www.QV500.com - Ferrari 308 GT4 Part 1: 308 GT4
 
With the Dino 206 and 246 GT's, Ferrari had successfully penetrated the market for smaller capacity supercars, a niche almost totally dominated by Porsche. The 308 GT4 was another new type of car for Ferrari in that, not only was it aimed at the less expensive end of the market, but it also featured two additional rear seats. Never intended to be a replacement for the Dino 246 (that car was the 308 GTB of 1975), so many of the unfair taints this model receives are normally preoccupied with this incorrect notion. Instead, the GT4 was the first in a series of mid-V8-engined 2+2 Ferrari's that were intended to appeal directly to Porsche 911 customers. Although referred to here as Ferrari 308 GT4's, the first series were badged as Dino's in line with Ferrari’s practice of naming it's smaller capacity cars after Enzo Ferrari’s late son. Series II 308 GT4's were all badged as Ferrari's though and as a result wore prancing horse emblems.
   

The GT4 used a tubular steel chassis that was basically an enlarged version of the type used on earlier 206 and 246 models. A mixture of oval and steel tubes, the wheelbase was stretched by 210mm and the bodywork welded directly onto the chassis. Those GT4's destined for the USA also got additional bracing for the bumpers and between the engine compartment / cabin so as to satisfy the increasingly stringent impact legislation being enforced in North America. The transversely mounted, dual overhead camshaft Tipo F106 AL 90° V8 was all-new and featured a displacement of 2926cc thanks to a bore and stroke of 81mm x 71mm respectively. Output was a very respectable 255bhp at 7700rpm (240bhp at 6600rpm for US-spec examples) with a compression ratio of 8.8:1 and four twin-choke Weber 40 DCNF carburettors. All 308 GT4's used engines with wet sump lubrication. This was the first V8 used in a series production Ferrari and it came as no surprise that the origins of the Tipo F106 AL motor lay in the 4.4-litre Tipo 251 V12 as used in the 365 GTB/4 Daytona of 1968. Performance was impressive with the GT4 covering the zero-to-sixty sprint in just 6.4 seconds (7.2 seconds for the US models) and running on to a maximum speed of 155mph (138mph for US cars). Aesthetically, many eyebrows were raised when Ferrari disclosed that the GT4's bodywork was to be designed, not by Pininfarina as had been normal Ferrari practice since the mid 1950’s, but Bertone.

 
Bertone had clothed very few Ferrari's, but those one-off examples that had been created by the firm on Tour de France and SWB's had been absolutely stunning. However, Ferrari couldn't have provided Bertone with a trickier concept, the phase many performance automakers went through during the seventies and eighties for producing mid-engined cars with 2+2 seating spawning several wholly unattractive vehicles. Alongside the Dino 246 GT, these 308 GT4's may have been less attractive, but as the GT4 had a completely different ideology, the two have few legitimate reasons for comparison.
   

Instead, the GT4 should be considered alongside Lamborghini's Urraco, the Maserati Merak, Porsche 911 and Ferrari's own replacement, the Pininfarina-designed Mondial. Prominent features of Bertone's design were its sharply creased lines, the intake-buttresses, that very short rear overhang and plane-like front. Overall it was a crisp, clean design that accomodated it's flawed configuration admirably, although the lower half did appear a little bulky from certain angles. The bodywork was manufactured entirely from steel with the exception of an engine cover and front lid both in lightweight aluminium. Occupants were greeted by a light and airy cabin, but unfortunately, the rear seats were only suitable for medium-sized dwarfs, some customers taking up the sensible option of having them deleted and replaced with a trimmed luggage platform. Standard seat trim was vinyl with cloth centres although many customers specified the option of having a full leather interior (this including the vinyl-topped dash that came as standard). The interior was completed with a three-spoke leather-rimmed Momo steering wheel and open gate five-speed transmission. Launched at the Paris Salon during October 1973, the 308 GT4 was met with a lukewarm reaction to say the least. It was no surprise that the majority of negative opinion was caused by the somewhat controversial styling, most other dissatisfaction being aimed at the unimpressive execution of the 2+2 concept.
 
However, after all the initial excitement had died down and the press, dealers and customers got a chance to actually drive the new car, opinions began to change. Options included a full leather interior, wider Campagnolo five spoke alloy wheels, air conditioning, electric windows, metallic paint and a Boxer paint finish where the lower half of the body was painted matt black as popularised by the flat twelve Berlinetta Boxer's. A sunroof, tinted glass and a heated rear window were also available. The next development came 20 months later when what is commonly referred to as the Series II was launched in July 1975.
   
As mentioned earlier, the most noticeable difference was the arrival of Ferrari emblems whereas Series I I GT4's had been decorated solely with Dino items. Spec changes included a new full width grille below the front bumper with auxiliary lights situated behind. There were also electric windows and tinted glass as standard. Otherwise, everything remained the same. The only other alteration of note came in 1978 when output dropped to 230bhp at 7700rpm for European spec cars while US-bound GT4's slumped to 205bhp at 6600rpm with Federal legislation now demanding the presence of power sapping catalytic converters. Production ended in December 1980 after 2826 had been built, making it the third most commercially successful vehicle that Ferrari had produced at the time. Italian tax legislation that heavily penalised cars with a displacement of over two-litres also encouraged Ferrari to develop a home market version. Alongside the three-litre GT4 they made a two-litre version designated the 208 GT4 which sold almost exclusively in Italy. Featuring a capacity of 1991cc thanks to a bore and stroke of 66.8mm x 71mm, the new Tipo F106 C engine developed 180bhp at 7700rpm. Compression was set at 9.1:1 and four twin-choke Weber 34 DCNF carburettors fitted, endowing the 208 GT4 with a zero-to-sixty time of around eight seconds and a top speed of 130mph. Other than the changes to the engine, few modifications were made. Built alongside the three-litre GT4 (although from later on in 1974), 840 two-litres had been constructed by the time production was discontinued in December 1980.