory Carrozzeria Scaglietti in Modena Italy. Even in the 308 GTS, you could spot 308 GTS design elements that were reminiscent of the earlier Dino GT4. These included the engine intake scoops located on both sides of the flanks, an arched rear windscreen as well as the identical lights fixed on the far sides and above the tail fascia. On both ends were the black full-width bumpers while at the front was a valence pan grill. The window frames, wipers, wing mirrors, door handles, and the swage line feature a satin black color to match the bumpers. There was also a GTS badging on the left rear taillight. Moreso, you could also spot the louver patterns on the GTS behind the headlights. The GTS also featured a removable roof made of black vinyl. All this worked together to build a car that was 4230mm in length, 1720mm in width, a height of 1120mm, and 2340mm in wheelbase.
The first and most obvious 308 GTS technology was the removable roof which would cause a stir among buyers and get them talking. It also featured the tubular F106 AB 100 steel chassis designed to cut down on weight. This was the same chassis in the GTB. The front bulkhead, inner arches as well as floor were constructed from glass-reinforced plastic. The car also had independent suspension on all four wheels with unequal wishbones which helped improve ride quality. It also featured telescopic Koni dampers and coil springs; anti-roll bars were also fitted. Each wheel was fitted with ventilated disc brakes. The 308S engine was first a dry-sump lubrication engine which would later change to wet-sump after the introduction of fuel injection. The V8 had a 90-degree angle between the two banks and was connected to a five-speed manual via a single clutch plate. There were louvers behind the headlights that helped cool the radiator. There was also a speedometer, oil pressure gauge water temperature gauge, and fuel gauge on the binnacle. Electric windows and air conditioning came as standard.
Now you may be asking yourself, how much is a 308 GTS worth? Well, the average price sits at around $62, 260 and can be as high as $88,000. Among the determining factors, the price will also be influenced by the 308 GTS trim levels. This information will help you make the right choice of model and trim if you are searching for a Ferrari 308 GTS for sale as a collector’s item.
In our Ferrari 308 GTS review, we’ve seen how this car evolved through its production, its design, its history, as well as how much it will cost you today. While the 255 horsepower may not be a head turner by modern standards, the 308 GTS played its part in the evolution of Ferrari sports cars to what they are today and this is why it is still an important part of history and a great collector’s car to have. If you are in the market for a car, then you probably know how tiresome the car-buying process can be. With the right partner, however, you can get over this tedious process and have your car delivered to your doorstep with efficiency. This is where Exotic Car Trader comes in.
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