Vehicle Description
Available now is this stunning 1978 Ferrari 308 GTS. This Italian
classic is finished in the silver Argento Auteil over a black
interior. The Ferrari 308 is considered one of the most well known
and most popular Ferrari road cars to ever come out of Maranello.
This particular 308 is in excellent overall condition with minor
paint flaws and minor cosmetic spots in the interior. The car
underwent its major service and a recent minor tune up service with
documentation. The car runs and drives amazing as one would expect
from a Ferrari. The AC blows cold, lights function properly, and
this really is a driver's Ferrari! In 1977 Ferrari launched a
Targa-top version of their 308 GTB known as this 308 GTS. It was
this car which was made famous in Magnum, P.I. starring Tom Selleck
as Thomas Magnum, a private investigator driving a bright red
Ferrari 308 GTS. 255 bhp, 2,926 cc DOHC 90-degree V-8 engine with
four Weber 40DCNF carburettors, five-speed gearbox, front and rear
independent suspension by A-arms, coil springs, and telescopic
shocks, and four-wheel disc brakes. Wheelbase: 2,340 mm The 308 was
launched in 1975, initially with fibreglass bodywork. Pininfarina's
design was considered quite stunning. The body shape was the most
successful to ever adorn the Prancing Horse badge. Over 20,000, in
various engine guises, were sold between 1975 and 1989. A spider
version, the 308 GTS, was launched to the world at the first Motor
Fair, held at Earls Court, in London, in 1977. The production run
lasted until 1985 and outsold the coupés by almost two to one, with
just over 8,000 spiders against 4,150 berlinettas. These were
serious production numbers, and Ferrari, now under Fiat ownership,
was growing quite dramatically. One of the first journalists to
drive the 308 in 1975 was Paul Frère. He described the car as, the
most seductive model to ever come from Maranello. Furthermore, the
performance is deceptive, with the motor being so flexible and
sweet in its performance. Another driver to give his views on the
car, this time in the new Autohebdo magazine, was Formula One
constructor and former racing driver Tico Martini. He drove the car
at Magny-Cours on a damp day. He said, It remained very
comfortable, manageable, and easy to catch. I remember quite well
the joy of driving the vehicle, and I found it necessary to only
slow down to control the understeer. It was always handling itself
in a perfectly safe manner...And then there was the
acceleration...To have acceleration like that, to bring out so many
horses without thinking of the consequences! What a way to get into
trouble with all of today's limits. A brief search of the Internet
is all it takes to find tales of Villeneuve, the late Ferrari
Formula 1 driver who's flamboyant driving style won him many fans,
and his company car-a 1978 Ferrari 308 GTS in the wonderfully
orangey Rosso Dino color. There are stories of him arriving late at
the factory for a meeting and using the handbrake to slide the car
into the last available parking spot in the lot at Maranello.
There's also the tale of his supposedly record-setting time of
driving this exact car roughly 270 miles between Monte Carlo to
Maranello in just 2 hours and 25 minutes (that's an average speed
of nearly 112 mph). The car itself was a gift from Enzo Ferrari,
who it was said, had much affection for the young Villeneuve.
