Skip advert
Advertisement

Ferrari 458 Italia meets 308, 348, F355, 360 and F430 - Ferrari 308 GTS

Hi-tech 458 Italia meets its 308, 348, F355, 360 and F430 ancestors in a sonorous supercar group test

The 308 is where it all started and this GTS is a proper early ‘carb’ car with four Weber 40s. In 1981 the 308 had the hair ripped from its chest by fuel injection, which dropped power from 252 to 214bhp. It partially re-grew when the QV came along and raised power back up to 240bhp, but carburettors are where it’s at. The leather driver’s seat, smoothed and polished through years of use, seems to be only available in a reclined position, there’s no shoulder support and the headrest would be of no use in an accident. The top of the steering wheel is tilted away from you too, and as a result you feel vaguely louche just sitting in this car. I’ve got the nagging sense that I ought to have put on some white socks and slipped into a pair of loafers before getting settled.

Advertisement - Article continues below

‘Analogue’ is the first thing that springs to mind when you look at the rows of slider controls between the seats. You suddenly remember how old this car is when you see one is labelled ‘Choke’. The small key can only go in one way up and the 2927cc, flat-plane-crank, 90-degree, transversely mounted V8 (reportedly a derivative of Angelo Bellei’s 1964 F1 engine) fires with a slightly feathery edge to the exhaust note. The controls are all weighty but not quite as heavy as I feared they might be. Left and back with the delicate-looking black-topped gearlever for the dog-leg first, ease up the revs with the floor-hinged accelerator and we’re away.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Advertisement - Article continues below

The gearshift is the focus of attention in the first few miles, partly because it just feels exciting to be using a Ferrari open-gate ’box and partly because you need to concentrate to use it. Across the gate it’s quite stiff initially so you don’t rush shifts, but the clutch is accurate and matches the sensations from the gearlever so it’s an enjoyable, albeit considered, process.

Out of a small village and squeeze open the taps towards the first sweeping corners. Your speed builds smoothly and at a rate where you can enjoy the note- changes in the gruff, guttural engine. The rate of acceleration isn’t going to snap your head back, but it’s not the disappointment I’d worried it might be either. Interestingly, both Harry Metcalfe and I thought it sounded a little ‘vintage’; what definitely aren’t vintage are the brakes, which feel superbly progressive and strong under your foot all the way from the top of the pedal’s travel.

Advertisement - Article continues below

If anything, after the confidence inspired on the way into the corner, it’s then something of a shock once you start using the steering wheel in anger. The first left-hander I tackle with a bit of ambition, the front end grips… then goes alarmingly light, and then the rear end appears to be quite unconnected and unhelpful until you get on the power.

To be fair, the chassis rigidity is never going to be quite as good when you’ve chopped a section out of the roof, but it was a shock to find out how much you need to methodically set the car up early and then drive it through on a balanced throttle to keep the chassis loaded up.

Harry reckons that there are sweeter-handling 308s (particularly without this car’s slightly wider wheels) but there’s no doubt that dynamically this car is more closely related to the Dino than the 348. That’s not to say it’s not desirable, far from it. It’s just that the best bit of all arguably comes when you park up, pull back the catch hidden under the swooping door architecture, get out, walk away and then stop and look back at what is probably the prettiest shape here. Owning one of these really would make you feel pretty good about life.

Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale 2025 review – a rare Italian jewel beyond compare
Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale front
Reviews

Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale 2025 review – a rare Italian jewel beyond compare

What’s Alfa Romeo’s near-£2m hand-built supercar like to drive? We find out, on the Balocco test track
29 Apr 2025
The Ferrari 296 Speciale has arrived, and it could be the most thrilling Ferrari ever
Ferrari 296 Speciale – front
News

The Ferrari 296 Speciale has arrived, and it could be the most thrilling Ferrari ever

The 296 Speciale is the latest in Ferrari's line of mid-engined road racers, packing 868bhp and LaFerrari-beating pace on track
29 Apr 2025
Manthey Racing Porsche 911 GT3 RS 2025 review – the ultimate Nürburgring toy
Porsche 911 GT3 RS Manthey front
Reviews

Manthey Racing Porsche 911 GT3 RS 2025 review – the ultimate Nürburgring toy

Did the 992 GT3 RS need to be made more extreme? Posssibly not. We're glad Manthey Racing has done it, though.
28 Apr 2025
Revisiting the McLaren MP4-12C, the birth of McLaren Automotive – car pictures of the week
McLaren MP4-12C
Features

Revisiting the McLaren MP4-12C, the birth of McLaren Automotive – car pictures of the week

In issue 333 of evo, we revisit genesis for McLaren Automotive – the first production MP4-12C
27 Apr 2025
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Ford Focus ST (Mk3) – the car world's greatest misses
Ford Focus ST Mk3
Features

Ford Focus ST (Mk3) – the car world's greatest misses

We’d hoped the 2015 Focus ST would share a good dose of its little brother’s magic. Sadly, it didn’t
28 Apr 2025
The Ferrari 296 Speciale has arrived, and it could be the most thrilling Ferrari ever
Ferrari 296 Speciale – front
News

The Ferrari 296 Speciale has arrived, and it could be the most thrilling Ferrari ever

The 296 Speciale is the latest in Ferrari's line of mid-engined road racers, packing 868bhp and LaFerrari-beating pace on track
29 Apr 2025
Gordon Murray Automotive T.50 2025 review – the ultimate analogue hypercar
GMA T.50 front
Reviews

Gordon Murray Automotive T.50 2025 review – the ultimate analogue hypercar

The GMA T.50 is the car we thought would never come: Gordon Murray's sequel to the ultimate hypercar, the McLaren F1
26 Apr 2025