Unveiled at the 1975 Paris Salon, the 308 GTB, Ferrari’s second V8-powered road car, made a striking debut, signaling a return to Pininfarina design after the Bertone-styled 308 GT4. Distinguished as a true Ferrari rather than a Dino, this newcomer retained the core mechanics of its predecessor but underwent a reduction in both wheelbase and weight.
The car maintained the transversely mounted 3.0-liter quad-cam engine with dry-sump lubrication. In its road configuration, this meticulously engineered powerplant generated 255bhp, an enhancement of 19 horsepower compared to its ‘wet-sump’ forerunner.
Initially featuring glassfibre bodywork, a departure for Ferrari’s production models, the Scaglietti-built 308 transitioned to steel body construction from April 1977 onwards. The model’s evolution included notable developments such as the introduction of the GTS version, featuring a Targa-style removable roof. Over time, the 308 series incorporated Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection in 1980 and received upgraded cylinder heads with four valves per cylinder in 1982.
As an exhilarating driver’s car and a source of joy for Ferrari enthusiasts, the 308 GTB and its various iterations achieved remarkable commercial success for Maranello, with over 12,000 units sold.
Source: Bonhams Cars
