We often refer to the Ferrari Mondial as the “affordable” model that’s available with the classic gated shifter, forgetting that the 308 GT4 is still out there for reasonable money. This car was Ferrari’s first foray into a mid-engined V8 design, and also combined 2+2 seating. The bodywork was quite fetching despite having a back seat, and while values have certainly started to climb, my gut tells me these Dino-badged coupes are likely to appreciate further as more and more enthusiasts are priced out of the manual Ferrari market. This car is said to be well-loved with great maintenance history and is listed here on eBay with bids to $30,200 and the reserve unmet.
Now, one of the key reasons the Dino 308 GT4 may have been somewhat overlooked for many years is because it was intended as replacement for the classic Dino 246GT. If you put these cars next to each other, the 246GT is all swoops and curves while the Bertone-designed 308 GT4 looks like a door stop in comparison. It’s the classic tale of being the car that comes immediately before or after a model that was well loved by brand loyalists, and being left out in the wilderness as a result. Now, the 308 GT4 wasn’t exactly spat on when it was new, but it certainly took some time to become appreciated by enthusiasts.
This particular car looks absolutely stunning in Grigio Ferro Metallizzato paint with a Pelle Rossa interior. The seller doesn’t mention a recent respray or interior retrofit, and with under 70,000 miles, there’s a good chance we’re looking at original finishes. The exterior does have some repair work noted that wasn’t done to an exemplary quality, but that’s to be expected. The interior, however, is far better than I’d expect for a car with some miles on it, so logic suggests the owners that have cared for it have also kept up with leather conditioning. I doubt the backseat has seen much use but it’s still nice to know you can jam a kid or two back there when needed!
The mid-mounted quad-cam V8 was good for 215 horsepower sent to the rear wheels via a 5-speed manual transmission. But let’s not lose sight of what makes this such a compelling car to own: it’s a flat-plane crank V8 right behind your head. It begs you to dig into the upper reaches of the tach, and because the 2.9L isn’t over-powered, you can wring this Ferrari out with aplomb and without fear of having your license suspended. Recent auction results show that $60,000 likely represents the very edge of the market these days for a decent examples like this one, so the final number will likely reinforce that the Mondial is still your best bet for an affordable manual transmission Ferrari.
One of my favorite Ferraris, though the bumpers need to be replaced with the European-spec parts and the colors are not the ones I’d choose. Price seems decent, though.
Even though GT4s lack the magic of the V12 and curvaceous Pininfarina coachwork, they have a charm of their own and the looks only improve with age. They come from an age when Ferrari had not yet built SUVs or electric cars, and have the joys (and quirks) of pure analog motoring.
I’ve driven three or four GT4s over the years, and have always wanted one in my own driveway. Sadly, they are, as always, a bit beyond my reach financially. But they are addictive, and I’ve never gotten over them.
I have always liked the looks of these, but i could not handle this red interior. The 400i is also a Ferrari on a budget.
a model named after the son (model ‘producer’ who died B4 it came out)? A sorta one off, orphaned by aficionados, like an audi- or vw -porsche? Rings those 2, 3 bells in this 1X Italian appreciator~
Located in: Huntersville, North Carolina
Always a fan of the GT4, the 4 small headlights do it for me, plus it has that early Ferrari beautiful dash/interior. Has to be a blast to drive.
SOLD for 45K.
75 bids.