If there was one supercar I’d consider in the “one car for the rest of your life” argument, you are looking at it: the 1984-87 Ferrari GTO. A further evolution of the car that originally started life as the Dino 308, this twin-turbo midship V8 rocket was meant to be a homologation special, a Group B track monster that never got it’s chance in the sun. Ferrari built 272 GTOs during this time period, all but one painted in red, all powered by the 400 horsepower 2.9L V8, all weighing in at about 2,500 pounds. 1984 might have been the slow awakening of performance in the States, but if you had the coin and needed the equivalent of an Epi-Pen’s worth of adrenaline, and you were on Enzo’s good side, Ferrari had something that would do the trick.
A racing car first and foremost, with street manners only involved once it was clear that Ferrari would never get the chance to race them, the 288 GTO appeals to me because it is an Italian take on the “all thrills, minimal frills” approach that we claim to love with our American monsters. Yes, it’s Ferrari from every angle, and that’s not a bad thing, but it’s more. Think about a Ferrari 308, the tamer variation of this program. The GTO is wider, the fender flares bigger, and the car is filled with materials that were exotic for the day, like Kevlar and carbon fiber.
And my lord, that noise…
100% Agree.
A wonderful video on a stunning car. I love Alain\’s presentation. Always on point!