1984 Ferrari 308 GTS 1984 Ferrari 308 GTS 1984 Ferrari 308 GTS 1984 Ferrari 308 GTS
1984 Ferrari 308 GTS 1984 Ferrari 308 GTS 1984 Ferrari 308 GTS 1984 Ferrari 308 GTS
1984 Ferrari 308 GTS 1984 Ferrari 308 GTS 1984 Ferrari 308 GTS 1984 Ferrari 308 GTS
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The Pininfarina designed Ferrari 308 was debut in 1975 and was immediately a success. The vehicles performance, handling, and styling were phenomenal.

For the initial 18 months of the 308 GTB's production, fiberglass was predominately used for the bodies, but later switched to all-metal. The fiberglass bodies were around 125 kg lighter.

The 308 was capable of producing 255 bhp from its 3 liter, V8, carburetor engine. In 1980, a Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection system was installed due to new emission regulations. This caused the horsepower to drop to around 215 hp, thus making the 308 GTBi the slowest of the 308 series.

In 1981, Ferrari introduced 4 valve heads for the 3 liter V8's. This 308's now became known as 308 GTB/GTS Quattrovalvole. The engine now produced 240 BHP, and with the extra weight that was imposed due to using all-metal rather than fiberglass, the performance and handling was back to where it was when it began production.

In 1985, Ferrari introduced the 328 GTB/GTS. A vehicle that came equipped with a 3185 cc engine that produced 270 BHP.
The 308 was Ferrari's first two-seat V8 road car. Made available to the public in 1975, it was the long awaited successor to the incomparable Dino 246 GT. The 308 series was a new beginning for the company as the premier builder of exotic sports cars for road use. As such, the 308 was designed to epitomize the sports car in its era. It did so admirably, and remains perhaps the most influential enthusiast car in history. The 308 is the car against which every subsequent sports car has been measured, upon which every Ferrari V8 sports and racing car has been based, and the car that brought Ferrari from the pinnacle of elite car-culture recognition into the minds of the general public. 25 years later, the shape and sound of the 308 is still 'Ferrari' in the minds of many people.

Design

The Ferrari 308 GTS provided Pininfarina with an opportunity to flex its design and styling muscle. The company responded by redefining the public's collective impression of what a Ferrari, and indeed what a sportscar, should look like. The task given Pininfarina was the creation of a two-seat mid-engined V8, and few can have expected the Turin designer to respond with such a tour de force.

The 308's shape bears a passing resemblance to Pininfarina's Dino 246 GT. Where the older car was the ultimate expression of curvaceous 1960's styling, the 308 hinted far more at the future. From its sharp nose incorporating a slim bumper and a deep air dam, to its retractable headlights and row of black louvres that vent air from the radiator, the line flows up the windshield and out around the flanks to reunite

with itself at the buttress C-pillars, ending in a very subtle rear lip spoiler. The design is so beautiful and effective that it has been a basis for exterior styling of every subsequent V8 Ferrari and an object of study for design students the world over.

GTS models had louvered panels over the whole of their rear quarter windows. Increased venting front and rear served to improve cooling with each evolution of the engine. By and large, however, the design of the 308 was so iconic and effective that it was virtually unchanged throughout its decade of production.

Drivetrain

The heart of the 308 series was its three litre V8 engine. The 2926cc Ferrari V8 was something of a departure for the company, which had mostly relied on V12s. With the V8, Ferrari could offer much of the power of their legendary V12s while improving fuel economy and saving space. By placing the engine and transmission transversely Ferrari was able to reduce the length of their new sports cars and concentrate the mass within the wheelbase, a lesson of racing.

The transmission in the 308 was a five speed with reverse all synchromesh unit. Mounted transversely like the engine, the transmission received power through an unassisted single plate clutch. The gears sent power to the rear wheels through a limited slip differential and solid driveshafts with constant velocity joints.

Source - Ferrari

Photos grouped by event

Cavallino Classic XVII

Classic Sports Sunday

Cavallino Classic Concorso d'Eleganza

2006 Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix Car Show

2006 Concours d'Elegance at Ault Park

2006 Palm Beach Cavallino Classic XV Concours

2005 PVGP Car Show
 

1984 Ferrari 308 GTS

Year1984
MakeFerrari
Model308 GTS
Engine LocationMid
Drive TypeRear Wheel
Body / ChassisSteel body on tubular steel frame
Production Years for Series1974 - 1986
Body DesignerPininfarina
Price$59,500.00
Weight3230 lbs | 1465.1 kg
Introduced At1975 Paris Motor Show
Chassis Range22619 - 34501

Chassis / Engine Numbers Shown
Chassis Number049683
Chassis Number50697

Engine  
Engine ConfigurationV
90-degree
Vee-Type
Cylinders8
Aspiration/InductionNormal
Displacement178.60 CU IN. | 2927.3 cc. | 2.9 L.
Valves32 valves.
4 valves per cylinder.
ValvetrainDOHC
Horsepower235.00 BHP (173 KW) @ 6800.00 RPM
Torque188.00 Ft-Lbs (254.9 NM) @ 5500.00 RPM
HP to Weight Ratio13.7 LB / HP (Vehicles with similar ratio)
HP / Liter81.0 BHP / Liter
Compression Ratio8.6:1
Main Bearings5
Fuel TypeGasoline - Petrol
Fuel FeedFuel Injected
Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection
BlockLight Alloy
HeadLight Alloy
Vehicles with similar horsepower and weight

Standard Transmission
Gears5
TransmissionManual
In Rear Transaxle


 
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Vehicle Ratings
StylingVehicle Styling Rating: 90%
PerformanceVehicle Performance Rating: 80%
InteriorVehicle Interior Rating: 70%
QualityVehicle Quality Rating: 80%
OverallVehicle Overall Rating: 80%
No. of Votes: 2
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Articles and Event Coverage
Cavallino Classic XVII
Classic Sports Sunday
Cavallino Classic Concorso d'Eleganza
2006 Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix Car Show
2006 Concours d'Elegance at Ault Park
2006 Palm Beach Cavallino Classic XV Concours
2005 PVGP Car Show

Additional Resources and Links
Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix Car Show Official Website
Palm Beach Cavallino Classic Concours Official Website
Concours d'Elegance at Ault Park Official Website
Classic Sports Sunday Official Website
Palm Beach Cavallino Classic Official Website

1984 Ferrari models
288 GTO
400i
512 BBi
Testarossa
1984 Ferrari Concepts
Ferrari 412 Prototipo Scaglietti

Other Model Years
1986 308 GTS
1981 308 GTS
1980 308 GTSi
1979 308 GTS
1978 308 GTS
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