1989 Ferrari 328 GTS

UK-supplied and first registered on 1st August 1989 with every MOT warranting the 31,584 miles

With its original book packs, tool-kit, jack, two keys, Ferrari inspection lamp and Targa cover

Bought by our vendor in 2011 and meticulously maintained since. A cambelt service is planned before the sale

A well-regarded car in Ferrari circles featuring on the front cover of Auto Italia and Ferrari Club magazines

Best in Class at the 2016 Ferrari Owners Club Concours, trophies and certificates included

Presented in classic colours with a history file bursting with invoices and detailed maintenance notes

The entirely new Ferrari 308 made its debut at the Paris Salon in 1975 and marked a welcome return to Pininfarina styling, with rakish lines and curved haunches. After ten years of huge success, particularly in the United States, Ferrari had grown weary of the “Federalisation” of their lovingly designed motorcars in America, with mandatory ugly rubber bumpers ruining the Pininfarina-penned lines. With their Italian aesthetics under attack, Ferrari launched the new 328 with body coloured front and rear bumpers which adhered to US guidelines, and for the first time, the design remained unadulterated by bureaucracy.

Increasing both bore and stroke, the quattrovalvole engine's capacity was raised to 3,186cc which, together with a higher compression ratio, revised pistons, and an improved Marelli engine management system, lifted maximum power to 270bhp. Top speed was raised to within a whisker of 160mph with the sprint to 100km/h covered in a fraction over 5.5 seconds.

Beneath the skin, the tubular steel chassis remained much as before, with all-round independent suspension by double wishbones, four-wheel servo-assisted disc brakes, and aluminium-alloy wheels, though the latter were increased in size. The interior too had come in for subtle revision and now featured improved instruments, switchgear, and heating. Production ended in 1989 and by then some 7,412 GTS and GTB variants had rolled out of Maranello, with just 542 of them in right-hand drive.

This simply stunning 328 GTS is one of the rarest variants, an ABS model and just one of 292 produced in right-hand drive. UK-supplied on the 1st August 1989 in classic colours, the car was purchased by our vendor in 2011 from a private collector via the Ferrari Owners Club UK. He was impressed by the service history and a bulging file that boasts every MOT, original book packs, two keys and pocket fob, a complete tool kit, unused bulb kit and even the very rare Ferrari inspection lamp. To complement the rigorous maintenance by previous owners our vendor, an engineer by profession, maintained the car to his own exacting standards, making maintenance notes over the years and filing the parts receipts.

It's very rare to encounter a Ferrari owner who has such an in-depth relationship with his car, and knows practically every nut and bolt, but such is our vendor's knowledge and generosity he has contributed over 2,700 posts to the online owners' forum 'Ferrari Chat' as a technical advisor. The works completed since 2011 are too numerous to list but the highlights include a full front and rear suspension rebuild with the bushes replaced with genuine new Ferrari parts, all shocks rebuilt by the manufacturer, and front wheel bearings replaced. Mechanically the valve clearances were checked and adjusted some 3,000 miles ago, and although the cam belts were replaced in 2016, our vendor will replace them prior to the sale. There is a list of works that can be emailed to prospective purchasers ahead of the sale and our vendor will be in attendance at the auction and would be happy to answer any questions from interested parties.

With the car's condition catching the eye of magazine publishers, it appeared on the front page of Auto Italia with an accompanying article and, as a well-regarded car within UK Ferrari circles, it would naturally feature on the front cover of the Ferrari Owners Club UK magazine. The car was entered in the 2016 Ferrari Owners Club Concours winning 'Best in Class' and a 'Platinum Award' and the trophies and certificates will remain with the car. In conclusion, this GTS is one of the finest examples we have seen and our vendor's dedication to maintenance is extraordinary. It ticks virtually every box, and the warranted mileage of some 31,000 miles allows the car to sit within the finest collections or to be used as intended by its new owner.