By Antti Kautonen
The Italian Used Car Weekend continues, this time with an Italian specialty. You see, usually anything with an engine displacement higher than two litres was frowned upon in Italy, and perhaps still is. There’s a significant difference how much a two-litre and a three-litre car are taxed, so Ferrari in their infinite wisdom catered for the weaker of wallet with the 206 GT Dino and 208 GT4/GTB/GTS models.
This 1982 Ferrari 208 GTB has a turbo slapped on the 2.0-litre V8, to bring the power output to a more sportscarlike 218 hp. In 1982 standards, that was still quite something.
You still get one of the best Ferrari shapes ever, and the Grigio colour doesn’t look bad on it. Especially when you consider the car to have the less impressive powerplant, having it in Ferrari Red would make you look like more of a wannabe. The rear tires are said to be new.
And here it is, TURBO proudly displayed on the intake.
Inside, there’s two-tone leather to keep the Red Interior Appreciation Association happy. Of course, the pink centers direct my thoughts into pork dishes. Or Jim’s Wagon post.
The asking price for this Turbo Ferrari for sale in Emilia-Romagna is 25 000 euro. For the money, you could have a beefier Ferrari, and 208 GT4:s and Mondials are 10k cheaper, but… it’s a really nice shape, in a really nice shape.
[Source: Autoscout24]
Jeff Glucker
How is a 2 Liter, turbocharged V8 NOT the coolest engine, ever?
Yanks that sucker out and put it in your Celica, 510, Colt, Escort mk1, etc, etc.
2L V8 turbo sounds anything but Italian… British? even Japanese?
Dang. Pretty. I want it.
A used Ferrari specialty dealer was telling me 308s and 328s are quickly appreciating in value. Is that true?
That sounds about right to me. I'm 46 and this style is/was an object of desire of my childhood. Figure people around my age are getting more disposable income so if I had the cash and space is get one.
Define “quickly”. The median price of a 308 or 328 has risen 20%-30% over the past 5-10 years. That’s not bad, but compared to some contemporaries, it is less impressive. Last weekend’s featured Lamborghini Jalpa, for instance, would have nearly doubled in value over the same period. It also depends on the 308/328. Some later 328s have been stagnant, but they were more highly valued at the start of this recent surge in values of “entry level” exotics. Early fiberglass 308 GTBs are scarce and have outpaced their brethren.
So long as the 412s stay on the floor I'm a happy chappy.
So RIAA actually stands for Red Interior Appreciation Association… * insert funny mr. jokeman brouhaha here*
Put the turbo on the 328
i like getting comfortable in pink centers buwhahaha
Very cool. I'd take that over a 308 every time.
From the 80s to the first of the 90s, if you wanted to buy a car with an engine bigger than 2 liter (2.5 for diesels), the VAT was 38% instead of 18%. That's why many cars had a 2 liter turbo engine (Lancia Delta, Thema, Alfa 75, 164, Maserati Biturbo, …). Still today cars with an engine of 2 liter or more are considered an overkill.
Bella Macchina.