Daily Pick: 1985 Ferrari 308 Quattrovalvole

ferrari maybe Ferrari is the most admired and sought-after brand in the world, but not all Ferraris are admired. In the case of the Pininfarina-designed 308, it’s far more admired, a product of the Malaise era. In recent years, the 308 has attracted a large number of enthusiasts who appreciate its combination of refined styling and a classic mid-mounted V8 engine. Our pick today, this 1985 Ferrari 308 GTS Quattrovalvole, is one of the best of these sports cars. It’s listed on ClassicCars.com by a seller in Voorhees, New Jersey. (Click the link to view the listing.)

The 308 GTB and GTS have long been the red-headed stepchildren of the Ferrari world, but their origins lie in another child: Dino. Alfredo Ferrari (often called Alfredinoor “Little Alfred”, hence the name Dino) was Enzo’s son and died in 1956 of muscular dystrophy at the age of 24. Dino was trained in his father’s racing team before Enzo started producing his own cars, and the young Ferrari contributed to the brand’s legend with the racing 750 Monza and the DOHC V6, which later became known as the Dino engine. In fact, the Dino brand was developed to produce V6 racing cars to distinguish it from Ferrari’s V12.

So when Ferrari decided to build a V6 road car, it was branded the Dino 206 GT (and later the 246 GT and GTS, the latter with a targa roof). The curvaceous, Pininfarina-designed mid-engined sports car never caught on with Ferrari, evolving into the wedge-shaped, Bertone-styled 308 GT4 2+2 (and the Italian-market 208 GT4), powered by a DOHC V8. It was Ferrari’s first V8 road car, and in 1976 the GT4 broke free of the Dino and officially joined the Ferrari family.

It was this car that gave rise to Ferrari’s most iconic models: the 308 GTB and GTS. Designed by Pininfarina, the new 308 was the true successor to the 246 Dino. From 1975 to 1977, the 308 GTB was made of fiberglass, but was switched to steel during production. Horsepower was nothing to write home about (252 hp, compared to 237 for emissions-heavy American cars), but it was decent for the time. The addition of fuel injection in 1980 didn’t help, and horsepower dropped to 211/202. Four-valve cylinder heads were introduced in 1982, bringing the 308 Quattrovalvole to 240/230 hp.

These Pininfarina 308s are probably the most recognisable Ferraris of any generation. Magnum, P.I.while the similar 288 GTO took the design into supercar territory, competing with the Lamborghini Countach for top speed honors. Until recently, the mid-engined F8 (and 296) could be traced directly to the 308.

This 1985 308 GTS Quattrovalvole with 37,175 miles is the final iteration and model year of this iconic Ferrari. Also, since it is a GTS, it has a removable Targa top so you can enjoy open-air driving without worrying about inclement weather. The second and current owner has owned this fine Maranello car since 1988. All service records, owner’s manuals, and tool kits come with the car. Recent maintenance performed by a Ferrari dealer includes the timing belt.

These red-headed stepchildren of the Ferrari world have begun to attract interest from collectors, not just the guy on the street saying, “Oh, look, it’s a red Ferrari.” Now is the time to grab one for $98,400 before you regret missing out on one of the most classic cars ever made.

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