Vehicle Description
Motorcar Studio is pleased to offer this 1981 Ferrari 308 GTBi,
presented in the unusual and attractive shade of Rosso Rubino over
Sabbia interior. This 308 just underwent a major service at a cost
of $15,000 and is accompanied by a clean CarFax with no accidents
and consistent mileage entries, plus comprehensive maintenance
records. A bare-metal repaint in the correct color from 2005 still
looks great today; Euro bumpers were installed at that time for a
more streamlined look. In 2014 the seats were reupholstered in
leather. Very clean underneath. This Ferrari shows very nicely both
inside and out, consistent with the photos and what you would
expect for a 25,000-mile garage-kept and well-maintained
example.
The 308/328 has long been one of our favorites - but due to US
emissions standards enacted in the late 1970s, the two-valve
injected cars had the most anemic performance - both the early carb
cars and the later QV versions made appreciably more power. But
under prior ownership this 308 was upgraded with sport cams,
Euro-spec ignition and Euro exhaust bringing performance back in
line with a QV (we don't have dyno numbers but my seat-of-the-pants
assessment fully concurs).
A recent major service was completed in January 2025 in preparation
for the sale, which included timing belts, new aluminum cam
pulleys, spark plus and wires, coil, crank sensor, new digital
ignition ECUs, drive belts and an oil service. The water pump was
replaced at the last major service in 2018, along with a valve
adjustment fewer than 1000 miles ago. In 2016 this car received new
control arm bushings, plus new front and rear brake hoses, and in
2014 it got a new clutch, transmission service and resurfaced
flywheel. The gearbox feels particularly good on this one - it
shifts easily into second gear even when cold.
Thanks to a lifetime of caring owners, attentive service, but
fairly limited use, this 308 feels both fresh and dialed in.
Better-than-stock performance similar to a QV, a tight and
responsive chassis and a gearbox without any stiffness or crunchy
synchros make this one truly a pleasure to drive. It's a fun and
engaging car to push to its limits - it offers similar performance
to a contemporary Porsche 911 but with more balanced handling
characteristics (it's actually a little faster than a 911 - don't
ask how I know).
Included with the sale is a copy of the original window sticker and
over two decades of service records. For more information about
this 1981 Ferrari 308 GTBi for sale at Motorcar Studio in Savannah,
please call 912-235-0435.
