Man Maths: Ferrari 308 GT4

‘What’s that, “predecessor”’, you say? Well, yes. Because until 1976 the 308 GT4 wore a Dino badge, and was thus naturally (although inaccurately) seen as a successor to the legendary 246GT. Perhaps now the ‘crap’ accusations start to make more sense.

They started with the looks. Bertone’s dramatic styling was received poorly by contemporary critics, seen as ‘un-Ferrari’ by eyes accustomed to the fulsome swoops of Ferraris past. In profile especially, it also looked rather too similar to Lamborghini’s two-year old Urraco, styled by the same hand – Marcello Gandini.

Then there was the engine. It may have produced the numbers, but it didn’t have the soul-tingling bray of the Dino’s V6, nor its F1 championship-winning heritage. What’s more, to many at the time, a V8 meant Detroit – not Maranello.

And then, it was of course a 1970s Ferrari. Which even in period meant there would be some, let’s be kind… idiosyncrasies. I consulted Ti’s house oracle Mel Nichols on the subject, and discovered both he and famed CAR iconoclast Doug Blain had written about the GT4 in period.

‘The long throw of the clutch gets tiring, whilst ventilation is not good’, observed Mel. ‘The turning circle, a terrible 41ft, cannot be cured and parking and low speed manoeuvring are ponderous’. That ever-so-rare British experience – rain – was also an issue. Water ran onto the rear bank of the engine, seeping past the spark plug rubbers and foiling effective combustion.

Nichols was, however, stunned by one feature of the GT4, ‘Even if it has been standing all night, firing up the engine is simplicity itself.’ Imagine having to set your alarm for 3am to have a hope of getting to work in the morning. Confounding these expectations was clearly remarkable for a Ferrari in period. ‘Simplicity itself’ however does need some interrogation, as Nichols proceeded to take four sentences to detail the necessary starting procedure.

But once running, the superlatives did not stop coming. ‘For those who buy their Ferraris to drive, it is excellent’ mused Nichols, while Blain was also bowled over, ‘It has more to give in the way of performance, ride and roadholding, than ordinary mortals nurtured on the limitations of mass production and computerised development have any right to expect’.

The 308 GT4 had the performance to leave the Urraco, the Maserati Merak (and even Bora) gasping, observed Nichols, while it possessed ‘one of those throttles that tells you everything, and brings from the engine a response precisely in accordance with your wishes’. CAR recorded a 0-60mph time of 6.2 seconds, while Ferrari claimed a top speed just shy of 160mph. Supercar-adjacent performance for the era.

Nichols concluded that the 308 GT4 was a ‘truly worthy replacement for the Dino, one that is even more enjoyable to drive’.

And this is where we get to the Man Maths. Want a Dino 246? The classifieds currently suggest you will need anywhere between £315,000 and £725,000. How about its significantly faster, scarcer (only 2826 308 GT4s were made, versus 3569 246s), ‘more enjoyable’ successor? Incredibly, you could have at least 10 for the price of one 246. Running projects start at the £30,000 mark (have a look at completed listings on various auction sites), a half-decent private car would change hands for £40,000, and a dealer might want £50,000 for a well-prepped example – though you will find some out there for plenty more. I guess you can ask what you like.

They’re easier to run than an F355 (cambelt services and clutch replacements not being engine out jobs) and parts are widely available with Superformance remanufacturing many of the oily bits. Rust is the main worry but find a solid example with good bumpers (now unobtanium) and you’re off to the races.

For many, many years I have considered chopping in the DeLorean for a 308 GT4, pocketing the change (prices for the unloved Ferrari having consistently tracked behind the stainless blunder) and swapping one crap old wedge for another, that just so happens to be quicker, rather better in the bends and with back seats to boot. Not to mention… it’s a Ferrari.

And just possibly, a little less crap too? Well, I’ll let you be the judge of that.

Images courtesy Bonhams