1981 Ferrari 308 GTSi

This is a very fine 308 GTSi indeed.

There, we’ve said it.

That’s not always the case with 308s. Because they weren’t the most expensive prancing horse in the Ferrari stable, they were sometimes bought by people whose depth of pocket didn’t always match their motoring aspirations.

Corners were cut, maintenance missed, jobs left undone.

And you really can’t do that with a thoroughbred Italian machine that, uncared for, will get through cam belts faster than a baby gets through nappies.

Finished in Rosso Corsa with Crema leather, this particular 308 GTSI is a glorious exception to such salutary cases and appears to have mechanical and aesthetic integrity in abundant and equal measure.

It starts, goes and stops as intended and any unwarranted creaks, groans, squeaks, rattles and whistles are reassuringly absent.

The vendor knows a great deal about classic cars.

He has owned over 40 of them and has a collection that currently includes a Lamborghini Countach and an Aston Martin Vanquish.

He once bought a Jensen Interceptor from Ginger Baker (without getting punched).

Suffice to say that he bought this 308 GTSi because it was a good ‘un.

He’s only selling the car because he’s barely done more than 2,000 miles in it over the last 8 years and is consolidating his collection rather than expanding it.

There are very few visible faults with this highly original car and we will, of course, describe them for you in a moment. We’re of the opinion that it would take someone with a magnifying glass, a deerstalker hat and a briar pipe to find anything of note.

The car was in storage from 1992 to 2006, at which point it was comprehensively recommissioned by Ferrari Lancaster. It’s possible that the car was resprayed at this point.

Either way, the Rosso Corsa paintwork is in really good condition and the finish has an impressive shine and lustre to it.

There are no scuffs, dinks, dents, ripples, chips, creases or folds of any note.

The sensuously sculpted flanks are formed from unblemished panels with good shut-lines and door gaps.

This car hails from an era when Ferraris were hand-built, and we can only assume that Giuseppe and Luigi were on particularly good form when they made this one.

All the trim and badging is as it should be, and the louvres on the side panels and engine cover haven’t faded or otherwise suffered.

The car currently sits on 16” alloys (which are pretty much immaculate) because the vendor feels they aid the handling. The original 15” wheels are available with the car but will require some refurbishment. They tyres on the car have plenty of tread left but they are over 8 years old.

There is no rust visible anywhere that we can see.

The good news continues on the inside, where you’ll find a delightfully authentic interior.

The Crema leather seats are firm, comfortable and supportive, with only some light creasing around the bolsters (we should all be so lucky aged 40).

The door cards, lift-out roof panel, dashboard and centre console are all in fine condition.

The carpets and mats are perfectly serviceable but are, perhaps, a little faded here are there, and a section that runs up the pillar behind the driver’s headrest has worked loose.

The ‘boot’ is clean and tidy as is the space under the bonnet. Lifting the carpets here or anywhere else on this car reveals…no rust that we can see.

The electric widow switches started playing up on the drive to our Abingdon HQ and the vendor took the wise precaution of de-fusing them. He thinks the remedy might be a couple of new switches. Either way, the windows aren’t currently working.

Every other knob, toggle, lever, button and switch does what it’s meant to do.

The air-con is freshly gassed and working a treat, so you won’t overheat while you’re waiting to get the windows fixed.

The undersides of this vehicle are a testament to the fact that the car was properly rust-proofed from new. Better still, the vendor tells us that the car was thoroughly Waxoyled by the previous owner, who replaced all the rubber suspension joints at the same time.

Given that the engine has only clocked up 29000-odd miles, it is unsurprisingly tidy, clean and looks to have everything in its right and proper place.

Again, there is no rust to speak of anywhere, save for the standard superficial bloom of rust dust here and there.

The car had a new speedo at 13,800 miles (this is why the speedo shows 15367 but we have published 29167) and there are documents in the history section that attest to the authenticity of the current mileage.

It has a full main dealer history prior to its 1992 lay-up and a full main dealer and specialist history since its return to the open road in 2006.

The last major service - with cam belts - was conducted by Ferrari specialists Grimaldi Engineering in July 2020.

The vendor has always kept the car stored in an air chamber.

It currently has an MoT certificate, with no advisories, valid until 8.7.21.

If you’d like to inspect the car prior to placing a bid – something we would encourage – then please use the Contact Seller button to arrange an appointment.

If, after reading this and looking at the photographs, you’re still prepared to hold out in the hope of finding a superior low-mileage example, then you’d better be prepared to play a very long game.

No, it’s not perfect.

Nothing is.

But, in our humble opinion, this 308 GTSi is undeniably fabulous to look at, a joy to drive, and a far more solid long-term investment proposition than many others you might consider.

It’s really very, very good indeed.

We have the confidence to offer this exceptional car for auction with an estimate of £60,000 - £70,000.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular array of parts is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.