Classic Car: Ferrari 308

What kind of car can you get for $20,000? The new Fiat 500 starts at $20,000. The Ford Fusion, Mini Cooper, Volkswagen Jetta Sportswagon, Subaru Legacy, and Mazda 6 all cost around $20,000. You can get a classic Ferrari for as low as $20,000. You could get a Ferrari 308 for around $20,000. The 308 was built from 1975 to 1985 with two different materials to make the body. From 1975 to 1977, 308s were made out of fiberglass. From 1977 to 1985, 308s were made from steel. The 308 was one of the first Ferraris to have a V8 mounted in the middle of the car, behind the driver/passenger seats. The 308 was available as a berlinetta (308 GTB) or available with a targa top (308 GTS).

I saw the 308 GTB at the December 2010 edition of Houston Cars and Coffee and saw the 308 GTS at the August 2011 edition of Houston Cars and Coffee. The 308 is a beautiful classic Ferrari, and is another great Ferrari designed by Pinnafarina. Since there was space for storage in the front of the car, the 308 can be classified as a grand tourer. Whether the 308 has a solid roof or has a targa top on or off, it is a beautiful car.

The 308 GTB/GTS is powered by a 3.0L V8 engine, paired with a five-speed manual transmission, that produces 240 hp and 209 lb-ft of torque. It goes from 0 to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds and reaches a top speed of 159 mph. The 308 made up the lower end of the Ferrari range, yet is was still fast and quick by 1970s and 1980s standards. The 308 is listed between $20,000 and $40,000. The 308 is the best value for an entry level Ferrari. There are rumors that in order for you to buy a new Ferrari, you have to have owned a Ferrari for two years. If that is true, you can spend low money for a Ferrari 308, own it for two years, and then be allowed to buy a new Ferrari. 

The Ferrari 308 has been featured in a commercial for Chasing Classic Cars in which Wayne Carini tells you that you can get a Ferrari 308 for as low as $20,000 and it is the best entry level Ferrari. It was featured in Magnum, P.I., The Foot Fist Way, Cannonball Run, Monster Garage, Against All Odds, One Crazy Summer, Clarkson: No Limit, and Top Gear, just to name a few shows and movies. Decepticon Wildrider tranforms into a Ferrari 308 GTB in the Transformers G1 series. The Ferrari 308 is playable in Interstate '82, Viper Racing, Super Runabout, Pursuit Force, The Simpsons: Hit & Run, Test Drive Unlimited, Test Drive Unlimited 2, and South Park Rally.

This is a great entry level Ferrari. If you think that you have to shell out big money to get any Ferrari, new or old, then you would be wrong. The 308 can be yours for a price between $20,000 and $40,000. There have been a few variants of the 308. For that money, you get a car that is fast and quick and has the prancing horse badge. The GTBi and GTSi used a fuel injected 3.0L V8. This variant produces 214 hp. The Quattrovalvole had 3.0L V8 with four valves per cylinder and returned the power output back to 240 hp. The 308 is a classic Ferrari. It might be very pricey to keep this car running. So if you find a 308 for a good price, make sure it has the service history or you could be spending a lot of money just to get it up and running. 

CarJunkie

Photos taken from a camera phone

Check out more car articles at http://carjunkie713.blogspot.com.