Contributed by Chirstopher Dyer
Every car manufacturer has made a car that goes more-or-less “unloved” by the general public and the fans of that marque. For Porsche that was once the 914, then the 924, even the 964 fell in that category at one point—and most recently, it’s been the 996. For Ferrari, there’s been the 365 GT4 2+2, 308 GT4, Mondial, 456, and most recently the 612 Scaglietti. Personally, I’m a fan of both Porsche and Ferrari, and while I’ve owned my 996 for about six years, my 308 GT4 was just purchased in October. I guess I just have a special place in my heart for the so-called “unloved” cars.
What’s more interesting is the similar stories the 996 and the 308 GT4 share, even though these cars were made 25 years apart. The Ferrari 308 GT4 was first put into production in 1974, but was originally produced as a Dino 308 GT4. At the time, Enzo Ferrari believed a Ferrari carried a V12, and nothing less. Since the 308 GT4 was a mid-engine V8, the car was branded Dino as a second model for the Dino brand following the 246. This posed a problem because in 1975, the only “Ferrari” you could buy in America was not a Ferrari, but a Dino. The Dino 246 had been discontinued the year prior, and the Ferrari 365 BB couldn’t pass America’s stringent emissions regulations. Nevertheless, Americans felt they should have the “name brand” if they’re paying that much for a car, thus mid-1975 the car was rebranded as a “Ferrari”, becoming the first and only Ferrari (and maybe first and only car in general) to begin life as one brand, and end life as a different brand.
That wasn’t the only “first” the 308 GT4 had in store for Ferrari. The car always had a Ferrari engine (unlike the Dino 246 which was a Fiat engine), so at its heart, the 308 GT4 was always a Ferrari. But once it was officially badged as a Ferrari, it became the first mid-engine V8 Ferrari every made… and now that’s really what the brand is known for. By default, it was also the first Ferrari V8 with four seats, or rather, a 2+2 design, and it was the first and only Ferrari 2+2 ever raced with factory support. It was also the first, and only, Ferrari designed by Bertone. Most Ferraris were designed by Pininfarina, but Enzo broke with tradition and had Marcello Gandini pen the design for the 308 GT4. Gandini has a whole catalog of brilliant designs including the Lamborghini Miura and Countach, Lancia Stratos, De Tomaso Pantera, Alfa Romeo Montreal, Renault 5 Turbo, and the Maserati Ghibli (just to name a few). The design of the 308 GT4 was also the first wedge-shaped Ferrari ever made, which was fairly polarizing and controversial at the time.
Switching gears, the Porsche 996 is no stranger to “firsts” for Porsche, as well as design controversy. The 996 was the first 911 that was built via assembly line (instead of by hand), thus using shared parts with other models, and also making it the first mass-produced 911 (the first 911 built to a price point). It was also the first 911 that no longer used the original chassis (the same chassis platform was used from 1963 thru 1998). The 996 was also the first 911 that no longer featured round headlights, which caused an uproar in the Porsche community (even though the famous 911 GT1 used the exact same headlights). But perhaps the most divisive feature—the one that caused the biggest rift in the Porsche community—was the demise of the air-cooled engine in favor of a new water-cooled engine. This was the first 911 with a water-cooled engine, and that was a necessity in order to meet strict noise and emissions regulations.
It’s safe to say that the 308 GT4 marked the beginning of the future for Ferrari. All the great Ferrari V8s trace their lineage back to the 308 GT4. In that same vein, the 996 paved the way for a new era for the Porsche 911 with its water-cooled engine, high performance, sleek design, and modern technology. Both the 308 GT4 and the 996 are historically significant cars for their respective manufacturers as they both represent a major change in the directions both companies went with their cars going forward.
For me, personally, I’ve always loved the 911 in all its shapes and forms. I’ve had a crush on the 308 GT4 since I was a teenager—there’s something about wedge-shaped cars that really do it for me. To have both of these in my garage kind of blows my mind. They’re not the dream cars most Porsche or Ferrari enthusiasts would have or want, in fact, these usually fall at the bottom of such lists (assuming they make the list at all). But for me, they top my list… and always have.
With both the 308 GT4 and the 996 seeing a surge in popularity and value, we’re bearing witness to an automotive renaissance; once unpopular and unloved cars are now commanding the respect they’ve always deserved. And it’s long overdue.
