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Museum Quality: 1982 Ferarri 308 GTSI

This 1982 Ferrari 308 GTSi stands out from the crowd not only because it’s a low-mileage survivor but also for its very distinctive color of Rosso Rubino paint. We’re so accustomed to seeing the 308s wearing the Magnum P.I. colors of red over black or tan that a car draped in what looks like a shade of rosé makes you take note. The Ferrari has just 30,3o2 miles on the clock and saw just 1,200 miles racked up over a span of 10 years with the previous owner. The Ferrari is now offered here on the Henderson Auction website and located at the Barber Motorsports Museum in Alabama.

The 308 has been enjoying some new levels of appreciation as of late. It was somewhat ignored for a few years, often perceived as the “cheap” Ferrari, along with the Mondial. Although there is nothing cheap about Ferrari ownership or maintenance, the 308 is perhaps one of the most recognized Ferrari models of all time. This has a negative impact on a car like a Ferrari as much of the allure around some of the older models (beyond their impressive performance capabilities) is the perception that there’s an extremely limited supply. You have to wait for someone to die or pay the piper to get the model you want. Fortunately, the 308 hasn’t quite gone to this level of insanity yet, and you can still buy survivors like this for what may seem like reasonable money compared to more exotic models.

The seller notes the upholstery has been redone, and it certainly presents like brand-new in the photo. Now, I am not an expert in Ferraris, but I did read an article recently in Sports Car Market that pointed out in a review of a restored 308 that you cannot get the original upholstery anymore, and that there’s some critical detail missing in the aftermarket kits that will immediately get you black-flagged at any Concours event. I’m not sure most casual investors/collectors would care very much, but someone may ask to see some up-close photos to verify how closely the re-do of the seat upholstery mimics the original materials.

The “I” obviously stands for mechanical fuel injection, which had all the usual benefits over the standard carburetion system: better cold starts, improved emissions, and simply easier to diagnose when something did go wrong. Some purists may prefer the old-school setup which can also be fine-tuned more easily and may simply feel more authentic depending on your birthday and views of sports cars in general. Regardless of preference, this example looks like a 308 that remains very original and wears an extra special shade of paint that I guarantee will be hard to repeat within your local circle of Ferrari owners.

Comments

  1. Avatar photo Howie

    Having very low miles on a Ferrari is not the best thing, compared to other vehicles.

    Like 3
  2. Avatar photo Ken

    The Henderson Auction website has surprisingly low quality pictures, but from what I can see, that interior looks amazing. If I had Ferrari money lying around, I think I could look past that and enjoy it.

    Like 1
  3. Avatar photo john

    One of the reasons 308 have low milage is that the speedo is or has been broken. The transducer at the gearbox fails and cost $250. It is easy to say oh well and not change it for years.

    Like 0
  4. Avatar photo t-bone bob

    High bid $70,000

    Like 0

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