Think I saw a Ferarri 208 Turbo ? Never heard of them !!

[SimonTheSailor]

Last night walking back from the pub I saw a beautiful red Ferarri 308 GTB LHD.

After looking a bit more closely and round the back I saw it had a badge that read '208 Turbo' thought maybe it was a kit car but looked too authentic.

Just googled and apparently there was a model like it.

Are these super rare ?

[BigBen]

I think they were a car tax dodging special for countries where you got hit badly if your car's engine was over 2.0L.

[Coatesy351]

Italian market. Tax on engines larger than 2.0

[bungz]

1.9 liter V8 how cute

[Jimmy Recard]

Yes, as mentioned. For markets like Italy and I think also New Zealand where engines over 2.0 litres attracted much higher tax

[SimonTheSailor]

Oh ok, explains the LHD bit. Looked lovely, grave parking it in the street overnight. Expensive reg no too, probably worth more than the car !!

[carinaman]

Yes, a tax dodging measure.

In the UK we got the 3 litre 916 GTV and 164. In Italy they got 2 litre V6 turbos due to tax levied against cars with engines larger than 2 litres.

[kambites]

SimonTheSailor said:

Expensive reg no too, probably worth more than the car !!

It would have to be a pretty expensive plate to be worth more than a decent 208.

[Dapster]

kambites said:

SimonTheSailor said:

Expensive reg no too, probably worth more than the car !!

It would have to be a pretty expensive plate to be worth more than a decent 208.

Indeed - there was a 208 version of both the really pretty "308" shape and the later heavily revised and slightly clumsy "328" shape - a good one is closing in on a £100k. Plenty here:

http://suchen.mobile.de/fahrzeuge/search.html?zipc...

[EarlOfHazard]

They also did a non turbo version. Bet that was quick...

[kambites]

EarlOfHazard said:

They also did a non turbo version. Bet that was quick...

They'd probably struggle to keep up with some diesel hatches these days but it's one of the best sounding road-car engines I've ever heard.

[SimonTheSailor]

Dapster said:

Indeed - there was a 208 version of both the really pretty "308" shape and the later heavily revised and slightly clumsy "328" shape - a good one is closing in on a £100k. Plenty here:

http://suchen.mobile.de/fahrzeuge/search.html?zipc...

Good god, common as muck !! Loads for sale !!

Defo the pretty 308 shape one I saw, beautiful.

[rodericb]

kambites said:

They'd probably struggle to keep up with some diesel hatches these days but it's one of the best sounding road-car engines I've ever heard.

Yeah, if I had a 328 I would most certainly stick with style rather than performance if I come across a well driven thing such as a Golf GTD. would a non-turbo 208 (if such a thing exists) even see off an Alfasud Ti?

[coppice]

The 328 I drove years ago would have left a Golf GTD in dust. From memory , 270 bhp 32 v V8 , 160 max and sixty in under 6 seconds . You'd need a..yawn..Golf R and you'd also miss the point.

[AREA]

SimonTheSailor said:

Last night walking back from the pub I saw a beautiful red Ferarri 308 GTB LHD.

After looking a bit more closely and round the back I saw it had a badge that read '208 Turbo' thought maybe it was a kit car but looked too authentic.

Just googled and apparently there was a model like it.

Are these super rare ?

They made around 440 of the GTB Turbos. The turbo added c. 65 bhp over the normally aspirated 208 but 30bhp short of the carb'd 308.
Had NACA ducts as well as the air/oil cooler intake scoops as well if memory serves.

[EarlOfHazard]

kambites said:

EarlOfHazard said:

They also did a non turbo version. Bet that was quick...

They'd probably struggle to keep up with some diesel hatches these days but it's one of the best sounding road-car engines I've ever heard.

Yeah I never thought of that: the sound that a small capacity v8 would make.

[kambites]

coppice said:

The 328 I drove years ago would have left a Golf GTD in dust. From memory , 270 bhp 32 v V8 , 160 max and sixty in under 6 seconds . You'd need a..yawn..Golf R and you'd also miss the point.

Yes the 328 (and 308) are still quick cars but the naturally aspirated 208 was only 160ish bhp.

[s m]

[SimonTheSailor]

[Caruso]

kambites said:

EarlOfHazard said:

They also did a non turbo version. Bet that was quick...

They'd probably struggle to keep up with some diesel hatches these days but it's one of the best sounding road-car engines I've ever heard.

I can confirm this is all true.

Here's a video of my old 208 GT4 - there was an old lady in a Peugeot 306 TD who stayed right behind me all the way up the hill! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xk4JWVLMvvM