1982 Ferrari 308 GTSi

This very fine Ferrari 308 GTSi is in excellent overall condition and presents superbly, inside and out, from every angle.

The vendor, who knows a thing or two about classic Ferraris, was determined to source a good, low-mileage, rust-free example.

Sensibly, he chose to go shopping in America, where he located this beauty at the impressive-sounding Beverly Hills Car Club and imported the car from there to the UK in 2016.

The car was delivered new to the USA in 1982. We understand that it was living in Florida since around 1998.

Its whereabouts prior to that are not formally documented, but a couple of stamps in the service book suggest that its first address was a place called East Setauket in New York State and that it later spent some time in Connecticut before heading off for some well-earned Florida sunshine.

Today the odometer reads 38,374 miles.

On the occasion of its 2016 MoT, it had covered 37,907 miles.

The vendor tells us that most of its trips have been to and from his home to Ferrari specialists Keys Motorsport Silverstone, who have been entrusted with the care, servicing and maintenance of the car from the day it arrived in the UK.

Since 2016 the car has been expertly resprayed. It has had its lights and indicators set up to meet European regulations.

It has also had its American-spec bumpers ‘Europeanised’ (rather than replaced with cheap fibreglass jobs as is often the case), and it now wears Euro-spec tyres, which will make the task of one day replacing them rather easier for the next owner.

It had a new clutch in 2016, has had an errant fuel gauge sorted out, and has also had the electric window motors upgraded (a known weakness with these cars), and boasts a new injector pump.

The seats were re-covered in 2018. A new lower door skin has been fitted on the passenger side.

Given that it’s not clocked-up much more than 300 miles in the last 7 years, this pampered prancing horse has had rather more cambelt changes than its work rate would officially demand – and that can only be a welcome indicator of excellent, no-compromise, money-no-object curation of the highest order.

We have driven the car and can safely state that it performs very well indeed.

Aside from our driver and passenger, nothing rattled, creaked, sighed, whistled or groaned.

Everything feels properly screwed together and possessed of plenty of structural integrity.

The engine is lively across the rev range and the car’s balance, poise, agility and nimbleness are an entirely fitting testimony to the proven automotive logic of a mid-engined layout.

It’s a pleasure both to look at and to drive, particularly with the Targa roof stowed and the sun shining.

The bodywork is very good and there are no dents, dinks, creases, ripples or folds of any consequence to report.

The paintwork, too, is vibrant and full of shine and lustre.

Even the usual stone chips and light scratches (almost inevitably present on any car that doesn’t live in a museum) are more notable by their absence than their presence.

The lights, lenses, badging and other exterior fixtures and fittings are all in fine fettle.

Ditto the wheels.

There is some lacquer missing from the side-window louvres, but the rest of the black plastic/rubber trim has stoically resisted the temptation to fade and turn grey.

There is a tiny blister on the roof above the nearside louvre.

Basically, it’s all good – as far as we can see.

The condition of the interior is wholly commensurate with its exterior counterpart. In other words, it’s first-class and thoroughly good.

The black leather upholstery is free of all but the most insignificant of creases and has yet to earn any kind of patina worthy of the name.

The seats are comfortable, supportive and functional.

The carpets are beyond reproach and the door cards and dashboard are in good order.

Some of the lower dashboard trim above the passenger footwell is making a bid for freedom and needs to be re-attached before it escapes.

The fabric at the top of the bulkhead behind the seats is a little worn where the stowed Targa roof has been rubbing on it.

The car’s steering wheel, handbrake, dials, instruments and controls all look good and, as far as we’re aware, everything does what it’s supposed to do.

The rear luggage space is in excellent condition, although the heat-shield carpeting has come loose and needs to be re-affixed.

The under-bonnet storage space, which contains a spare wheel and a trickle charger, is equally good.

Everything in the engine bay appears to be clean, dry, right and proper.

Certainly, the car’s undersides look to have plenty of structural integrity and we’ve seen nothing to prompt a frown, raise an eyebrow or summon a tut.

We did notice that there’s a crease to the underside of each sill, suggesting that someone has placed a trolley jack in the wrong place at some point.

The car comes with its original Ferrari pouch containing a service book stamped by Key Motorsports every year since 2016.

It also comes with all manner of bills, invoices and receipts attesting to the care, time and expense lavished upon it in recent years.

Interestingly, it also comes with its own personal journalistic review, courtesy of a 2017 write-up in Modern Classics magazine.

The car’s MoT is valid until 26.4.24.

It is now over 40 years old, so has official classic car status which means no road tax or MOT are required.

People often say you should be wary of meeting your adolescent heroes because there’s every chance you’ll be disappointed.

That’s emphatically not the case with this 308 GTSi, which is every bit as alluring, potent and seductive as its image on a poster on millions of bedroom walls.

It is really very good indeed.

We’re confident to offer this car for auction with an estimate of £40,000 - £50,000.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ, Abingdon. Viewings are strictly by appointment. To make a booking, 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, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.