www.QV500.com - Ferrari 308 Part 8: 308 GT/M
 

308 GT/M chassis 003

The third series of vehicles built up by Michelotto around Ferrari's 308 were designated 308 GT/M's. This trio of cars received unique composite body styling, Michelotto once again getting a good degree of factory input with regard to the design and development work. GT/M's were experimental prototypes ultimately derived from the 308, but each one used a specially constructed tubular chassis fabricated by Auto Sport of Bastiglia. Work on these began back in late 1982 and it was decided from the outset that instead of using a traditional horizontally mounted motor, the GT/M would accomodate its engine longitudinally.
   
Ferrari later adopted the longitudinal layout for their subsequent 288, F40 and 348 models, this particular chassis also featuring adjustable ride height, rose-jointed anti-dive suspension and race-spec Brembo ventilated discs with four pot calipers. Michelotto fitted the GT/M with a highly developed Quattrovalvole V8 that put out 370bhp thanks to its hot camshafts, pistons and valve timing. The little Padova organisation also collaborated with Kugelfischer to produce a competition-spec electronic fuel injection system. Yet another interesting feature of the GT/M's were their Hewland gearbox's mounted upside down in order to retain a Borg & Beck F1-style twin plate clutch whose shaft was in line with the crank. Performance of these cars has long been a source of much interest with this little known vehicle easily outpacing F40's and GTO's at Ferrari track days, despite its power deficit. The maximum speed was probably in excess of 180mph, depending on gearing, zero to sixty apparently requiring just four seconds. Michelotto themselves were responsible for the GT/M's functional bodywork and produced a design that incorporated several elements from the Series II and III 512 BB LM's, not least around the nose, skirts, tail and particularly the silhouette of that prominent rear wing. Constructed entirely from composite panels (carbon fibre and Kevlar predominantly), the lines of Michelotto's GT/M were dominated by those twin covered headlights and gaping central grille opening at the front.
 

308 GT/M chassis 003		 Other distinctive features were the engine cooling vents carved into the bulbous rear wheelarches and that Le Mans-style adjustable rear wing. Elaborate use of composite materials wherever possible meant the GT/M's weighed in at an astonishing 840kg, this compared that to the 1330kg production 308 GTB QV's they were ultimately derived from. With the first car running by early 1984, Michelotto immediately began production of a second frame. A third car was then built up from their remaining stock of parts in 1986, all three receiving chassis numbers from Michelotto as opposed to Ferrari.
   
Ferrari 308 GT/M Chassis Index  
   
001 1984 Blaton
002 1984
003 1986 Built up from spare parts by Michelotto
 

308 GT/M chassis 003