With all of its motorsport history, can you believe that Ferrari has homologated only two race cars in their storied history. The 250 GTO, considered the greatest car ever made, & the 288 GTO.
When we talk about the 1980s Group B racing, images of Lancias, Cosworths, and Celicas flying through the forest come to mind, but did you know that there was supposed to be a Group B road circuit series?
Some marques, like Ferrari, did not want to go rallying. They saw Group B as a way to advance their racing presence & product test for future models.▴4 Introduced for Group B racing, the 288 GTO was based on & appeared quite similar to the 308, but upon closer examination, the two couldn’t be more different.
A race car for the street will always be abnormally lighter than the production car it’s based on. The 288 GTO weighed 2500 lbs or so, & the 308 weighed in at 3300 lbs. 800lbs lighter! The entire body of the 288 was made of kevlar, carbon fiber, fiberglass, & lightweight glass.
â–´5 The motor is a work of art. Twin turbo charged, 2.88L V8, pumping out 400hp & a whopping 366 ft lbs of torque. In a 2500 lb car, almost 400lb of torque is absolutely insane. And this car has the 1980s turbo lag - nothing, nothing, FULL BOOST!
▴6 - ▴7 Pininfarina’s chief designer Leonardo Fiorvanti was tasked in designing a car that could maximize this power. The car was shortened, but the wheelbase was extended, which made the car easier to control, but a smaller body meant an overall lighter car.
In addition to being light and powerful, the 288 GTO was rare, with only 272 ever built. This rarity has made these cars more expensive than the almighty F40.
▴8 - ▴9 To further develop their mystique, a wilder 288 GTO was created - the Evoluzione. This car looks like a kit car, but get this; Ferrari shaved ANOTHER 500lbs off the car & increased power to 650hp! Only 6 were made - 5 production models & 1 prototype. The Evoluzione was crucial in the development of Ferrari’s next supercar - the F40.
â–´10 Not as wild looking as the F40, F50, Enzo, or LaFerrari, the 288 GTO holds a special place in automotive history & being marked with racing pedigree, the GTO has found itself amongst Ferrari royalty.
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