Maranello’s masterpiece

Maranello’s masterpiece

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The Ferrari 308 is an icon in the classic supercar world, with many considering this curved, yet striking body to be the finest from Scuderia. Nothing compares to this vintage Ferrari in terms of an unadulterated driving experience. Like all legends, its existence is a monument to a bygone era, which I got to experience through the authentic, mechanical steering wheel of a left-hand-drive, open-top legend.

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The story of the 308 GTS begins in 1977, but to understand its place in Ferrari's legacy, we must first go back a few years to the creation of the Ferrari Dino. The Dino is an adored addition to the Ferrari stable, and its creation was the product of competition. The V12s of the day were expensive, and there was little to compete with the growing popularity of the flat-6 Porsche 911. Enzo Ferrari was intrigued by the idea of offering a more affordable competitor that encompassed the DNA of a Ferrari without diminishing the luxury and craftsmanship of the maker's beloved V12. And so the Dino was born, and with it, the public's renewed interest in the brand began. 

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Its stunningly flowing form and smaller 2.0-litre engine grabbed interest, and it became widely regarded as Ferrari's best-looking vehicle to date. It also marks the point at which the Italians finally had a hand to play against their Porsche competitor. A decade later, the brand recognised the need to produce a car that improved on the Dino's performance while also presenting a new yet uncompromising Ferrari look.

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The 308 made its debut in 1975 at the Paris and London motor shows in its hardtop GTB configuration, and it was here that Leonardo Fioravanti’s brilliance in design captivated a worldwide audience. He went on to create some of the most iconic Ferraris to date, including the likes of the 512 TR, and his use of aggressively sharp lines and wide wedge-shaped tail ends became a marvel. 

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Ferrari's 308 was an immediate hit, and its naturally aspirated 2.9-litre V8 offered the exciting drive clients required. It was light too, making use of fibreglass in the fenders and bumpers to create its striking design whilst keeping weight down. Only two years later, Ferrari realised two things: the 308 is popular, and its selective clients needed something to match their glamorous lifestyle, so the GTS was created. The GTS came with the addition of a removable fibreglass roof, which was designed to slot neatly behind the seats.

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Nowadays, convertible vehicles remove an element of rigidity from the car's handling dynamics, and convertibles in the 1970s were known for twisting through corners and providing a sloppier dynamic than their hardtop counterparts. However, this is a Ferrari, so there was extensive engineering focused on strengthening the chassis to maintain its direct and instant steering feel. For the time, it was what we at TGSA would consider to be an instant icon, but how does this Italian icon fare in the new world, a world of power steering and ABS? Well, I got behind the wheel of Nick Bellomo’s three-time concourse winner to find out. 

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The process of entering a car is typically quite ordinary, but the 308's presence is a view that needs to be taken in before simply hopping inside. It is a gorgeous car from any angle, with each panel providing a sense of purposeful design all meshed together in a flamboyant package that brings a smile to any petrolhead. Oddly enough, there were two different front bumpers on offer for the 308. The first, a smaller front bumper, which makes light work of the larger speed bumps and tricky driving environments, regrettably lightened the front end at speed. To solve this, the second, larger front bumper was made, and suddenly the top speed of 252km/h was a less daring target. But what this larger front bumper offered was a bold addition that added to the design by blending a touch of racing inspiration with road-bound artwork. Its larger bumper is a look I couldn’t get enough of and sealed its place as one utterly stunning vehicle. 

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Classic supercars are known to be plagued with heavy clutches and difficult driving characteristics, but my initial impression was quite the opposite. Firstly, climbing into the wrong side of the car takes some getting used to before embarking, let alone one with a dogleg-gated 5-speed manual. But to my surprise, it all gelled rather naturally. The clutch had some weight to it but offered a predictable bite, and the throttle was responsive but heavy. It's surprisingly easier to drive than its Lamborghini competitors of the time, but by no means does this make it any less exciting. 

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Under acceleration, its naturally aspirated 2.9-litre V8 screams its way through the rev range in a linear and predictable display of classical power. It's by no means fast by modern standards, but to picture this at full tilt in the 70s reminds me just how raw and unfiltered classic Italian cars really are. Although it lacks all the modern safety features that we blindly trust in the 21st century, the 308 is fast off the line, but in the corners it is direct and planted. Using a rack and pinion steering system, you must persuade the car to enter corners, but the level of mechanical grip inspires confidence once you hit the apex.

The noise, the speed, the old-school handling—it's all designed to create a unique driving experience unlike any other, but for me, the look is its prevailing characteristic. According to Nick, exterior styling doesn't get any better than the 308, which is a biased but admittedly well-supported opinion. And after 27 years of ownership, he meticulously restored it to its original paint colour, winning awards at concourse and making it a vehicle that speaks to his heritage. Serious but undeniably Italian, fuelled by passion and a love for a brand that reflects his heritage. It’s a passion he has shared with his family and one that connects the car with its owner.

To say it was a privilege to travel back in time with a man whose blood runs Rosso Corsa Red and his car, which exemplifies why we love internal combustion, would be an understatement. The 308 isn't the fastest car out there; in fact, it wasn’t the fastest car of its time, but its character demands respect among newcomers, and its style is something of a dying art form. But for me, it’s a Ferrari, exactly how Enzo envisioned it, even without his beloved V12s.

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