A driving thread for a change of pace: How fast can a 330 GTC really go? I see all the reports of a "claimed" 150 mph, 242 kph top speed, but what have you guys actually experienced? I had mine out for a good run the other day on a nice open stretch of multi-lane highway and saw 225 kph (140 mph) indicated. The car was still pulling, but it was getting VERY light in the front, such that I was reluctant to push on further. It seems the front aerodynamics produce significant lift. None the less, impressive for a 48 year old Grand Touring Coupe. What have you seen?
Pretty much the same place (≠145), and I too was more concerned about staying on the road than recording my max speed; and this was on a rebuilt steering box, and dailed-in tire pressures. Decided it would have to be Bonneville next time!
About 137 mph before traffic started to appear and I had to back off - that was about 30 years ago Officer! I was on virtually new Michelin XWXs on a very well surfaced road and do not remember any lift - which might suggest that it comes in at around that speed, or slightly faster. Unfortunately, in the UK our traffic levels and speed cameras which would shame the Stasi's surveillance efforts preclude any further attempts on the road! I understand the thinking behind JohnB's question but to my mind the GTC is better suited to very brisk touring, rather than the drag strip.
What about the accuracy of your speedometer? Are the ones on the 330 more accurate than the earlier models (or at least mine)? I know the one on my Lusso is "optimistic". The speedometer seems to be about 10 mph above the actual speed when I am driving it in the 70 mph range.
Fair point, given the age of these cars. However, when I am driving at mandated 30 mph or 70 mph speed limits I seem to more or less match the speed of other traffic - usually flowing at a few mph above the posted limit. I am sure this was checked in one of the many road tests published and I will have a dig through my files.
Very interesting thread. It reminds me of the one time I met Gerald Roush, at an FML event in Dallas in about 1987. It was just an hour or two of sipping wine and chatting with, mostly Gerald. There were four or five surgeon types about talking about their 'rolling stock' etc. and one younger guy who had owned a 330GTC. I had bought a new 944 Turbo a few months prior, but was already fascinated with the 330 GTC. The younger guy and Gerald both told me I'd be disappointed with the performance of the GTC v the 944 Turbo. The GTC at that time was about a $60K car. After reading the accounts above, I think the cars are pretty similar in performance. Top speed of the Porsche was about 160 mph (indicated) and it too felt too light for comfort at around 140 mph. I'd say a comfortable cruising speed was about 125, although i drove it at a sustained 155 for 20-30 minutes on several occasions (wouldn't do that now!). Anyway, still love the GTC, still don't have one.
My GTE was off by about the same. I've driven both, and I can tell you that the 944 Turbo would be considerably quicker in a drag race, and would absolutely run off and leave the GTC on a twisty road. I don't think I've ever had a 330 GTC above 90 mph or so, so I can't comment on higher speeds. Even so, you chose the wrong car!
Not quite on topic, but one time the FOC made a Las Vegas run when I had 3093GT, a 250 Cabriolet. I don't remember what top speed it made, but the interesting thing to me was that it didn't matter whether I was in 4th or overdrive; the speed was the same. Pushing too much air, I guess.
Yeah I pushed my 330GT 2+2 to 127 at which point, it was very loud, both with wind and engine noise and not accelerating much though totally stable.
Several years ago, I had the chance to drive my 365GT (not the same, I realize) at a sustained 120 for quite a while. Seemed perfectly at home at that speed, and could easily have gone faster.
Very good point, which I did not consider; and given the 'variable' readings of the tach and all the other gauges on my car at any given time, that makes the real speed a bit questionable! (was probably closer to 175......;-)
Autocar test figures in period for 365 GTC showed the speedo to be very accurate and I found that to be the case still. 130 with plenty left to go would be my personal best with the car perfectly stable and feeling like it would run all day with no sign of front end lift at those kind of speeds. Given the right conditions I am sure these cars are still good for 150mph plus, but even for high speed touring those speeds are just not achievable with modern traffic. My wife and I have had breakfast in Annecy and lunch in Reims, with about 350 miles between covered in around 4 hours and great fun on the way! Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
As a former 944S2 owner there is no question it would run away and hide from my Daytona on anything other than an arrow straight road. Mind you my current daily drive 2.0 diesel BMW is probably quicker than any vintage era Ferrari on back roads but 1000 times less enjoyable while being quicker.
Great thread! Checking speedometer accuracy is very easy using a GPS (or smartphone speedometer app) to compare speeds. Many of the the tire dimensions and aspect ratios in use today don't exactly match what came out of the factory, so accuracy today may be quite different than as delivered depending on tires used. My 330 GT speedo is spot-on with GPS speed. Sadly, I don't think I've had it much over 90mph.
During the very first Ferrari Challenge Rally in Colorado, my 330 was clocked at 142 mph by the highway patrol. We were following Shirley in his Testarossa. Neither one of us got a ticket but it was a scary sight! Car actually felt pretty good but I would never go that fast again. I don't trust the tires. I would agree with the comments posted by others. The car feels really fast when your driving it, but most modern day sedans would blow it away. Although they don't look as good and they sure don't sound as nice! They really are fun and enjoyable cars to drive.
Interesting. The 944S2/951s are very forgiving and easy to drive fast but didn't realize they would take a Daytona on a twisty road. I don't think the 308/328 would fare much better. How about the 512BB and the 90's cars?
Can't comment on the BB as it's one of the few Ferrari's I've not even sat in. The 944 scores over the Daytona on twisty roads, and mine running Pirelli P Zero's could get much better traction out of tight corners. No question the 90's Ferrari's would easily outrun the Daytona or 944 unless the road was very narrow.
On Sunday I had my satnav in the GTC and at 30 to 40 mph the speedometer was about 5mph fast, whereas at 80 mph (by GPS) the speedo was bang on 80 as well, measured over 2 or 3 miles of flat road.
Unfortunately I can't speak to the 365. My 246 GT felt great at 110, but pretty light in front at 140 (128 corrected) the one time I had it that fast. I had my 250 cab to an indicated 115 once (100 sort of corrected, if you believe the tach); I wasn't ready to trust the "S" rated tires any faster. It was fine there, of course. As for 308 vs 944S2, I put over 100K miles on my first '77 GTB, and over 200K on my S2 (For 10 years, they were my stable). On the tracks where I ran them both, their lap times were invariably within a second of each other. Sometimes one was a little faster, sometimes the other. I could drive the S2 a couple miles an hour faster through the "S" at the old Moroso track until I put stiffer aftermarket sway bars on the 308; then the 308 was a couple miles an hour faster (a couple out of 100 seems small, but you could really feel the difference). The 308 felt firmly planted at 140 at Pocono, but it did have the deeper front valence, which does a Lot for high speed stability (I've compared back to back at higher speeds). It floated down the back straight hill at Road Atlanta (128 at the bottom by radar), but that was suspension, not aero.
