 1984 288 GTO |
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1985 Ferrari 288 GTO news, pictures, and information | ||
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 | Coupe Coachwork: Scaglietti Designer: Pininfarina Chassis Num: ZFFPA16B000054247 | |
| Sold for $748,000 at 2011 Gooding & Company. | ||
At first glance, the car looks similar to Ferrari's 308 and the Berlinetta Boxer, but Leonardo Fiovanti and the team at Pinin Farina would produce something entirely new. This was a racing car from nose to tail and it featured such necessary aspects like a longer wheelbase and overall shorter length, a wider stance and a liberal use of composite materials like Fiberglass and other composite materials.
However, the car would also feature very comfortable leather upholstery and a very elegant body styling that softened the beast. The car would have an elegance and a meanness wrapped all into one. It had been designed to be a beast on the race track, and yet, had an artistic elegance that made it look more than comfortable cruising around city streets.
One of these thoroughbred 288 GTOs, chassis ZFFPA16B000054247, would be offered to the highest bidder at the Gooding & Company auction at Pebble Beach in August of 2011.
This particular 288 GTO boasts some incredible credentials and accolades but would start out its life as an export to West Germany in early 1985. The car would be delivered to Romano Artioli's Autoexpo GmbH and would end up being sold to Erhard L. Burkhart of Lorrach. When Mr. Burkhart would take delivery of the car it would come with a Rosso Corsa finish, Pelle Nera leather interior and with air-conditioning and power windows.
The car would last less than a year as the property of Mr. Burkhart. Although none of the 288 GTOs were made for export to the United States a number of them would find their way to America to be federalized. This would be one of those that would end up heading off on the transatlantic journey to the United States.
In June of 1985, the car would be picked up by Carl Cantera of Wilmington, Delaware and would be taken to be inspected and federalized. Cantera was an avid Ferrari collector and the 288 GTO would fit in nicely amongst a collection that already included a number of top Ferraris.
The 288 wouldn't sit around as part of Cantera's collection though either. The car had been designed as a race car and Cantera would do about the only thing he could. He would take the car and compete in a number of FCA events. In fact, it would make its first appearance in Watkins Glen in 1985 at the 21st Annual FCA meeting.
Taking part in the FCA events the 288 GTO would really hit its stride and the accolades would begin to come.
During the early 1990s the car would be entered in a number of concours and FCA concours events. One of its highlights during this time would be the First in Class it would receive at the FCA Concours in Washington D.C.
After a spell with Steve Barney of Greensboro, North Carolina, the car would eventually end up with its current owner in 2008. Upon receiving the car, the new owner enlisted the car to be inspected and serviced before being certified by Ferrari Classiche.
When the car was finally certified it would be entered in a rash of events including the North American Ferrari Field and Driving Concours in Toronto, Canada. During the event, the car would receive some of the highest honors possible including both the Platinum and Coppa Bella Macchina awards. It also earned the Alla Vettura Pronta per il Salone award which is awarded to the best eight-cylinder Ferrari. On top of these incredible awards the car would receive the highest honor possible in an FCA judged event by receiving the coveted Coppa GT award.
In 2009, the car would pick up where it had left off and would go on to again earn the FCA Platinum Award at the National Meeting in Elkhart Lake. In order to keep the car earning such prestigious awards the owner has spent some $60,000 having the car fine tuned
While the Group B Series may have gone defunct this 288 GTO continues to achieve success after success. Just one of only 272 built, this Ferrari is an obvious show winner and is a testament to the successful blending of Pinin Farina grace and elegance with Ferrari's brute, high-performance power. At auction this car would eventually sell for $748,000.
Sources:
'Lot No. 039: 1985 Ferrari 288 GTO', (http://www.goodingco.com/car/1985-ferrari-280-gto). Gooding & Company. http://www.goodingco.com/car/1985-ferrari-280-gto. Retrieved 25 August 2011.
Wikipedia contributors, 'Ferrari 288 GTO', Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 11 August 2011, 23:06 UTC, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ferrari_288_GTO&oldid=444348657 accessed 26 August 2011By Jeremy McMullen
 |  |  | Coupe Coachwork: Scaglietti Designer: Pininfarina Chassis Num: ZFFPA16B000054805 |
| High bid of $410,000 at 2009 RM Auctions. (did not sell) | |||
The powerplant for the 288 GTO was a 2.8-liter V8 (called the Tipo F114B) mounted longitudinally, forward of the rear axle. It had a mid-engine layout, mounted low in the chassis, giving it excellent weight distributions and stable handling.
The engine was aided by a pair of IHI turbochargers with Behrair intercoolers, an oil cooler and dry-sump lubrication. The Weber/Marelli fuel injection system was based on a Formula One design.
A first for Ferrari, the body sat over a tubular aluminum chassis. It weighed 250 lbs less than the 308 GTB, despite being bigger in every dimension.
Inside, there were few luxury amenities. The upholstered leather seats were standard, while air conditioning, a radio and power windows rounded the list of available options.
The 288 GTO had been designed to compete in the FIA's Class B series. Sadly, it never got the chance to compete in the series, as it was abruptly canceled due to track safety issues. Homologation standards required only 200 vehicles to be produced beyond the factory racers, but demand was strong and Ferrari agreed to produce an additional 72, making a total of 272.
This 1985 Ferrari 288 GTO has about 37,000 kilometers, or about 23,000 miles. The car has been used sparingly since new. It spent some of its early years in Europe, and later imported to Utah in the early 1990s by race car driver Gerry Jackson and later certified for use in California.
In 2009, this 288 GTO was offered for sale at the Sports & Classics of Monterey auction presented by RM Auctions. The car was estimated to sell for $485,000 - $595,000. Bidding reached $410,000 but was not sufficient to satisfy the car's reserve. The lot was left unsold.
The car was offered for sale at the 2010 Gooding & Company auction held at Amelia Island, Florida. It was estimated to sell for $550,000 - $650,000. The car would leave the auction unsold.
By Daniel Vaughan | Nov 2011
 | Coupe Coachwork: Scaglietti Designer: Pininfarina Chassis Num: ZFFPA16B000052469 | |
| Sold for $1,045,000 at 2012 Gooding & Company. | ||
The 288 GTO was displayed at the Ferrari Club of America Northeastern Region meeting at the Museum of Transportation Concours d'Elegance in June of 1987, where it won the Contemporary Car class.
During Mr. Wolf's ownership, the 288 GTO served as a chase car on the Colorado Grand. It was also featured in the exotic-themed 1990 Road & Track national calendar.
The car remained in the care of Mr. Wolf for 27 years. Currently, the odometer displays 9,648 kilometers. It still has its original finishes and fittings, correct Goodyear Eagle tires and an original tool roll, books and jack bag.
In 2012, the car was offered for sale at Pebble Beach Auction presented by Gooding & Company. The car was estimated to sell for $750,000 - $900,000. As bidding came to a close, the car had been sold $1,045,000, inclusive of buyer's premium.
By Daniel Vaughan | Nov 2012
The 288 was basically a 308 with extra asthetic details such as vents, driving lights in the front grille, and wing mirros. But that is where the similarities ended. The 288 was made from light-weight material such as kevlar, aluminum, nomex, and fiberglass. The engine was smaller to meet with Groub B regulations. It was a 4.0 liter (2855cc) with IHI turbochargers, intercoolers, and fuel injection. Even though it had a smaller engine, it was capable of producing 400 bhp.
During its production run from 1984 through 1985, 272 vehicles were produced. The goal was to comply with the Group B regulations which stated that 200 units had to be produced in a model year.
By Daniel Vaughan | Jul 2006
During its production run from 1984 through 1985, 272 vehicles were produced. The goal was to comply with the Group B regulations which stated that 200 units had to be produced in a model year.
By Daniel Vaughan | Jul 2006
In 1984 Ferrari produced a street-legal car that paradoxically and magically combined the most sublime beauty wîth a very raw level of performance. Developed beside the Testarossa, the car also bore a name writ large in Ferrari history: GTO - Gran Turismo Omologata. The 1962-64 250 GTO is perhaps the most desired of all Ferraris, and amongst the rarest. It was a notably successful racing car, homologated for GT sports car racing in the golden era. The 1984 GTO was a 2.8 liter twin turbocharged V8 wîth a power output of 400bhp (140bhp / liter) enough to reach 60mph in 5s or less, and wîth a conservatively rated top speed of 189mph. Like its forebear, the GTO's real home was to be the public roads designated as FISA Group B racing tracks, for which series it was necessary to homologate 200 customer cars. In fact Ferrari built 272 modern GTOs, and because of the demise of the no-holds barred Group B supercar series almost all became road cars. With their blend of serene control and dynamic violence they have been called the most exciting automobiles ever created. It is worth noting that no GTOs were imported into North America by Ferrari, and prospective buyers should therefore purchase through an authorized Ferrari dealer to ensure the car is correctly Federalized.
Design
The GTO's styling is at first glance an evolution of Pininfarina's twin 1970s mid-engined masterworks: the Berlinetta Boxer and the 308. It was in fact a very different car, sharing not even the respective dimensions of these pure street machines. Most notably it was shorter, wîth a longer wheelbase, and considerably wider - the traits of a racing car. Visually similar to the 308, the GTO enjoys a subtly cleaner and more aggressive design. It is somehow smoother, its lines more taut and muscular as the bodywork sought to cover the chassis and cabin without excess fuss. Echoing the 250 GTO, the 288 had sectionally semicircular nacelles feeding air to the engine compartment, and angled fender gill-slits and hood louvers for exhausting the air. The GTO, however, had its compact V8 situated longitudinally behind the cabin, and its transaxle was clearly visible to those behind the car. Amongst the most noticeable styling details were the extremely deep front airdam beneath massive auxilliary lights suitable for illuminating a dusty, rainy, or dark race course, high-mounted side mirrors to give the driver a clear view over and around the large wheel blisters, and a highly aggressive kamm tail suggestive of stability at extremely high speed. These visual cues were all accurate to the car's purpose and capability. As interesting was the almost complete lack of brightwork: even the cavallino between the tail lights was black. The GTO required nothing extra to be noticed, although like all racing Ferraris it carried the Scuderia Ferrari enamel badges on its flanks; visual subtlety was a hallmark. The GTO's aerodynamics were designed to be in street-legal conformity wîth the homologation regulations. As such, it is a car designed for stability up to its terminal velocity, although it lacks the sophisticated undertray design and aerodynamic refinement of later Ferraris.
Structure
The body of the GTO was advanced for its time, being comprised principally of fiberglass and composites. The goal was lightness wîth strength derived from the chassis and subframes: contemporary racing design. Compressed fiberglass formed the floorpan, and most body panels. In some places, such as the engine cover, aluminum was used to augment other materials. In some places Kevlar and Nomex were employed for their respective properties. The Engine compartment was largely enclosed by an aluminum honeycomb wîth a Kevlar skin, and by a Kevlar and Nomex combination - heat resistant, fire retardant, strong, and light. The GTO came in only one colour: Rosso Corsa - Racing Red.
The GTO tubular chassis was formed of large-oval section steel welded to square- and rectangular-section tubes as warranted. The chassis was a series of subframes, each formed to its purpose and attached to the central section around the cabin. The entire rear subframe, containing the rear suspension and drivetrain, could be dropped from the car for quicker maintenance, another competition feature. Occupants were specially protected by a full roll hoop invisibly contained within the roof and B-pillars. Rigid and strong but light, the GTO's chassis was the perfect platform for road and track, capable of handling wîth aplomb the vast amount of torque and power which the stock or racing drivetrain would put through it.
Drivetrain
The GTO was powered by a 2,855cc 90° V8 Twin Turbocharged all alloy engine, arranged longitudinally behind the passenger cabin in unit wîth the rear transaxle. The four-valves per cylinder were actuated by dual overhead camshafts driven by a toothed belt. Each cylinder bank had its own ignition system controlled, like the fuel injection system, by a pair of Weber-Marelli units. Connected aluminum fuel tanks wîth a total capacity of 31.7 gallons each fed a bank of cylinders. Fully employing a basic compression ratio of 7.6:1 via alloy con rods, the flat topped pistons drove a forged steel crankshaft formed from a single billet, the whole being cooled and lubricated by a special oil injection system. Lubrication was by a dry sump wîth twin circuits and an oil radiator in the engine bay. Cooling was by a front-mounted radiator aided by twin thermostatic fans. Air was delivered to each bank of cylinders through its own large IHI turbocharger and massive Behr Intercooler. The turbochargers were driven by exhaust gasses leaving the engine through large tubular manifolds, eventually exiting the system through a single muffler. A wastegate helped reduce turbo lag. This powerplant, benefiting from Ferrari's F1 turbocharging experience, developed 400bhp at 7000rpm and 366lb-ft of torque from 3800rpm. The only transmission offered on the GTO was a fully synchronised 5-speed manual wîth hydraulically actuated single-plate clutch. The transmission and differential were both housed in magnesium and aluminum alloy cases. To aid in optimal weight distribution, the transmission sat behind the differential, drive going through 180° from the crankshaft to the end of the driveshaft. Gear selection was actuated by solid rods and forks to ensure positive engagement in all conditions.
Suspension
The GTO was built wîth a fully independent suspension employing unequal-length wishbones wîth coil springs over manually adjustable Koni shock absorbers. The wisbones were of high-tensile tubular steel, and the strut assemblies were located differently at the front and the rear. Front and rear anti-roll bars contributed to the car's high cornering stability. The GTO had ventillated disc brakes wîth a diameter of 12.05' at the front and 12.2' at the rear. Twin-piston calipers were actuated by a servo-assisted dual-channel hydraulic system, wîth front and rear braking automatically regulated.
Steering on the GTO was by unassisted rack and pinion. The car rode on special two-piece Speedline aluminum wheels carrying 225/50-16 tires at the front and 255/50-16 at the rear. The 16' wheels were secured to the hubs by means of a single nut, in the manner of a racing car.
Interior
Although designed originally for the track, the GTO did not have a spartan interior. Although all but the most basic amenities were deleted, passengers were nonetheless comfortable in the purposeful and roomy interior. Although two interior schemes were available, almost all GTOs were built wîth extremely supportive kevlar-framed black leather seats. The alternative featured bright orange inserts in the leather. Most striking, aside from the general functionality of the cockpit, was the non-reflective material covering the dashboard to ensure a clear view at all times. The driver was faced wîth a Ferrari standard three-spoke, leather-rimmed wheel and highly readable orange-on-black gauges the most important in the binnacle wîth auxiliaries angled in from the center of the dashboard. Beneath these central gauges were the climate control system, and a space for a user-installed sound system. The center console, separated from the dashboard, was dominated by the familiar steel shift lever in its polished gate. The remainder of the console housed auxiliary controls. The GTO did not feature any storage or luggage space, and the compact placement of the longitudinal engine necessitated an access panel directly behind the seats. The GTO was a high-performance sports car in the truest sense.Source - Ferrari
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 1985
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| 1984 288 GTO |
