1973-1979 Ferrari Dino 308 GT4

In 1973, as in so many years past, the Paris Auto Salon witnessed the debut of a new Ferrari. And new it was. A mid-engine design, not only did it have Maranello's first roadgoing V-8-and a twincam at that-but Bertone bodywork, the first production Ferrari in nearly 20 years not designed by Pininfarina. As a replacement for the 246 GT, the newcomer was called Dino and was equally bereft of Ferrari insignia but looked nothing like its predecessor: more angular in the contemporary idiom, yet still recognisably a Ferrari product. And it was a 2 + 2-the first mid-engine four-place Ferrari-though the numeral in its 308 GT4 designation represented camshafts, not seats. As in earlier Dinos, the three-digit number signified litres and cylinders, here 3.0 and eight, respectively. Though trim and tidy, the styling didn't win any raves-and still doesn't-but considering the difficulties in shaping a mid-engine 2+2, Bertone handled the assignment well.

This new Dino is also significant for introducing the 90-degree V-8 that would power the 308 and later 328 GTs, the most popular roadgoing Ferraris of all time. As used here, it had four Weber carburetors, 8.8:1 compression, and an advertised 205 horsepower at 6000 rpm. (Another factory folder claimed 240 at 6600; both listed 255 bhp for the European-delivery version.) Unlike the Dino V-6, the V-8 was produced entirely by Ferrari. It also marked the company's first use of a toothed-belt camshaft drive, replacing the traditional chain. Otherwise, all was as expected from Maranello. Suspension was the traditional all-coil all-independent double-wishbone system, there were vented disc brakes for all wheels, and a tubular-steel chassis again tied it all together. The Bertone bodywork continued virtually unchanged during this model's six-year production run, except that the Ferrari prancing horse appeared on the nose, wheel bub centres, and steering wheel in 1976. No explanation was ever given for this sudden and unannounced change, but it likely reflected more astute marketing as much as a change of heart in Maranello.

Though not one of the best-looking Ferraris and short on " + 2" space, the first of the 308s was a practical around-town car for four, but more at home with two aboard on the open road. Its performance was certainly nothing to sneeze at. In European tune it needed less than 6.5 seconds in the 0-60 mph dash and could top 150 mph real thoughbred stuff. With the rather anonymous styling, this just might be the ultimate "Q-car." Of passing interest is the 208 GT4, a debored, detrimmed derivative launched in 1975 mainly for the Italian market, where high taxes made cars above 2.0-litres displacement inordinately expensive. With bore and stroke of 66.8 x 71 mm, this car's 1991cc V-8 was only Ferrari's second undersquare engine. Rated power was 170 bhp enough for a respectable 137-mph maximum. Writing in Road & Track in 1974, race driver-turned-journalist Paul Frere recalled that Enzo Ferrari once told me, 'A Ferrari is a 12-cylinder car.' " But the times were a changin', and if nothing else, the 308 GT4 showed that Ferrari was willing to change with them. R&T called it "a worthy addition to the long line of great GT cars from Ferrari and few, we think, would dispute that.