Ferrari 208 GTO
sports car
The Ferrari 208 GTO is a sports car produced by the Italian manufacturer Ferrari between 1980 and 1985. Designed for the Italian market where cars with a displacement greater than 2 liters were subject to high taxes. Derived from the famous 308 GTB, the 208 GTO takes up its design and structure, but with a V8 engine with a displacement reduced to 1,991 cm³, the smallest V8 ever built by Ferrari, to comply with tax limits.
The body design of the Ferrari 208 GTO is by Pininfarina and faithfully follows the lines of the 308 GTB, with a typical 1980s design characterized by low and sleek shapes.
The front features a sporty bumper with aggressive lines, pop-up headlights set into the fiberglass body, and cooling air intakes positioned near the headlights.
From the side, the car is characterized by a soft but decisive line, with aerodynamic openings in the rear fenders for engine cooling and almost non-existent side skirts to maintain a low profile close to the ground. The 15” five-spoke wheels in shiny silver reveal the disc brakes.
The rear is characterised by a sloping rear window and round headlights, with the famous prancing horse logo positioned laterally and chrome exhausts in the lower part.
Production and context
The Ferrari 208 GTO was produced in a period (1980-1985 for the Turbo version) in which Ferrari wanted to offer a sports car with a small-displacement V8 engine, to comply with Italian tax regulations.
The Turbo version, presented at the Turin Motor Show in 1982, was the first Ferrari road car equipped with supercharging, with an engine that reached power of up to 254 hp thanks to a turbocharger, intercooler and Marelli electronic management.
Technical characteristics
Engine: transversely mounted aluminium V8, 1,991 cm³, with double overhead camshaft per bank, fed by four double-body Weber 34 carburetors DCNF.
Power: 155 HP at 6,800 rpm.
Gearbox: 5-speed manual integrated into the engine block.
Frame: tubular with independent suspension with wishbones, coil springs, hydraulic shock absorbers and front and rear anti-roll bars.
Brakes: disc brakes on all wheels.
Performance: top speed around 215 km/h.
Production: around 160 units from 1980 to 1982 for the aspirated version; the Turbo version (208 GTB Turbo) was produced from 1982 to 1985 with a 220 HP supercharged engine (then 254 HP from 1986) and a top speed of 242 km/h, with 437 units produced.
Technological innovation with the Turbo version: the 208 Turbo, introduced in 1982, represents the first Ferrari road model equipped with supercharging, with a turbocharger KKK and subsequently IHI turbine, intercooler and Marelli electronic management, which improve power, efficiency and driveability.
