Is there a 1975+ better looking Ferrrai than a 3X8?

This is of course subjective, but from some angles the Mondial 8
Has a curious beauty that I absolutely adore
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Lots of beautiful cars, but IMHO the 308 lines are so simply perfect and timeless even non-car people find it a work of art. I think that makes it the winner.

 

To me, the 308 is one of the greatest automobile designs in history. To me, it is right up there with the Aston Martin DB5, Mercedes-Benz 300SL or Jaguar E-Type. An absolute pinnacle, both in exterior and interior styling. If Ferrari had made 130 rather than 13,000, it would be one of the most sought after Ferrraris of them all.

Regarding the BBs, Testarossas, and other "big" cars, they are attractive to me for what the represent rather than what they look like. They represent potency and flamboyance. None have the sensuousness lines of the sublime 308.

 

To me the 308 is a squared off Dino. That makes it a nice looking car but somehow dated as well.

The 355 is probably better looking and a lot more modern looking. I'm not sure any black bumper car is ever going to be considered a real "classic".

 

To me the dino is the first attempt. They hit the sweet spot with the 308
Is the dino the girly car, the 308 is the tough one.

And calling the 308 "somehow dated" after 40 year is kind of a compliment i guess

 

288 for me ...but somewhat is a 308 shape on steroids, so same thing widened and more agressive.
same car with more muscles: when launched it was nothing more and nothing less than the 308 group B evolution, it was described as this in the magazines of the period.

i think the BB was a bit nicer looking but beside that it is hard to find a nicer design in the younger Ferraris.
355 is nice but not better, 360, 430, 456, 612, FF, 599, mondial, ...all for sure less beautiful


i think is not only a Ferrari thing. if i think lamborghini there is not a better design than countach-diablo yet.
some may prefer the angular-outrageous countach, some the more fluent and elegant diablo shape but no way a murcielago, gallardo, reventon, huracan...are nicer than the older cars

 

+1: completely agree. You are right: the 288 is the 308 version for the FIA "Group B", a sort of "Koenig" 308. I would add the Miura, but it's not an original line: it's an "enhanced" Ford GT40 shape, according to Marcello Gandini himself. However the Countach is an absolute masterpiece. And the 308 too: 40 years and looks still fresh and actual: that's incredible.



ciao

 

one more consideration to prove your point:

- 308 design went on for 15 years or so, till the 328/turbo intercooler 1989 cars
- countach for the same amount of time, till the 25th anniversary 1990 cars

- diablo a bit shorter, but still went from 1990 2wd, till the VT 6.0 2001 cars for 12 years

almost impossible to find other sport car design in production for so long as 15 years!

p.s. as for miura: beautiful car but as you said, not 100% original design! i understand is nice but to me overhiped. countach is more special and much better enginereed.

 

I think the BB is a way better looking car then the 3x8.
Growing I never really thought the 308 was a car people like, especially since well 80s Ferraris weren't really that great in general.

Always heard people rave over the Testa or BB, but never the 308/328.
Personally the 308 is one of the few I'm a diehard fan for but I always felt it was the odd one out.

 

To me this is the outgrowth of the GT4 which were designs done in a closet. I believe the design was not a good representation of the Ferrari lines.

 

Perfection !

 

yes a 288 is a 308 "on steriods" GR B spec'ed. but i think most of you are forgetting the orgins of many of styling ques that came from the pininfarina Millechoidi in 77 which later trickled down to the qv, turbo and 288?

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/308-328-sponsored-yellow-compass-group/7855-ferrari-308gtb-millechiodi-2.html


365bb is nicer than 512bb imo..

can some one post up this recent pic of millechiodi please?

Pininfarina e Parco Valentino: un successo - AutoSuperMarket - Magazine

15 yrs...what about the 911?

 

MG B and Porsche 911 come immediately to mind. Jaguar E-Type was 14 years.

 

the Porsche 911 is the 911: a masterpiece, an undefeated legend but a Porsche. In the Ferrari family, the 308 lasted from 1975 to 1990 with more or less the same body, and i think it's a record for them

ciao

Alberto

 

But, truth to be told, the 328 is, in a way, an afterthought: many articles and books have said that Ferrari was thinking that a brand new design was needed already in 1983, and working on it; but that they didn't manage to find a satisfactory solution and the ressources for lauching it at the same time than the Testarossa.
So the decison was reluctantly taken to postpone the new "small berlinetta" for a few years; and try to push the 308 design for a few more years by enlarging the QV engine to 3,2 and modify the body somewhat to soften the "wedge" shape that was (at the time) becoming a bit out moded.
This is how they arrived at the 328, but my understanding from what I have read is that it was initially not the favoured option...

Rgds

 

I don't think there is a better looking post 80's Ferrari than the 308. Compared to the 348, 355, 360 the 308 has a beautiful stance from any angle, is thin and tight through the hips, and looks perfectly proportioned. The interior is also more business like and has a real motorsports look about it. I think there are few, if any, cars more attractive than the 308.

 

Time for that famous quote: once talked in the public, the great Italian designer Giorgetto Giugiaro described 308GTB as: "the most perfect car I've ever seen".

Rgds

 

That's maybe true, but then if Lamborghini didn't go into bankrupcy they wouldn't have produced the Countach for 17 years. And the Porsche itself wanted to replace the aging 911 with the much more modern 924 and 928: they tried, but the customers had different ideas... Otherwise the 911 life would have been stopped at the age of 14 years



ciao

 

Alberto, you know how much I love the Countach, but to be frank, I find it difficult to recall any period of time when Lamborghini was NOT in bankrupcy...

(Joking, of course...)

Rgds

 

I also like the Boxer, but being nit-picky in design, it shows some weakness in the sideview from the b-post backward, which looks slightly chubby compared with the 308 GTB/GTS which is just perfect.

Best Regards
Martin

 

MGB is not something most remember today

As for the 911: yes, porsche is redisigning its car since the 356 but it is like Harley Davidson....always the same concept and design evolving. Really different than all other sport cars makers

Jaguar E: Yes; this i fully agree! and one of MOST beautiful design ever. the only reason they are not worth over 1 million today is they built so many it cannot be considered rare

 

correct. they wanted to stop making 911 but porsche fans were not ok with it

 

No, it's not a joke, unfortunately : they were always almost in bankrupcy for at least 12 years, 1975-1987. It's incredible how poor were the material and the quality of the whole mechanic.

And in 1980 they went into an official (one and only one) bankrupcy. My former 1984 Countach was not made by "Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A." but from "Nuova Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A.", as the original 1963 founded "Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A." went in bankrupcy and disappeared in 1980.

ciao

 

This is a fun thread – I’ll offer my $0.02 and join the consensus of including the 288 GTO and 512BB(i) to the “greats” of this era. I’ll also add that I like the recent mid-engined cars (458, La Ferrari) but it is too soon to see if they will stand the test of time (though I think they will). I like the other middies (348, 355, 360, 430) but don’t think they are in the same class as the above.

As for the three above, I have a hard time saying one is better that the others. Details:

512 BB:
Certainly has more road presence and seems more aggressive than the 308. It is very photogenic from certain angles (e.g. front, quarter view) but it also can have some awkward angles (e.g. side from certain perspectives) and some overall design elements which just seem a bit off (e.g. overhang ratios).

288 GTO:
Also more aggressive than the 308. While I’ve seen plenty at shows, I’ve never seen one on the road so can’t comment on road presence. Yep – like a 308 on steroids. To many, that is a positive thing. To some, that is a negative. I see the merit of both sides.

308:
Simply a graceful design from all angles. I do not think it is overly photogenic but in person it looks PERFECT from just about any angle. It is less aggressive than the above two and to some that is a positive and others not as much.

As a result, I have a hard time choosing just one of these – they all have the relative strengths. They all are beautiful. And I think Leonardo Fioravanti is a genius.

 

Damn fine.