enzo ferrari – Pulpaddict

FERRARI 308 BUYER’S GUIDE

Hagerty’s Alisdair Suttie analyzes the ‘affordable’ machine from Maranello in this 1976-1985 FERRARI 308 BUYER’S GUIDE.

FERRARI 308 BUYER’S GUIDE

One of the last real Ferraris manufactured when Enzo Ferrari was intimately involved in making decisions and creating new models, the 308, above, owned by Sarasota Café Racer’s Graham Cave, bridged the gap between sports cars and Supercars. In many ways, it’s the entry-level or Junior Supercar that Tom Selleck turned into the true star of TV’s Magnum P.I. Fallen out of favor over the years, the 308 has gained traction and become highly desirable once again.

There are poster cars and then there are poster cars. The Ferrari 308 is the latter, an Italian masterpiece that was lusted after in period and would become even more lust-worthy after appearing as the wheels of choice for Thomas Magnum, left, the Hawaiian-shirt-wearing private investigator played by Tom Selleck. For all that, the 308 is a relatively common classic Ferrari, which also makes it one that still doesn’t cost eye-watering sums of money to buy, according to the FERRARI 308 BUYER’S GUIDE.

Continue reading Alisdair Suttie’s FERRARI 308 BUYER’S GUIDE @ https://www.hagerty.com/media/market-trends/hagerty-insider/your-handy-1976-85-ferrari-308-buyers-guide/?hashed_email=e323c71347790f699ba35a9dc01d49ac3f938885a7df6321087c8c9b4c0dd333&dtm_em=e323c71347790f699ba35a9dc01d49ac3f938885a7df6321087c8c9b4c0dd333

FERRARI 612-HORSEPOWER ROMA COUPE

With the new Ferrari movie coming soon, Road Test Editor Howard Walker takes a 2024 FERRARI 612-HORSEPOWER ROMA COUPE for a spin.

In celebration of the upcoming cinematic tribute to Scuderia Ferrari founder and Il Commendatore himself, Enzo Ferrari, I felt it my duty to get behind the wheel of one of Maranello’s’ latest and greatest. So let me introduce you to la bella Roma.

But first the movie. Unless you’ve been living a yurt in Tristan da Cunha, you’ll know that Ferrari, starring Adam Driver (House of Gucci) as Enzo, with Michael Mann (Miami Vice, Ali) doing the producing, opens at a cineplex near you on Christmas Day. I’m counting the hours. Signore Ferrari, who passed away in 1988 at the ripe old age of 90, would have loved the Roma. When it was launched back in 2020, it marked a return to classic front-engined Ferrari grand touring V8 coupes. Here is the successor to Ferrari’s Portofino folding hardtop roadster and, at around a quarter of a million bucks, essentially the first rung on the Ferrari ladder. A ‘starter’ Ferrari no less!

As a lover of fine engines – Mr. Ferrari once said: “When you buy a Ferrari, you are paying for the engine. The rest you get for free” – I’m pretty sure he would have nodded in quiet appreciation of the Roma’s exquisite powerplant. Mounted well back under that curvy hood for near-perfect weight balance is a twin-turbocharged 3.9-liter V8, packing an impressive 612-horseys and 561 torques, that loves to shriek to its 7,500 rpm redline. It’s one of the great Ferrari engines.It powers a car that has more curves than Gina Lollobrigida in her sultry prime, more tensed muscle than Chris Hemsworth in Thor. See it in the metal and there’s hardly a sharp edge or crease anywhere. From that thrusting shark-nose front end, to the bulging rear haunches, to the swept-down roofline. Bellissimo.

It’s at the recent Monterey Car Week in California where Ferrari kindly offers the keys to this ever-so-subtle Grigio Medio-colored Roma. We have four hours; just long enough for a fast blast south along snaking Pacific Coast Highway to Big Sur and the beloved Nepenthe coffee shop for cappuccino.Slide into that fabulous rosso-red-and-black leather interior, gently squeeze the leather and carbon wheel, and gaze at that yellow-and-black Ferrari prancing horse badge in the center. Ahhhhh. As the t-shirt says, Life is Good. It’s surprisingly spacious inside the FERRARI 612-HORSEPOWER ROMA COUPE. Heck, there’s even a pair of rear seats. Not that anyone over the age of 10 will fit back there. But they fold flat and add to the luggage space. Pop the glass tailgate, and there’s room for a couple of weekend-away bags.One big disappointment here is that instead of some big red ‘START’ button on the center console, Ferrari has opted for a capacitive touch surface on the bottom of the steering wheel. It uses haptic feedback to recognize your thumb and offers about as much sense of occasion in firing-up that mighty V8 as turning on the radio in a Kia!

But ignite the motori, hear that soul-stirring bark from the exhaust, pull back on the oversized paddle shifter behind the wheel, and we’re rolling. Along the winding, picturesque 17-Mile Drive, crashing Pacific to the right, the Roma is a docile, relaxed, refined grand tourer, its eight-speed dual-clutch automatic shifting with oily smoothness.But on to Highway 1, stomp on the throttle, and Dr. Jekyll becomes Mr. Hyde in a very short time. The sheer thrust as the Roma slingshots forward is beyond breathtaking, accompanied by a soundtrack matched only by Pavarotti hitting the high notes in Nessun Dorma. Select sport or race mode for the full fireworks when the Roma’s true supercar persona is revealed. Hearing the V8 as it screams towards the red zone, is aural magic.And through Highway 1’s tight twists and turns, the Roma tracks on invisible rails no matter how hard you push. Yes, the steering, while laser precise, is a little too light in feel for my taste. But there’s an agility, a dynamism and athleticism here that’s pure Ferrari. What the Roma delivers is that glorious blend of relaxed grand tourer and heart-stopping supercar, all wrapped-up in a body that’s design perfection. Signore Ferrari would have approved.

For more information about the 2024 FERRARI 612-HORSEPOWER ROMA COUPE and the full model range, please visit https://www.ferrari.com/en-EN/auto/ferrari-roma

LOYAL FERRARI 308 GTBi OWNER

Ed Cashman was still in the U.S. Navy when he saved up to buy his first Ferrari: a ‘81 308 GTBi, purchased new from a North Carolina Ferrari dealer. A LOYAL FERRARI 308 GTBi OWNER, he still owns it!

For 41 years, Cashman’s 308 has seen its share of admiration among car enthusiasts and won numerous regional and national car awards. It was displayed in 1994 at the Ferrari Club of America National meet in Monterey, winning Best in Class, and then invited to show on the 18th Green at the Pebble Beach Concours. Cashman said he had the help of two friends transport both his 308 and ‘71 365 GTB/4 Daytona, by co-driving them from Philadelphia to Monterey in five days. That adventure was well documented in a special op-ed in the Monterey County Herald by Dan Altiotti, one of the co-drivers of Cashman’s prancing horses. Cashman has since replaced his GTB/4 with a more-modern, stunning 2000 Ferrari 550 Maranello.

Reminiscing, Cashman said the Ferrari Club of America meet in 1994 was a truly memorable event that he attended with his 308 GTBi, sharing the warm camaraderie with fellow Ferrari owners and enthusiasts, including big Ferrari names like Piero Ferrari and Sergio Pininfarina. It was an event filled with Ferraris from day’s past that could best be described as a family reunion of the Maranello workforce!Now living in Venice, FL, Cashman and his 308 are still cruising together with ease and summer holiday vibes. Mother Nature gave rain the day off for a sunny Monday afternoon photo shoot. His 550 Maranello rested comfortably in its stable.

On the outside, the GTBi has sharp lines, later giving birth to numerous successors starting with the 328. Its styling is as sleek as it is sexy, measuring 174.2 inches long and 67.7 inches wide. Sporty side quarter-windows and air scoops enhance the overall view. What must not go unnoticed is its very rare Blu Sera Metallizzato exterior, sparkling like full moon light under the Florida sun and serene as the midnight shores of the Gulf.

According to Cashman, the GTBi is a pleasure cruiser, sporting a 179 cubic-inch V8 that can power his 308 to a top speed of 149 mph. Equipped with dual overhead cams, the Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injected V8 delivers 214 horsepower with 181 pound-feet of torque at 4,600 rpm.

Only 44 inches tall, a ride in the 308 feels like being in a go-kart, which coincidentally LOYAL FERRARI 308 GTBi OWNER Cashman also described the drive as, “the 308 itself is one with the road”. From ignition to cruising on Venice Avenue, the GTBi was a smooth and comfortable ride, the kind of Ferrari that you would take out on a date night to a five-star restaurant and have guests at the valet gossiping whether that’s Magnum’s Tom Selleck behind the wheel!

Looking inside, the GTBi’s plush leather buckets are as tan as Sam Neil’s khakis from Jurassic Park! Though one can only imagine what an overland journey in this tight two-place sports car from Philadelphia to Monterey may feel like when sitting in the driver’s seat. Climbing in the driver side feels like being surrounded by an Italian-influenced Swiss watch. The gauges are functional, easy to read, and the interior looks race-ready.

Ferrari has been building fine GTs and sports cars since Enzo Ferrari built the Columbo V-12-powered 125-S in 1947. Cashman’s 308 GTBi is no exception. No wear or tear, this model has traveled 3,000 miles from Philadelphia to Monterey, won numerous car show and concours awards throughout its journey, and remains in mint condition.

With years of consistent attentive maintenance, LOYAL FERRARI 308 GTBi OWNER Cashman says the 308 is not the fastest Ferrari he owns, but loves going out for a cruise or to shows whenever he can. If this Blu Sera Metallizzato Ferrari 308 GTBi can be described in one word, then perhaps Bellissimo has a nice ring to it!

Words & Photos: Dan Fisher

To check out the latest Ferrari luxury sports cars Hybrids and Supercars, please visit https://www.ferrari.com/en-US/auto/car-range

2018 AMELIA ISLAND CONCOURS: FERRARI DAYTONA!

It’s been a half-century since Pininfarina created the timeless shape of the Ferrari 365 GTB/4. On March 11, 2018 that happy anniversary will be celebrated at the 23rd annual Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance with a special class of the rare and significant Ferrari 365 GTB/4 “Daytona”.

It was revenge, not Ferrari that gave the 365 GTB/4 its popular nickname. The name of America’s first superspeedway clung to the big Italian GT after Ferrari prototypes avenged themselves on American soil following their stinging defeat at Le Mans in 1966. Three victorious Ferrari P4 and P3 prototypes executed a perfectly choreographed photo finish winning the 1967 Rolex 24 at Daytona, below. It mocked Ford’s botched photo finish at Le Mans the previous June. There was little subtlety in it and everyone got the point. And the name Daytona stuck to the 365 GTB/4 almost at once.

So the mighty 365 GTB/4 became known as “Daytona” even though Ferrari never made it official. Some historians claim that the project was labeled “Daytona” internally during its gestation following the 1967 Daytona 24 Hour sweep. Then the internal nickname “Daytona” leaked. Ferrari himself was said to have squelched the use of the name when it became public.

Today the Daytona has a special place in Ferrari’s lustrous history. Automotive tastes and the traditional designs that had served Ferrari so well for two decades were under assault in the late sixties. So Ferrari made one last thunderous declaration regarding the creation of the thoroughbred grand touring car. They labeling it in traditional Ferrari fashion: 365 ccs per cylinder, Grand Tourismo Berlinetta, four overhead camshafts; 365 GTB/4.

Nearly 1,400 Daytonas were built in coupe and convertible configurations. It outgunned its pricier and rarer 3-liter predecessors with a muscular 4-cam 4.4-liter V-12 fed by six enormous 40-mm Weber carburetors. This exotic recipe makes 380 horsepower and propels the big two-seater to nearly 180 mph. A sobering number for a 3,600-pound GT. Engine powers Daytona #65, top.

Despite its weight the Daytona made a fine race car. Ferrari created 15 special competition 365 GTB/4s from 1971 through 1973. They scored class victories at Daytona, Watkins Glen and Le Mans and won the 1972 Tour de France outright. Second overall (with class victories) at the 1973 and 1979 Rolex 24 at Daytona, appropriately, are the Daytona’s North American racing high water marks.

“The Daytona has traditional Ferrari provenance, presence and poise.” said Bill Warner, founder and Chairman of the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. “The Daytona is the last of the true ‘Enzo’ Ferraris created before the Fiat influence arrived in Maranello in 1969. The howl of that big V-12 should be part of Il Canto degli Italiani, the Italian national anthem. The big Daytona is a car, a name and a legacy worth celebrating in grand style.”

Now in its third decade, the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance is among the top automotive events in the world. The 23rd annual Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance is scheduled for March 9-11, 2018. For more information, please visithttps://www.ameliaconcours.org/

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