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137 of 127 lots
Lot 137
1985 Ferrari 308 GTB Quattrovalvole
Estimate:
$250,000 - $325,000
Starting bid:
$130,000
Passed
Live Auction
Amelia Island Auctions 2024
Description
Coachwork by Scaglietti

Chassis: ZFFLA12B000058711

Outstanding, Final-Year Example; Exceptionally Low Miles
The Rarest 308 GTB Variant with Just 748 Examples Built
Highly Desirable, Original European-Specification Model
Factory-Equipped with Air-Conditioning, Power Windows, and Blaupunkt Courchevel Radio
Accompanied by Recent Service Invoices, Original Books, and Tools
Ultimate Evolution of Ferrari’s Original Mid-Engine V-8 Sports Car

2,927 CC DOHC 32-Valve V-8 Engine
Bosch Electronic Fuel Injection
240 BHP at 7,000 RPM
5-Speed Manual Transaxle
4-Wheel Hydraulic Disc Brakes
4-Wheel Independent Suspension

Designed by Pininfarina’s Leonardo Fioravanti and bodied by Scaglietti, the all-new 308 GTB was Ferrari’s first two-seat, mid-engine V-8 production model. Debuted at the October 1975 Paris Salon, the 308 replaced the V-6 Dino 246 GT/ GTS and, a few years later, the somewhat controversial Bertone-designed 308 GT4 2+2. The earliest examples, built for 1976–1977, were 308 GTB Berlinettas, bodied in fiberglass, known as vetroresina in Italian. The Targa-top 308 GTS joined the fold in 1977 and the remainder of 308 GTB/GTS production through 1985 utilized steel bodywork.

Initially, the 308’s transverse, mid-mounted, all-alloy, four-cam, 3.0-liter V-8 engine mounted a quartet of Weber carburetors but, by 1980, rigorous emissions standards in Ferrari’s key US marketplace dictated their replacement with Bosch electronic fuel injection. The updated model was designated the 308 GTBi/GTSi. Offering greater ease of operation with lower exhaust emissions, the fuel-injected 308 GTBi/GTSi was succeeded for 1982 by the 308 GTB/GTS Quattrovalvole, named after its new four-valve-per-cylinder heads. Factory rated at 240 bhp at 7,000 rpm in top European tune, the newly uprated 308 delivered electrifying performance and outstanding handling characteristics with its fully independent underpinnings, harnessed by four-wheel disc brakes. In total, 3,042 GTS and 748 GTB Quattrovalvole models were built from 1982 through 1985, before the advent of the 328.

Quite possibly one of the finest examples in existence, this rare Europeanspecification 1985 Ferrari 308 GTB Quattrovalvole was sold new on August 28, 1985, to Leasico, a corporation based in Strasbourg, France. On March 20, 1986, the 308 GTB was acquired by its first private owner, also a resident of Strasbourg, and he retained it until 2014, when it was sold to a German collector, who owned the vehicle until recently, when it was exported to the US.

Offered with just 4,102 km (2,548 miles) at the time of cataloguing, this 308 GTB Quattrovalvole is a true 1980s time capsule. It remains in virtually as-delivered condition with supple, black leather upholstery, an exceptionally clean engine bay, and features factory original finishes and stickers throughout. Invoices on file, totaling over $6,500, document the major service carried out by an official Ferrari service center in 2023, including timing-belt replacement, air-conditioning service, installation of a new battery, and an oil and brake fluid change. Accompanying items include the original Ferrari service/warranty book, owner’s manual, service directory, the user manual for the Blaupunkt Courchevel car radio, and tool kit, as well as period French registration plates.

As one of the rarest and most desirable of all Ferrari 308 variants, this exceptionally well-preserved, low-mileage European Quattrovalvole GTB from the final model year is a highly compelling find for committed Ferrari connoisseurs everywhere.

Leasico, Strasbourg, France (acquired new in 1985)
First Private Owner, Strasbourg, France (acquired from the above in 1986)
Private Collection, Germany (acquired from the above in 2014)
Current Owner (acquired from the above)