328 or Testarossa

Yes it’s accurate, it’s totally two different car, 12 vs 8 cylinders. I’ll let people chime in.

 

Love my 328 and the maintenance has been very reasonable. Have always thought I would add a Testarossa at some point, but have held off so far for fear of maintenance costs. I will say that every time I’ve driven one, it’s been great and made me want one more.

 

We have both right now and TR for a little over 20 years.328 for 10 or 11. You will use the 328 more. No issues going in and out of driveways and can park anywhere. TR with width and thick doors really needs a good size parking place. TR is better in many ways out on the road going a distance. Very good car at speed, pretty much any speed. The 328 has a shallow foot well on passenger side so if we switch sides is cramped for me and I am very average height. TR has more power but not nearly as nimble. Its more of a commitment to drive TR and I'll just jump in 328 to run errands.

I like both but cars have very different character.

No question TR is more expensive to maintain.

You need to decide what you are more likely to use it for.

 

I forgot something important. The 328 has better brakes. They really are pretty good. TR was criticized for its brakes even when they were new in 1985. Fast heavy car with iffy brakes means you really need to be on your toes if driving with your Ferrari buddies.

We were on a Ferrari club trip going over the Sierra Nevada mountains to Nevada taking back roads. In the high country we were on a very narrow windy road. I grew up on roads like that. I was leading a pack and going pretty fast but when we started heading down I just pulled over and waved everyone by. My other half asked if something was wrong. I just told her there was no way I was keeping up that pace going down the mountain. Brakes were already a little hot.

 

I watched this a few days ago. It might be helpful.

 

I currently own a '87 328 and at one time owned a '86 TR and I can tell you, the 328 is easier to live with. The TR can be a handful in slow traffic, but wins hands down for high speed driving. I absolutely love the 328! I was actually happy when I sold the TR.

 

Had a TR for 11 yrs from the late 90 s . Went to a 360;M now have a 77 GT 4.
Depends what you want to do ?

The TR not balanced for too much rear weight imbalance.You feel it braking and yes are poor .It under steers too early on corners .
You never loose the feeling of weight or width for that matter behind .Wide front tyres and unassisted steering make close quarter manoeuvres a pain in the arms .

Upside .
At 42 inches tall , 2 more than a GT 40 it slips through the air .The torque of the flat 12 is fantastic .You can do 0 to 180 mph in one gear 5 th if you want .It’s mid range pull from 5 to 7000 rpm is enence.
AC is over powerful which might be a decider .
Yes it’s an engine out job for the belts but it was designed for this .

Skip the 360 you are not asking .

Gt4 mid V8 the Pininfarina 308;came shortly after .Pininfarina 308 on a 4 inch shorter chassis compared to the GT 4 .
The Lauda developed GT 4 being the best ; safest handling of all .If that’s up there on the wish list .

Again depends what you are do with it ? ….legally .!

Well it’s balanced perfectly and lighter and the brakes feel up to the job .
More nimble the pleasure is in the corners .Smaller car for carparks etc .
It understand the 328 is just more refined and more powerful .The 308 / 328 s GT 4 are the cheaper to service as access to vital engine components are through the wheel arch well liners .It’s 270;Hp gives it serious performance up and around 100 .
The TR still pulls in 4 th up to 160; and you change up on the rev limiter at 162 and it pulls strong up to indicated 188 whereby the rev limiter kicks in .Weird feeling finding another gear at over 150 btw .
Most cars creep up to last 20 mph not a TR.

Depends what you want out of the car .
With performance muscle over a 130;aside with police , speed cameras, city congestion , and greater user ability go for a 328 .

How ever depending on how much of a petrol head you are imho you can’t better Webber carburettor 308s and GT 4 ( all carb )

Just adds a bit more drama to the occasion and another dimension do carburettors .Even more reliable.Simple as a garden strimmer .
But you are jumping back approx another decade into the late 70s .

If I had my time again i wouldn’t have changed anything.
At my TR time my mate had a 996 turbo and the TR was notable faster esp over a 100 .From the 140 the turbo died the TR woke up .

Favourite is the GT 4 for it handling balance , carbs and basic practically the rear seats for your jacket , shopping , wife’s handbags etc .

 

Not a terrible review but hes wrong about why the radiators were relocated.

 

It must have over sized wheels. The Brembo kit just had big front calipers as I recall. Its a partial fix. It was a poorly designed brake system and was taken from the Daytona...a front engine car whose brakes were already widely criticized so they put them on a heavier, faster car with very different weight distribution.

While its true front brakes do most of the work partially because of weight transfer a TR has more weight on the rear axle by a substantial margin and the little go kart brakes under the great big tires are really along for the ride. It needs bigger rear brakes and more rear brake proportioning, something no one has done.

 

Feels roomier to me and I have both in the garage. Neither are big. The engine bay on TR takes up a lot of car.

 

What was the real reason?

 

I read the preceding posts and just went out an sat in my 328's and TR's. Testarossa certainly more roomy than a 328.
I've always thought the 308- 328 line was somewhat cramped, but not terrible. At 6 foot but only 145 pounds, they're plenty big for me.

I've owned a 328 for almost thirty years, and in 2014 started buying Testarossa's. I thought they were gaudy in the 80'S but they've aged really well. truly is an iconic car. With the flat 12 engine, I think it's a step above a 328. They're both beautiful but different looking cars.

Going on drives with the Ferrari club. driving a 328 and remotely keeping up is a LOT of work. I don't find it enjoyable and simply drive a 458. It IS stressful trying to keep up with crazy men in a 35 year old car.

 

If you have long open roads for the TR to stretch her legs and don't spend much time in traffic rowing through the odd dogleg 5-speed or weaving through drive-ups or trying to parallel park or need consistent AC then the TR is an icon - If you drive in traffic and in tight spots in hot weather most of the time then go for the 328.

Not exactly the same but had a TR and (still) have my 355 - I pretty much always chose the 355 unless it was a Cars & Coffee or some charity event where the TR (white mind you) would blow peoples minds - BUT for me the actual driving experience was annoying as hell anywhere but long open roads. All that said, the sound and feel of the big 12 was amazing - when I could actually experience it. That said, I ended up selling the TR and still have the 355.

There are the maintenance costs as you mentioned which are miles apart between the two.

Just my experience - Hope it helps - Good luck

 

I also have both. The 355 is awesome but love twisty roads with the TR. So long as they are not too twisty it’s a pretty rewarding car..
As far as the brakes…they are adequate but that’s it.
Rifle driver is the go to guy here so trust him or turbo Joe!


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When I was searching for a Ferrari, back in '07, I really wanted a TR but, at the time, they were beyond my price range so I went for my second choice, an '89 328. Now, after watching the video...I wish I had found a way to buy the TR!

 

Which ever you get, you’ll enjoy it but will always want the one you don’t have. That’s just the way it is. I had a 328 gts, currently have a 308 gtb, and now have a TR incoming… it’s an illness


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BB suffered bad aerodynamic lift at speed and always had stability issues at speed. Its why there was a complete nose redesign on the race cars. TR was the 1st street car Ferrari designed in their then new windtunnel and why the radiators were relocated. The cars are night and day at high speed.

 

They are both short on head room. My hair brushes the headliner on both and I'm 5'10". In other dimensions TR is a little roomier.

 

I have a testarossa over 22 years and 308. Rifledriver sums it up.
I have always had caution with the testarossa; it is not a track car. I still have a VHS tape from 1988 track days where the guy that brought a new testarossa put it in the tire wall.
My 308 gets more use. Just easier to drive and I can wring out the engine. The gearing on the testarossa is so high, I can't hit redline around here without breaking the speed limit.
I think I get just as many compliments with the 308, as mine is a GT4. People that don't know Ferraris come over see the testaross and then see the GT4 and say 'wow what is that?'