Was A/C Standard or Optional on 328

Great question Jonathan! I've never seen one without A/C as well. However, I searched online just now and found this: https://www.autoevolution.com/cars/ferrari-328-gts-1985.html#aeng_ferrari-328-gts-1985-32-v8-5mt-260-hp. Cheers and welcome! Mike

 

Nothing odd at all. And they do indeed exist, I even drove one. But they are not numerous. The information is perfectly correct, Air Conditioning indeed was an option on "Continental European cars and U.K", which means you had to pay extra to get it, whereas all U.S market cars were delivered with it.
(There actually were very few options on U.S 328s, they were all delivered fully optioned, except for the "extended leather" - a pity, if you ask me, because that thing should have been mandatory, really - whereas on european 328s, quite a number of things such as the roof spoiler, etc...were optional).

HOWEVER, even if A/C was optional (look at the period list for options of the 328s,, and you will see how much extra it cost) ALMOST all the European 328s were ordered with it (and the option duly paid for, of course).
BUT still, a very small number of "euro" 328s do not have A/C (= the option was not chosen, and not paid for), which means no A/C controls on the center console. From a "performance" point of view, if this still makes sense for a 35-years old car, the best 328 I ever drove was a "serie 2" 328 GTB, testing it for a friend: GTB, so stiffer and sharper; "serie 2", so more precise suspension; no ABS (option only); no A/C (option only) so about 90 lbs (or 42-43 kgs) lighter. Would have bought it in a heartbeat: where I live, A/C is of no use; I never, ever, turned it on on my own '89 GTB in 15 years of ownership; don't even know if it works.

Rgds

 

I have no actual knowledge re what Ferrari did so I am just speculating...

I suspect that all 328s delivered to the US had the optional AC because that's what Ferrari USA specified. That is not at all unusual and is common today. For example, when I was buying a new BMW R1200RS moto a few years ago, I wanted one with certain options but NOT all the "options" that were on the bikes at the dealer. They advised that all US R1200RS's came with the specific option package and that if I wanted one with a different set of options (or no options), it would have to be special ordered. Could have been exactly the same with the 328 in the US.

 

Thanks for the interesting discussion and, again, Jonathan, welcome! You may be carrying this thread in fifty years! Does anyone have a photo of the optional leather? I just re-covered my 328 GTS (Gran Turismo Spyder, which I learned by researching this thread) with the beige cloth from Italy. Maybe leather next time. Actually, next time I won't be around anymore ;>). Cheers! Enjoyable discussion!

 

The "extended leather" option was for the "parcel shelf" plus rear windows surround (including under the roof arch), and the roof liner (= you couldn't separate the two). It's even nicer on a GTB than on a GTS, because the roof liner is in one large single piece.
I always find it strange that very few cars had it, as it brings a touch of elegance to the car, and it was the least expensive of all options.

The dasboard could be ordered in leather also, but it was a separate order from the "parcel shelf + windows surround and roof liner". When ordered in leather, the dasboard could be matched to the seats leather, or any orher color, although the factory recommended to stay with black, due to the reflections in the windscreen. Said in other words: a dasboard that is not black: it is leather.

Rgds


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Leather seats LOOK good but, IMO, they suck as functional seats - in cars, in houses, in motorcycles - pretty much everywhere. They are cold when it's cold, hot/sweaty when it's hot, and require a lot of care. Not sure who decided leather seating was a good idea once there were other materials available that would wear well and breathe.

Oh well, leather is what we've got...

 

Jonathan,

please find below pictures of the only UK GTS without A/C I know. As always @nerofer is right but I would like to see copy of one of US, Australian and Middle East (!) period Ferrari 328 price list because I never see until today, a 328 from those market without A/C. I THINK importer of those area ordered all 328 with it (?)
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The appearance of that console - with the two holes for the AC controls "visible" underneath the vinyl, would have really put me off if I had ordered a 328 with no AC back in the day. Seems like anybody with scissors, a pice of veneer and some vinyl could have made a better looking panel to cover those holes than Ferrari did!

 

From all the research I have seen all Australian 328 GTS's (only sold in GTS no GTB) were all sold with A/C as standard fitment.

 

Let me answer that question for you,

No, it doesn't work. ;-)

Lester

 

Correct. I own an '89 one without A/C and without ABS: actually it's a GTB turbo, the two liters turbocharged Itlian marlet only model based on 328 GTB. I do confirm that it has by far the best handling I have ever found on the ten 208-308-328 I owned: lightness is a plus. Or at least this is what my driving possibilities made me feel.

Ciao

 

Here's a price list for UK cars from 1986. It shows air con as a pretty expensive option on a 328!

Btw my aircon blows pretty cold as long as it's regassed regularly.

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Maybe they were a later option on ABS cars? Anybody have a later price list

 

It seems weird to see that the base 3.2 Mondial coupe was £2,749.55 more expensive than a base 328 GTB, and £1549.81 more expensive than a 328 GTS.

(And the base Mondial cabriolet was £6149.43 more expensive than a base 328 GTB, and £4949.69 more expensive than a base 328 GTS)

In today's market, the 3.2 Mondials are @ £20K ~£50K cheaper than the 328's.

 

Present on April 1987 UK price list, not before to my knowledge