1989 Ferrari 328 GTB

The Ferrari 328 was designed by Pininfarina and produced from 1985 through 1990. Introduced at the September 1985 Frankfurt Motor Show, the 328 followed the Ferrari 308 but featured a transversely mounted V8 with an enlarged bore and stroke. The DOHC engine with Bosch K-Jetronic Fuel injection was capable of producing 270 horsepower. Power was transferred to the rear wheels through the use of a five-speed manual transaxle. The name '328' was attributed to its 3.2-liter eight-cylinder engine. The GTB and GTS represented Berlinetta and Spyder body styles, respectively. The GTS, known as the spyder or targa, had a removable roof panel and proved to be extremely popular, outselling the Berlinetta body style by almost four-to-one. 6,068 examples of the open-topped GTS models and 1,344 of the coupes were built.

The Ferrari 328 used the preceding 308's tubular-steel chassis with an independent suspension with anti-roll bars and disc brakes. With the adoption of the 288 GTO-specification steering rack, the 328 enjoyed notably sharper responses. The Tipo 105CB 'quad-cam' 32-valve Bosch K-Jetronic fuel-injected V8 was allied to a five-speed manual transmission. Zero-to-sixty was impressive, achieved in 5.5 seconds on its way to a top speed of 163 mph. The Pininfarina styling retained the same iconic silhouette as its forebear but added a larger 'egg crate' grille, new body-color bumpers, softened angularity and reworked boot lids. The interior in both the GTB and GTS were revamped, again inspired by the 288 GTO, with improved switchgear, more cosseting seats, and a redesigned center console.

During the Ferrari 328 model's production lifespan, numerous mechanical updates were implemented, improving driving dynamics and ease of service. A redesign of exterior design cues gave the 328 a sleeker and more fluid appearance. During the final model year, the 328 received an anti-lock braking system. A mere 53 examples were outfitted with this feature near the tail end of production.

In 1989, the engine was enlarged to 3.4 liters, and the Ferrari 348 was born.

by Daniel Vaughan | Feb 2006