is the 308 a classic?

Ferrari has 70 years of history - for 42 of those years, well over half, Ferrari has been best known for its mid engine V8 2 seat sports car models. As you say, the very first of that longest lineage of mid engine V8 sports cars was the 308 GTB/GTS.

The first in a lineage of 42 years? Definitively a classic. Light years ahead of anything else available at the time of its introduction, in terms of styling and performance? Definitively a classic. Nearly universally known by the general public as the Ferrari? Definitively a classic.

 

I'd argue that what makes the 308 a classic is that it is the car that put Ferrari into the "every-mans' awareness, not just the enthusiasts. Likewise the Countache for Lambo.


Oh, and I'm one of those that thinks the 355 might be the best looking Ferrari every made. I didn't buy one as I'm one of those that does all my own maintenance and restoration. The 355 is too "computerized" for my skills (anything newer than 88 is too new for me). The Mondial seemed like the perfect, low risk way to dive into the Ferrari mystic and find out if restoring/maintaining a Ferrari is any different than any other early 80's car (it's not).


sid

 

Agreed that the 328 is not a classic. A comment here recently on FerrariChat, and I'll paraphrase, "The 328, today, appears as a modern car."

 

Ford made a total of 14,689,525 Model Ts. The car was ground breaking in terms of mass production and at the time, affordability. It was also the car on which most Ford jokes (Found On Road Dead, Fix Or Repair Daily, Frequent Overhaul, Rapid Depreciation) are based. A significant car in the history of the automobile, for sure. Classic? I'll stick with my previous sentence. It does have it's dedicated followers, that's for sure.

 

I think time frame could change views, in 20 years when Ferrari becomes Porche, maybe the term "Pre-Marchoinne" will be a new delimiter.

 

+1
they made too many Spitfires too
...also too many P38 Mustangs....
....also too many 911 Porsches...
...and not to mention how many Merlin V12 engines were made....
the question Mr. Mayor (with all due respect...).....is not how many were made.....its is how much impact they caused and how many survive in good shape.

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Hail the 308 as a classic. burn all Gt4s. GT4 was the very very first before any any car with the v8 mid engine layout all the way to the 488 btw. its not a classic? unreal

 

The 308 isn’t a classic, it is THE classic.


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It is to me.

 

Seems like they made a lot of 60s corvettes, 57 Chevy as well...and they’re considered classics.

 

Absolutely yes..................................................all the 308 variants with carbys are classics

 

Perhaps the poll question should be "Do you share TheMayor's personal opinion of what qualifies 'anything' as a classic."

 

Sir as far as your first comment I don't appreciate that . And to me and others, any first run carbed cars are classics. they will never return. not trying to argue. just sick of the GT4 nonsense.

 

Burn the Lambo Miura !

 

haha . there ya go

 

if anyone knows a person / organization in mind . LMK I will gladly donate it.

 

as usual, a lot of this argument hinges on your own definition of what constitutes a 'classic'.

my own opinion, and why i originally said that the 308 was a classic, is that any car that was great in its day, evokes all the stereotypical thoughts about that marque, and is still sought after and valued 30-40 years on, is a classic.

the number made is irrelevant to this definition. whether it was seen on tv or not is irrelevant. whether it was expensive when new, or presently is irrelevant.
there are plenty of examples to prove all those points.

iconic, to me means a car that when seen by non-car people, will still elicit a reaction or response that it IS a ferrari, or a porsche etc.

and again, the 308 is iconic.

 

sorry wrong thread I posted in

 

I think the word is ICONOCLASTIC..

 

Ahhh, yes, the old it’s not a Ferrari argument.... Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

I agree...production numbers arent everything...forget all the Magnum hype.....just look at it...for me its one of the top 3-4 designs ever and one day i will definately own one no matter how "slow" it is or whatever...it`s a damn sexy car !!!

 

absolutely true....of course it depends on how old you are but considering that most owners are between 40 and 60 ,,,back then...when you saw one nothing screamed " I am a Ferrari" louder than this one...everyone...no matter if a Petrolhead or a "normal person" knew it was a Ferrari when they saw one..and thats still the case...

 

If you count quality of materials and assembly then there are very few “classic” Ferraris.
The 308 was a game changer for Ferrari. The progenitor of all eight cylinder Ferraris.

 

Fixed it for you!