Production estimates for the 308 can be debatable; Ferrari claims that 808 Vetroresina cars were produced, although other sources claim that there were 712. More than 12,000 308 cars, including the targa-topped GTS and the 208 models with a reduced capacity for Italian tax requirements, were produced in total.
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Production tally
According to the majority of Ferrari literature, 2897 carburetted 308 GTBs were manufactured between 1975 and 1980. However, the Ferrari Owners Site just released a piece in honor of the 30th anniversary of the 308 GTB that includes the following production numbers:
This would translate to a total of 2993 308 GTBs with carburetors. Another UK source that also uses factory statistics adds to the uncertainty by stating that just 2721 308 GTBs were produced. It’s unlikely that the precise quantity of automobiles produced will ever be known. I assume that, if at all, the only place to look for an answer is in the Ferrari or Ferrari Classiche archives.
In contrast to the table above, quite a few steel-bodied cars, particularly US models, are known with numbers lower than 20805. This data indicates that the last caburetted 308 GTB was 34329. On the other hand, the majority of the literature claims that s/n 34349 was the last carburetted 308 GTB produced in 1980. But according to Ferrari’s Servizio Assistenza Tecnica, there were still additional five produced following 34349: 34377, 34379, 34389, 34465, and 34503! As a result, the figures in the preceding table seem somewhat shady.
Early automobiles had lightweight fiberglass (vetroresina) bodies; starting in the middle of 1977, steel bodies were used instead. According to estimates, the first 712 cars were made of fiberglass, while the last 2185 had steel bodywork. However, 808 is the official manufacturing number for cars made of fiberglass. One more of the countless Ferrari enigmas.
Even without a magnet, how can you tell a fiberglass car from a steel one? Fibreglass automobiles have a little seam where the windscreen pillar meets the roof at the top. Additionally, steel cars have a hole there where the European version has a simple place for the back license plate. The rear driving lights are positioned in the bumper of glass automobiles, whereas they are in the center of the indicator lenses of steel cars.
Final Production
The 308 Quattrovalvole was manufactured between October 1982 and August 1985 before being replaced by the 328, which had an updated exterior, interior, and mechanicals.
This included 3042 GTSs and 748 GTBs (74 in right-hand drive) (233 in right-hand drive).
With these numbers, the total number of two-seat 308 versions produced reached over 12,000 vehicles.
Background
The Ferrari 308 GTB and 308 GTS broke all sales records for the Italian manufacturer in their first five years of production.
Even though the model was still just halfway through its expected lifespan by late 1980, over 6000 had been delivered.
In contrast, just 2800 308 GT4s were made, while 3700 246 Dinos were constructed overall.
The two-seat GTB and GTS were much more popular than the four-seat GT4, despite having less practicality in theory.
Customers evidently preferred the stunning new design from Pininfarina to the very unattractive GT4. To be fair to Bertone (the company that designed the GT4), the mid-engined 2+2 arrangement was a tricky one that no coachbuilder ever really mastered.
Ferrari was undoubtedly disappointed by the discrepancy in sales since it had hoped that a junior 2+2 model would propel the company to the same level of commercial success as Porsche.
However, the Porsche 911 was special because of its rear-engined design, which inherently provided far greater cockpit room than a mid-engined car could.
Perhaps more significantly, Ferrari fell short of Porsche’s ability to successfully navigate the economic, safety, and emissions difficulties that emerged in the 1970s.
Ferrari introduced a fuel-injected 308 due to the urgent necessity to lower exhaust emissions. The identical engine from the recently released Mondial 8 was mounted, and they also used the chance to upgrade the cockpit.
Ferrari’s new 308 GTBi and 308 GTSi were sold alongside the Mondial 8 (a Pininfarina-designed 2+2 that replaced the 308 GT4), the fuel-injected 400i (a four-seat front-engined V12), and the 512 BB, which was still powered by a carbureted mid-mounted Flat 12 engine.
Ferrari chose not to incur the price of having the 512 BB or 400i Federalized, hence neither model was offered in the USA.
Quatrovalvole Ferrari 308 GTBi
In 1982, Ferrari eventually unveiled a version of the 308 series with four valves per cylinder, regaining some power lost to pollution restrictions.
The Ferrari 308 was a quick and well-liked vehicle when it was first debuted in 1975, with a 2.9-liter engine that produced 255 horsepower. But when the new emissions regulations became effective five years later than expected, things didn’t go so smoothly for the Italian automaker.
What materials make up a Ferrari 308?
Collectors of automobiles are drawn to unusual, subtle variants of well-known classics. For E-type people, foolish, impractical things like flat floors without space for shoes larger than size 8 and shoddy outside latches on bonnets with similarly shoddy, welded louvers are the preferred stimulants. The ultimate Ferrari 308 collectible is a vetroresina (fiberglass) vehicle. Before the production of vetroresina automobiles was converted to steel in 1977, just 808 vehicles were produced.
In 1975, the 308 GTB made its debut at the Paris Motor Show. It was the opposite of the edgy, Bertone-designed 308 GT4 2+2, and was the creation of the incredibly skilled Leonardo Fioravanti, who also created the 365 GTB/4 Daytona and the 206/246 Dino while at Pininfarina. The GT4 wasn’t adored by everyone. Although it was officially provided as an alternative to the 246 Dino, it didn’t truly do so. Customers wanted the 308 GTB right away, and according to folklore, fiberglass was a faster way to get the car to customers.
Unfortunately, even though the quality of the fiberglass was extremely high, some buyers were turned off by it since it felt less upscale than steel and alloy. There were murmurs of creaks and squeaks. Fortunately, the glass automobiles are impervious to rust while non-galvanized pre-1983 308s rot like a Fiat. Additionally, real dry-sump lubrication systems and an additional ten horsepower are features of Euro vetroresina vehicles. American fiberglass 308s are the lightest, fastest, and most musical of all 308s thanks to their wet-sump systems, more aggressive camshaft profiles, and Weber carburetors.
But are they really worth twice as much as a regular 308? A excellent early steel-bodied 308 GTB might still be expected to bring $100,000 compared to roughly $225,000 for a vetroresina car, even though the 308 market currently appears to be easing a little.
Rarity rules the Ferrari market. Furthermore, the vetroresina is not particularly uncommon, even though the 308 itself is practically a “belly-button” car by Ferrari standards (nearly 12,000 were produced). It also represents the beloved 308 in its purest form. All of the “glass cars” were coupes (berlinettas in Ferrari lingo), and Giallo Fly and Rosso Corsa appear to be the most popular colors. Even though the 308 was rarely raced, the carbs, cams, and dry sump lubrication are all good nods to Ferrari’s racing history, and the 331-lb weight savings from the fiberglass could be felt when driving.
So, regretfully, we would have to respond, “Yes, if you had the money, it’s worth the premium for sheer driving pleasure and investment value.” The 308 market will always value fiberglass cars at the top. In addition, we should note that some people said the same thing about the 288 GTO, which is derived from the 308, when it was trading for around a quarter million.
How uncommon is a 308 Ferrari?
The Ferrari 308 succeeded the V6 246 Dino and was unveiled alongside the Bertone-designed 308 GT4 at the 1975 Paris and London car shows. It kept the GT4’s 3-liter V8 engine. The 308 was made of fiberglass between 1975 and 1977 and was referred to as a Vetroresina model. Only 154 of the 700 that Ferrari made were right-hand drive cars. When Ferrari switched the manufacturing of the 308 to cars with steel bodies in May 1977, the last Vetroresina variant was created. The 308 frame is surrounded by a lot of steel in addition to fiberglass.
What’s the market value of a 1984 Ferrari 308?
Prices and specification configurations for the 1984 Ferrari 308 GTS Quattrovalvole. Are you considering a Ferrari 308? Based on data from other parties regarding prices, you could anticipate paying $69,600 to $88,000.
What’s the market value of a 1980 Ferrari 308?
From $52,200 for the entry-level Coupe 308 GTB to $77,000 for the top-of-the-line Coupe 308 GTS, the cost of the Ferrari 308 1980 is wide.
How is the Ferrari 308?
However, in general, any 308 or 328 is a safe bet. By contemporary Ferrari standards, it is a straightforward vehicle that is also rather easy to maintain, generally dependable, and affordable. In comparison to Ferrari, they cost comparatively little to maintain if they haven’t been damaged by accidents or improper care.
What’s the market value of a 1985 Ferrari 308?
The engine designation altered yet again with the new engine being the F105 AB 2.9 liter V8, while the final edition of the 308 saw the addition of additional valve on each cylinder head, hence the moniker “quattrovalvole” or “four valves.” Ferrari created the Quattrovalvole as a successful attempt to regain some of the power that the pollution restrictions at the start of the decade had taken away from the GTBi and GTSi compared to the first generation. The Quattrovalvole was still a fuel-injected vehicle. They created a vehicle that, when built to US standards, generates a respectable 230 horsepower and 188 pound-feet of torque.
Additionally, the GTS Quattrovalvole is the heaviest of the 308s, at 3,230 pounds. Like this one, the cost of a 308 GTS Quattrovalvole is around $100,000, and many of them are even of an auction-quality. If you’re looking for a Quattrovalvole, a GTS was far more common and hence much simpler to locate than a GTB. 3,042 GTS Quattrovalvoles were made between 1982 and 1985, but only 748 GTB versions. Only the first-generation GTS was created more 308s than the GTS Quattrovalvole.
What is the market value of a 1983 Ferrari 308 GTS?
Pricing and Specs for the 1983 Ferrari 308 Prices for the 1983 Ferrari 308 range from $56,600 for the entry-level Coupe 308 Gtbi to $82,500 for the top-of-the-line Coupe 308 Gtsi.
308 or 328: Which is the superior Ferrari?
Because of its more traditional aesthetics, the 308 attracts the majority of buyers, but the 328 is “in a different league in terms of build quality and usefulness.” Although the interior is more current and the engine and gearbox are more dependable, many customers are still considering the cabin of the older 308 because of this last feature.
What horsepower is a 1984 Ferrari 308 GTS equipped with?
To make up for the power lost owing to more contemporary emission rules, Ferrari modified the open-top 308 Spyder in 1982 and added new technologies.
The Ferrari 308 was a blast for its time, producing 255 horsepower from a 2.9-liter engine, and many automakers had to work hard to stay up with them. Usually, they need much larger engines than the high-revving V-8 Ferrari supplied. But as the 1970s drew to a close, new emission rules required automakers to reduce the power of their vehicles in order to pass the tests, making the situation even worse. However, the Italian automaker was already working on a fuel-injection technology, which when combined with a four-valve per cylinder engine, allowed the manufacturer to produce more horsepower.
From the outside, the car looked relatively similar, although the front had undergone some adjustments. To boost downforce, the automaker added a spoiler and a new set of fog lights. It was clear from its sides that it wasn’t a genuine roadster or spyder. Although the roof of the GTSi Quatrovalvole was removable, the B-pillars, side windows, and rear windscreen were fixed.
The inclusion of the air-conditioning system, which Ferrari provided as an option, was the interior change that was the most significant. The car’s standard steering wheel was a newly created three-spoke model. Not to mention, the automaker expanded the range of available options to include a fabric center for the seats.
The engine’s redesigned cylinder heads were by far the most significant upgrade. The output went from 214 hp to 240 hp because to its four-valves per cylinder arrangement. Even though it had 15 fewer horsepower than the 1975 model and took 1.2 seconds longer to reach 100 kph (62 mph) from a standstill, it was still one second quicker than the 1980 model.