1981 Ferrari 308 GTSi

October 1975, saw the debut at the Paris Motor Show of the most successful shape ever to wear the Cavallino Rampante emblem, the Ferrari 308. Over 20,000 examples of all engine types and sizes were produced from 1975-1989. This new car was constructed on a traditional steel tube chassis, but its beautiful body was firstly manufactured in GRP and then after two years, Scaglietti started making GTBs in steel. The 3-litre, four-cam V8 was more or less unchanged until March 1981 when Bosch fuel injection was added in place of the four double-choke Webers, although the final drive was altered on these cars to give similar acceleration to a carburettor car. Both versions have their supporters, but the 308 is generally accepted as one of Ferrari's all-time greatest road cars and values continue to strengthen.

This 308 GTSi was originally delivered to Switzerland and is finished in Rosso Corsa with a cream interior. It is unknown when the car was converted to its current right-hand drive setup. It was first registered in the UK in 1999 and there are service records detailing all the work carried out on the car since then. These records show a total of five cambelt changes since 1999 with the latest being carried out during a major service in August 2015 by Slades Garage when they also fitted a new clutch. This year the car has received further love and attention with a new oil cooler, alternator and wheel bearings fitted along with a health check by Graypaul. The seats were also repaired and tidied up at the same time and the interior now presents very nicely indeed. In early 2000, Woodbridge Classic Cars in Suffolk carried out a speedometer change when the car was showing 58,407km and, since then, the distance covered is shown in miles with 17,300 currently on the odometer, meaning a total of approximately 54,000 miles has been covered by this car since 1981. It was serviced in April 2021 at a cost of just over £1,000 and the MOT is valid until June 2023.

The current custodian has had the car in his collection since 2018 and with only 150 miles or so travelled in four years he has decided the time is right to move the 308 on. The appropriate cherished registration number, OIA 308, will remain with the car.