288 Test Mule

front pic
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A lot of heat extraction going on there.

 

I believe Marcel Massini took those pics. I remember seeing other pics of the same car in a few magazines before the GTO's official launch in March 1984.

 

First two pix taken by me on 18th July 1983.
Magazine article is from Italian "Auto Sprint".

Marcel Massini

 

Yes, correct, taken by me 18 July 1983.

Marcel Massini

 

Here are a few more I did 18 July 1983 in Fiorano.

COPYRIGHT MARCEL MASSINI
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44421 was destroyed and scrapped by the factory.

Marcel Massini

 

It seems to me that this car has the normal wheelbase of a 308, not that of a 288. If the engine layout defines a car, I wouldn't call this a 288 mule. Judging from all the vents at the back, it could be a test car for a twin turbo engine, but still in transverse position.

So to me it's a car that eventually lead to the 288 GTO, but not there yet. (note it also still has the five lug nuts, instead of the central wheel nut). More like an evolution of the 308 GTB/M, for which Enzo Ferrari gained great respect during its development.

 

This one is running on PROVA MO 1247. What was the serial number for the red 288 GTO covered in artistic black tape? It was a later version with a more final production looking body running on PROVA MO 1499.
CH

 

Purpose? A prototype for testing.
Do not have more pix of this one, sorry. I was already quite happy that I was able to catch it. Remember, that was 31 years ago.

Marcel Massini

 

Fantastic images Marcel, thanks for sharing!

 

Taken in Fiorano October 1983.

Marcel Massini
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Great photo.

 

Yesterday.

 

A real privilege see this pics.

Thanks Marcel for sharing them.

 

Taken October 1983, going from Fiorano back to factory.
Apologies for poor picture quality, old damaged transparency scanned in.

Marcel Massini
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Thanks for posting Marcel! The differences with the other car seen in July are obvious. This does have the longitudinal engine and is very, very close to the final design. The earlier car has the exhaust mufflers mounted transversely, which wouldn't make sense with a longitudinal engine.

 

Don't get me wrong I find these images amazing and real insight into a moment in time and the photo quality highlights this era perfectly, when comparing today to a digital age when photos are touched up and a digital image is time and gps stamped making it quite easy to find out when and where an image was taken last week or last year.

But admiration goes out to Marcel Massini for cataloging where he was and when he took these photos 30 years ago. Not just to come here and confirm he did infact take these picture some 31 years ago possibly in the summer or even in July but to have the exact date at hand to include in his post, or to include that a vehicle was in transit from A to B, It's simply mind blowing.

I'm sorry but I find it outstanding to be able to do that, I bet the majority of people from a digital era could not even do that for a date and place from the past 5 years without extensive research. I know I couldn't.

To Marcel Massini I tip my hat to you (thumbsup)

 

Great pics! Thank you